Wood kitchen cabinets take a beating every day with drips and spills that can build up over time. They are constantly exposed to grime and grease from preparing meal preparations that leave food particles, sticky fingers, and dust behind as a residue. Over time, the buildup makes your wood cabinets look dull, so it’s a good idea to clean your cabinets often.

When you do a deep cleaning to restore the look of your cabinet, it’s best to use a natural cleanser product to prevent the varnish from coming off. After a thorough cleaning, it’s advised to polish your wooden cabinets to make them shine.

Here are some suggestions that appeared in an article on Wikihow to help get your wood cabinets looking refreshed and revived.

1. Make a vinegar solution

• Mix a cup of white vinegar with a cup of water. This mild cleaning solution is perfect for everyday use on wooden cabinets. It won’t warp the wood or take off the finish.
• If you dislike cleaning with vinegar, you can use a light soap solution instead. Mix a teaspoon of dish soap with a cup of water.
• Do not use harsh all-purpose cleansers on your cabinets. They may cause discoloration and warping.

2. Wipe the outside of the cabinets after cooking

• Grease and food particles can accumulate on cabinet surfaces every time you cook. Dip a clean washcloth or cleaning rag into the vinegar solution and use it to wipe down the cabinet doors and underneath the cabinets.
• Wring out the cloth you’re using so that it’s damp, but not dripping.

3. Regularly clean out the inside of the cabinets

• Spices and other foods you store in your cabinets are likely to spill sometimes, so keep the inside of your cabinets clean by wiping them out every few weeks. Wipe the cabinets out with a mild vinegar or soap solution. Dry the cabinets with a clean towel then put everything back on the shelves.

4. Dust the cabinets regularly

• For mild dust accumulation, use a soft and dry cloth to clean both the cabinet’s interior and exterior surfaces. The grease and steam produced during cooking will cake the dust onto cabinet surfaces, making it harder to clean off if you do it infrequently.

5. Purchase oil soap wood cleaner

• Oil soap removes grease and other caked-on substances without damaging wooden surfaces. It’s stronger than vinegar or a simple dish soap solution, so it’s a good product to have on hand when you want to give your cabinets a deep cleaning.
• Use a soft cloth to rub the oil soap on your cabinets using a circular motion, but not too much pressure.
• Go back over the cabinets with a clean cloth. Remove all residues from the grease and oil cleanser so that the surface of your cabinets is entirely clean.

6. Use baking soda to handle thick caked-on substances

• Food spills left unattended for a long time can harden and become quite difficult to remove. Baking soda acts as a mild abrasive that will remove the dried substance without ruining your wood. Mix baking soda with enough water to make a thick paste. Dip a cloth in the paste and use it to scrub off the caked-on substance.
• If the substance still won’t budge, apply the paste and let it soak in for 15 minutes before you scrub it away.
• You may want to use a thin spatula or another tool to help scrape off the substance.

7.Choose a furniture polish or wax after cleaning

• A polished cabinet exterior will give your kitchen a warm and lustrous look by bringing out the true character of the wood. Most polishes will leave either a high shine or a low lustre, so choose the one that suits the look of your kitchen.
• Rub the polish over a small area of the cabinet’s exterior. Work in four or five-inch sections to make sure the entire surface of the cabinets gets evenly polished. Rub the polish in a gentle circular motion.

If your wood cabinets too beat up, chipped, stained or damaged to far to look nice, don’t toss them out without first considering cabinet refacing or cabinet refinishing.  Trends Wood Finishing, in Oakville Ontario, can save you hundreds of dollars by replacing the fronts of your cabinets, or stripping the finish off your existing cabinets and refinishing for a new look.  Our Oakville Cabinet Makers have over 30 years of experience with working with cabinetry.