Best Way To Clean Kitchen Cabinets: Quick and Easy
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Are you on the hunt for the best way to clean kitchen cabinets? I sure know what that’s like!
Springtime is rolling in, and with it, your mission to clean those greasy kitchen cabinets. Although it may seem like a tough task, my tips and tricks make cleaning wood cupboards super easy, even when the stains are extra stubborn!
Today, I’m sharing the most effective methods I’ve been using for cleaning kitchen cabinets.
The best part? You don’t need to use cleaning products with harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners. Just one key ingredient –Murphy’s Oil Soap– and you’re all set!
So here’s a step-by-step guide to cleaning wood kitchen cabinets. If you want to give your kitchen cabinets a deep cleaning, just follow these simple pointers to ensure all the surfaces are spotless!
Best Way To Clean Kitchen Cabinets: Quick and Easy Video
Best Way To Clean Kitchen Cabinets
Over time, the surfaces of the cupboards in the kitchen collect all sorts of cooking residues. From food splatters and water stains to fingerprints and greasy residue, and grime the normal use of your kitchen will have you dealing with plenty of stain types.
My secret weapon to handle each and any stain on my wood kitchen cupboards is Murphy’s Oil Soap. I’ve been using it for years; it’s a fantastic 98% natural all-purpose cleaner for wood surfaces.
I have to give my mom most of the credit here, after all, I remember her using it and that’s where I picked up the habit!
How to Use Murphy Oil Soap on Cabinets
Murphy Oil Soap comes with straightforward directions on the back to help you figure out how much to use for your cleaning purposes.
The basic idea is that you use 1/4 to 1/2 cup depending on how dirty or greasy your cabinets are. Add the suitable amount to a 1-gallon bucket and then fill it with warm water.
From there, the process goes as follows:
- Grab a clean cloth, sponge, or any soft cloth (I recommend a lint-free cloth).
- Dip it in the mixture.
- Ring out the excess moisture.
- Start wiping your cabinets.
With this gentle yet potent solution, you don’t have to put a lot of elbow grease into cleaning!
Pay extra attention to all the grooves and nooks where dust has probably collected as well. In addition to the outside of the cabinet doors, you can also wipe the inside of the doors, the top of the cabinet, and the cabinet interiors – pretty much all the cupboard surfaces.
Once you’ve cleaned all of your wood cabinets, you’re done. You don’t need to rinse or wipe down with water afterward!
If you want to go all out with deep cleaning, you can clean the cabinet hardware such as the knobs, handles, and drawer pulls. You can also remove the dishes and bowls to vacuum up the crumbs underneath, and then use the same solution to clean the shelves.
How to Clean Sticky Wood Kitchen Cabinets
The sticky residue you feel on your wood cupboard surfaces is the grease particles that float in the air while cooking and then land on the cabinets where they build up over time.
To get rid of the sticky layer, I use Murphy’s Oil Soap and a little water. Add 1/4 cup to 1 gallon of warm water, or 1/2 cup for tougher stains.
Avoid rubbing too hard or you’ll risk scratching off the finish.
How to Clean Kitchen Cabinets without Removing the Finish
So how do you clean wooden cupboards using Murphy Oil Soap without removing the finish?
I use Murphy’s Oil Soap and a washcloth following the dilution instructions above, but I make sure to gently wipe the cabinet surface without rubbing too rough.
Remember, getting the wood wet and scrubbing too hard is what removes the finish.
Murphy’s Oil Soap is one of my favorite cleaning agents, and if you use it right, you’ll restore your cabinet’s finish undamaged in no time with minimal effort!
Best Way To Clean Kitchen Cabinets Video
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Wood Cabinet Cleaning Tips
- Hot, clean water is enough to cut through general stains. Save using the Murphy Oil Soap cleaning solution to seriously greasy areas.
- Use an old toothbrush to target those tough corners.
- You can use paper towels, a washcloth, a dry microfiber cloth, a damp microfiber cloth, or even a clean towel.
- Consider applying magic erasers to tough spots and stubborn stains.
- Avoid using white vinegar on wood cabinets as it can be very drying to the natural material, causing it to crack.
- Avoid using baking soda as it can be abrasive and scratch your wood cupboards.
- You can use Murphy Oil Soap on many cabinet types, including laminate cabinets.
- Always test the cleaning solution in a less obvious spot before doing the entire kitchen to make sure it’s the right option for your cabinet material.
- You can use a squirt of dish soap to make some soapy water for cleaning wood cabinets, but make sure you rinse it off with a damp cloth afterward.
- You can moisturize your wood cabinets with olive oil after cleaning.
- Never use steel wool, a soft-bristled brush, or strong detergents on wooden cupboards otherwise you may scratch and ruin the finish.
Wrapping Up
When you’re done cleaning the exterior of your kitchen cabinets, you’ll enjoy the clean finish and feel like your kitchen is brand new!
I recommend making this process into a regular weekly cleaning routine to help keep tougher stains at bay.
Did you know they make Murphy’s Oil Soap in a multi-purpose cleaner in a spray bottle now? I was so excited when I found it. Now they make this degreaser so much easier to use!
I’m going to enjoy my clean wood kitchen cabinets, are you ready to do yours? Let me know in the comments below.
Learn more about “Why to Deep Clean and Organize Your Home” to save money, function better, and keep your sanity.
Check out some of my other kitchen cleaning posts!
Hey Chas, Before we painted our dark walnut cabinets white, I used to use Murphy’s Oil Soap all the time. It always was my go to for cabinet cleaning. I also would finish it with Liquid Gold at least twice a year. Murphy’s Oil Soap and Scott’s Liquid Gold have been around for generations and I still think they are the best for wood cabinets! Great tutorial. 🙂
Thank you Linda, and thank you for sharing your experience with these products and adding the Liquid Gold. I will look into that one 🙂
I love clean cabinets. I have dark wood non painted cabinets where I am moving too in a couple of months. I am so going to do this as one of my first things! So glad to find your blog at the create with me monday party!
Welcome Susan, and I’m so glad you will be able to use this tutorial. Congrats on the move 🙂
Love using Murphy oil soap for cleaning. Found you on Over the Moon link party.
Thank you Candy 🙂 Thanks for stopping by
I’m going to have to try that with ours! I have never found anything that really cleans the grooves in our cabinets well. Pinned.
I’m so glad you want to give it a try! Let me know what you think 🙂
Murphy’s oil soap is fantastic for cupboards, it’s a wonderful product. On a side note, I was glad to see you have kept the colour of your cabinets. We recently refurbished ours but I love that particular colour so we kept it as well.
Thank you Leanna, I’m so pleased you like Murphy’s Oil Soap too. Thank you on our cabinets as well. We get asked a lot if we would consider painting them with the latest trends, but I truly like them just the way they are 🙂
I’m going to have to try this – my cabinets are filthy. Time for some spring cleaning! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday! Can’t wait to see what you link up next week! Roseann from This Autoimmune Life
Thank you Roseann, I totally know what you mean about spring cleaning time! I hope this helps you as much as it has helped me.
My grandma used Murphy’s on her farmhouse cabinets back in the day and whenever I use it, my mom says it makes her feel like home. 🙂
Thank you so much Kari for sharing that story, love it!
I have these exact cupboards! And they need a good cleaning! I’m really glad I read your tutorial. Thank you, I’m going to do this this week!
Thank you so much Whitney, and I’m so pleased to hear you want to give it a try! Let me know how it goes 🙂
This post was just what I needed to get me going on my spring cleaning! Thanks for the inspiration. Pinning.
Thank you Jean, and I’m so pleased to hear you want to give it a try 🙂 Thank you for the Pin.
Does this work on cabinets that are full of grease and smoke?
Hi Kathy, in my experience it does take the grease off. As for the smoke do you just mean smoke that comes from while you are cooking? I guess I haven’t had any heavy cooking smoke on my cabinets that I could see easily, but it does clean everything off of them that I can tell.
I’ve used Murphy’s Soap for years – it does an excellent job! Thanks for sharing with Party in Your PJs!
Thanks for throwing in your experience and expertise Lynda 🙂
After cleaning with Murphy Oil Soap, do you have to dry them with a clean cloth? Or they don’t need to be dried?
Hi Toni, I ring my cloth out so it isn’t soaking. I wipe them down good and let them air dry. If they need a second round because there is oils and such, I’ll get a clean rag and if needed a fresh bucket of water and repeat. Thanks for asking 🙂
I can agree with you that the kitchen cabinets collect grease from the cooking and sooner or later, they will have to be cleaned off. That is one of the things that we never really paid attention to and now the kitchen cabinets are dirty beyond cleaning. Mom decided that we should just replace them. Anyway, I will keep this in mind so that the new set will not have to suffer the same fate. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing and I’m so sorry to hear your story. I hope that this will help you in the future.
You were right when you said that the cabinets need TLC while being cleaned and that the person does not need to scrub hard if they are using a rag or washcloth. I will keep this in mind because the previous cabinet was actually damaged because of too much cleaning. Now I need to install a new set. I will see to it that, this time, I follow your tip so that I do not damage it again.
I’m so sorry to hear that about your cabinets, that has to be frustrating. I hope that this helps you in the future.
Love Murphy’s oil soap, have used it for years. thanks
Thank you Gladys and it’s it the greatest stuff? 🙂