Are you looking for the best way to clean wood cabinets in the kitchen? Look no further. We all understand that the kitchen is one of the highest trafficked rooms in your home and as such, it takes a beating. It can be a challenge to keep your wood cabinets clean, or if you’ve let them go for a while, the task may be even more difficult. Don’t worry, we’ve put together some of the best tips and tricks you can use to get your wood cabinets sparkling clean once again.

Once you have your cabinets shiny clean inside and out, why not take the opportunity to install handy and easily accessible roll-out shelves? DIY Shelfworks can help you convert your outdated cabinets to highly organized sliding shelves that will save you time and make you feel even better about your kitchen. Contact us today to get rolling!

Ergonomic and Easy to Clean Sliding Shelves

Why Clean Wood Cabinets

There are a number of great reasons to maintain the health and look of your wood cabinets

• Increase the sanitary quality of your kitchen or home
• Helps prevent rapid decay of wood from stains
• It’s far easier to remove stains early on than allowing it to cake or entrench itself over time
• Mould and bacteria can be built up over time which can lead to odours
• Defers the replacement of wood cabinets which can range from ($2000-$10,000)

Overall ensuring your kitchen and storage areas are clean is an important step in ensuring your cabinets look and last well.

Materials Required

Best Way To Clean Wood Cabinets In Kitchen

Every day your wood cabinets are subject to all kinds of dirt, from spattering cooking grease to cake batter flying out of your mixing bowl. Sticky grease and food quickly attract and trap dirt, so before long your beautiful wood cupboards become a grimy, grungy mess. But don’t worry. Read on to find out how easy it is to get them beautifully clean once again.

Step 1: Choose Your Cleaning Product

There are many expensive and effective commercial cleaners that are designed to clean wood, however, according to diynetwork.com, some of the most effective products are ingredients found inside your cupboards and to top it off, they are also more environmentally friendly. Our favourite cleaner to cut through greasy messes is vinegar. To read about more ways to use vinegar to clean other things around the house, click here.

Step 2: Mix Up Your Cleaning Solution

If you choose to use vinegar as your cleaning solution, mix it with equal parts of water and pour it into a plastic spray bottle. We found this recipe on diynetwork.com.  According to onegoodthingbyjillee.com, another awesome eco-friendly wood cabinet cleaner is a mixture of one part coconut oil mixed with two parts baking soda. If you are using a commercial cleaner you can skip this step, but the rest of the cleaning process will be the same.

*Tip: EverydayCheapskate.com suggests adding a little essential oil to your homemade cleaners, such as orange and lemon, to leave a wonderful clean scent.

Step 3: Clean Stains And Drips With A Toothbrush

Erika Tracy from thekitchn.com recommends dealing with the obvious stains and drips first. They will probably require a little more muscle power. Dip an old or unused toothbrush in your chosen cleaner. Scrub each stain and drip until it is gone.

Step 4: Clean The Hardware And Corners

Continuing with your toothbrush dipped in cleanser, gently scrub all of the hardware on your cabinets making sure you go around all of the wood around the hardware. Then scrub all of the corners and decorative crevices where dirt gets trapped.

Step 5: Clean The Outside And Inside Surfaces

Next take a soft cloth or sponge and wipe the cleaner over the entire surface of the cabinets. If you are using the vinegar solution you can lightly mist the surface, wait a minute and then wipe them down. Don’t forget to clean along the edges of the doors and in between them. You may need to apply extra pressure to remove any built up grease or grime.

Step 5: Wipe Cleanser Off

According to Better Homes and Gardens most kitchen cabinets are made from hardwoods. However, because hardwood is rather expensive, the wood on your cabinets are often applied as veneers over another material like plywood. Wood can warp easily with moisture so it is important to dry it thoroughly after you clean it. According to diynetwork.com, you should use a second cloth or sponge dipped in water and wipe the surfaces again in order to remove any excess cleanser. Finally, take a dry cloth and dry all of the surfaces.

How To Clean Really Stubborn Stains

If you find you have some really stubborn stains like syrup or chocolate that won’t come off using the previous steps,  diynetwork.com suggests trying mixing up a paste of vinegar and salt. Apply this paste with a toothbrush to the stain and lightly scrub. Don’t scrub too hard or use steel wool as this might scratch and damage the wood. Once the stain is gone, rinse off the excess paste with clean water and dry the area with a towel.

DIY Shelfworks: The Best Rolling Shelves

Make your home more accessible

Now that your kitchen cabinets are bright and clean, it’s a great time to install convenient rolling shelves to help you save time and find thyme. All DIY ShelfWorks kits are Canadian made from the highest quality materials. Our Baltic Birch rolling shelves are constructed from 9 ply birch which makes it extra resistant to moisture and dryness, so they won’t warp or split. We are so confident in the quality of our Baltic Birch shelves that we offer a lifetime warranty for as long as you own or live in your home.  If you have any questions, you can contact us through our website. Place your order today and start enjoying the ease and convenience of DIY Shelfworks sliding shelves.