How to Restore Your Kitchen Cabinets to Their Former Glory
As the place reserved for delicious food preparation and fun cooking experimentation, the kitchen is often the main hub of activity of the modern home. As such, it should be properly organised and cleaned regularly. But with the amount of use the average kitchen gets, there are some places that are prone to accumulate dust, dirt, splatters, grease and other nasties. Like for instance, the kitchen cabinets which we usually don’t give the necessary attention to when cleaning. But the truth is, dirty and disorganised cabinets are not only an eye-sore, but also unhygienic and unhealthy, which makes matters even worse. If it’s been a while since you’ve cleaned your cabinets, here are some great tips for restoring them to their former glory.
Clean the Exterior Spotless
For heavy grease and dirt build-ups, the best solution is to use commercial cleaning chemicals designed to be used on wooden kitchen cabinets. Cleaners with orange oil are considered to be highly effective in breaking down the thick layers of grime accumulated on the cabinet surfaces. However, be careful not to rub very hard, and always spray some of the solution on a cleaning cloth, as using it directly on the surface can wear the paint off. But if your cabinets are not in such a bad state, mild cleaning chemicals, such as dish soap or an all-purpose cleaner, can be enough to remove food smudges, dust, and the mild grease build up.
Don’t Forget the Interior!
Since the inside of the cabinets is usually not in plain sight, it’s easy to forget that it should be cleaned. In reality, cleaning the interior is even more important than cleaning the exterior. Being a dark and cold place, it provides the ideal conditions for bacteria and mould to thrive. And you don’t want such harmful germs anywhere near the dishes you eat from, do you? In that case, empty each cabinet and remove any old shelf lining, if there is any. Vacuum the cabinets after they’ve been emptied to remove any crumbs or residue, and then wipe them with a cloth soaked in warm water and a good detergent. Wipe them dry with a different cloth to make sure there’s no water drops left that could damage the surface.
Choosing a Grease Remover
And finally, how successful your cleaning will be greatly depends on the types of cleaning agents you choose. A fully concentrated degreaser is not only great in removing grease, but it also works great on a variety of kitchen stains. A great formula consisting of surfactants, solvents, and sodium hydroxide can effectively cut through the most resistant grime with almost no scrubbing needed.
