A clean cabinet complements the overall look of your kitchen; proper handling of its maintenance plays a huge role in its lifetime use.
If well-handled, kitchen cabinets can last for up to 50 years; it might seem like hard work to regularly clean the cabinets, but the alternative is an unattractive and unsanitary kitchen.
Since that’s entirely out of the question, you need to get acquainted with a few things that can keep your cabinets in their prime form.
Why Do They Get Sticky?
Kitchen cabinets tend to get smeared with cooking grease and dirt from the cooking activities being carried out daily.
The process happens because of their closeness to stovetops, a standard mode of cooking.
Oil vapor release from cooking oily foods doesn’t just evaporate into a gas; they return to a liquid state containing microscopic droplets of oil.
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The stickiness happens as soon as dust accumulates on the oil and mixes together to form the inconvenient residue.
Even when cleaned regularly, you might still notice some residue left on the surface of your kitchen cabinet.
This sticky residue can deteriorate the appearance or finish of your cabinets over time.
How to Remove Sticky Residue from Your Kitchen Cabinets
There are many ways you can approach the cleaning process; we’ve compiled the most effective solutions to a stained cabinet.
Listed below are some of the routines you can employ.
Follow any of these methods to attain the natural sparkling beauty of your kitchen cabinets.
Dish Soap and Water
This cleaning routine yields excellent results when adequately executed; it can be used on several kitchen cabinets constructed using different materials.
This method entails using warm water and a tiny quantity of dish soap, just enough for the amount of water.
The dish soap has some powerful degreasing properties, which make it perfect for the process.
These features are accessible because dish soap is an alkaline-based product.
Getting started, you should create the mixture using genuine dish soap; be sure to avoid using dishwasher detergent.
Dip a sponge into the prepared solution; it should be a light dip to prevent the sponge from getting over-soaked.
After clearing off the grease, repeat the process using only clean water.
This will remove any lingering dish soap on the surface; you can then wipe with a dry cloth to end the routine.
Water and Baking Soda
Sometimes, the residue might seem too harsh or overwhelming; this method is highly recommended for such scenarios.
Baking soda is ideal for removing any grease stains on the surface of your cabinets.
Being a mild alkali, any reaction with water results in a substance powerful at instantly dissolving grease.
To begin the process, mix the water and baking soda in equal proportions until a paste texture is achieved.
After this, apply the paste to the cabinet’s surface and then use a clean microfiber cloth to clean off the grease stains.
Remember to use circular motions when the cabinets with the cloth.
The fabric is bound to get soiled with the stains and mixture, switch to new towels and continue the cleaning process until a stain-free surface is secured.
Citrus-Based Multipurpose Cleaners
Stubborn and resilient stains are no exception to the powerful effects of this natural degreaser.
They are available at any supplies store, look for a multipurpose cleaner that lists citrus oil as part of its ingredients.
You can also decide to make your citrus cleaning solution in the kitchen.
To do this, fill a jar up with citrus peels but free about one-quarter of its height.
Then pour white vinegar on the peels and leave it to steep for up to three weeks.
After the stipulated timeframe elapses, pour out the formed liquid elsewhere, preferable a spray bottle.
Voila! You have yourself a homemade citrus cleaner.
After securing the citrus cleaner, get a microfiber cloth or sponge and warm water to get started.
Firstly, spray the cleaning solution onto the surface of the kitchen cabinets; leave the application to settle and react with the grease stains.
After a few minutes, dampen the microfiber cloth or sponge with the water and use it to remove the stains gently.
When you are done with all the stained parts, then wipe off any citrus solution that might still be on the surface with a dry cloth.
Repeat this last step until you have a clean shine on the kitchen cabinets.
The Cleaning Methods You Need to Avoid
We recommend that you abstain from using some cleaning methods on your kitchen cabinets; such methods are very ineffective and can further damage the surface of the cabinets.
Here are the ones you need to steer clear of when cleaning the cabinets.
Baking Soda and Olive Oil
It’s a widespread misconception that this method is very effective at removing grease stains.
It’s false because olive oil is a non-drying oil that stays on the surface of the cabinet, gradually spoiling its look over time.
It also accumulates dust as time passes; the mixture eventually develops an offensive smell that attracts bacteria and other harmful microorganisms to the cabinet.
Please avoid using this procedure because it poses a contamination danger to food items stored in the cabinet.
Vinegar
Even though it’s widely accepted as an excellent natural cleaner and disinfectant, vinegar is still basically an acid that behaves like a varnish remover and paint stripper.
This feature can diminish the appearance of your kitchen cabinet by slowly dissolving the finishes or coatings.
When diluted or mixed water, it becomes harmless and can be used for its intended purpose.
Conclusion
Keep your kitchen cabinets looking all shiny and new using any of the safe methods we’ve assembled for you.
The kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in any household; pay enough attention to its maintenance, and you might save yourself from incurring unnecessary expenses on kitchen renovations.
Remember, the lifetime use of your kitchen cabinets depends on the cleaning effort.
Maintaining and increasing the value of your kitchen space is also dependent on how well you maintain it.