The powerful degreaser also wipes away fingerprints and removes dirt, grease, grime and built up residue, leaving behind a streak-free surface that won't harm the wood's finish.
The best way to clean wood kitchen cabinets that are covered in layers of old grime and grease is by using a good commercial or homemade degreaser for wood. These are gentle enough to use on the porous surface, yet strong enough to take down years of yuck on kitchen and bathroom cabinets.
The Winner: Cold Pressed Orange Oil Concentrate
It honestly wasn't as easy to use as the other cleaners, which I was able to wipe or spray directly from the container.
Goo Gone: Make sure to wear rubber gloves, then apply commercial Goo Gone cleaner over the grease and let it sit for a minute or two. Heat a damp micro cloth in a microwave for 35 seconds, then use it to quickly wipe away the grease layer. Finally, clean the area with a mild wood soap and water, then dry completely.
The very best degreaser I've found for cutting through heavy grease deposits on my cabinets is the Krud Kutter all-purpose kitchen spray. It's not only non-toxic, but also comes in a two-pack an incredibly affordable price. The technology is incredibly tough on grease and extremely safe to use around food products.
Create a cleaning solution with 1-part baking soda, 2 parts warm water and the lemon juice. Add the solution to a spray bottle and spray the liquid onto the kitchen cabinets. Leave for 2-3 minutes, allowing the baking soda to work its magic. Use the soft sponge to gently scrub the grease away.
Mix a 50/50 solution of vinegar and warm water and pour it into a spray bottle. Mist on cabinets, let sit for a minute or two and then wipe clean with a soft cloth. Add a few drops of liquid dishwashing detergent to the vinegar and water solution to clean extremely grimy cabinets.
You can use a mineral spirits wash, such as paint thinner, to dissolve an oil stain on both finished and unfinished wood. Simply dampen a soft, clean cloth with a small amount of the spirits and rub it into the wood, working with the grain, to work the grease out.
Try mixing a weak solution of water and dishwashing soap. Dip a soft cloth in the solution, wring it out and wipe the entire piece. You want a damp cloth, not a wet one. Don't saturate the wood, and rinse your cloth often.
According to experts, the easiest method for cleaning exterior surfaces is pressure washing. Sanding: Before painting new wood, sand all surfaces and edges lightly to smooth the grain. Then, remove the sanding dust and apply a suitable primer.
Baking soda can be too hard on some finishes or sealants on wood furniture. Cameron says that using it for cleaning can wear away the sealant, ruining the furniture. She suggests using a diluted dish soap mixture instead, likely one of the secrets of people who always have a clean house.
Gently scrub your board with a sponge and hot, soapy water (we recommend using a mild unscented dish soap, such as Seventh Generation Free & Clear Dish Liquid). It's important to wash both sides of the board (even if you chopped on only one side) to prevent it from drying unevenly, which could cause the board to warp.
Use a mix of equal parts distilled white vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Use a soft cloth to rub the mixture with the wood's grain and then wipe off with a clean cloth.
It isn't a good idea to clean wood with pure, undiluted vinegar. In addition to leaving water marks, the acid in the vinegar could “eat” certain kinds of finishes. However, for polishing wood, a homemade treatment of half olive oil and half white vinegar can buff up stained and oiled wood finishes nicely.
Oil Stains
When cooking oil affects wooden floors and surfaces in the kitchen, mineral spirits can help to lift the oil stain from both treated and unprotected wood. Apply it using a clean cloth and rub it into the wood surface, though not so much that you oversaturate the wood. The stain should rub away.
White vinegar comes to the rescue to remove fingerprints, grime and general dirt left on unfinished furniture. Mix a tablespoon of vinegar into a spray bottle containing a few ounces of water, then squirt the solution onto the affected area, wiping away with a damp cloth.
Just mix 3 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 cup of water. Use the solution on a sponge to scrub away light grease stains from hard surfaces, like countertops, linoleum, the stovetop and even pots and pans.
Related Articles. The sticky residue found on your kitchen cupboards is usually caused by cooking grease and dirt, but it may also be the residues left by some cleaners. No matter what its source, a sticky residue is unappealing and damaging to your kitchen cabinets.
After cutting raw meat, poultry or seafood on your cutting board, clean thoroughly with hot soapy water, then disinfect with chlorine bleach or other sanitizing solution and rinse with clean water.
Plastic cutting board: After cleaning off all food debris, soak the cutting board in a solution using 2 teaspoons of Clorox® Regular-Bleach per gallon of water. Let stand 2 minutes, then air dry.
Unless your cutting board has come into contact with raw meat or fish (in which case experts say you can sanitize it with a mixture of one teaspoon of bleach and two quarts of water), you can usually clean your board with soap and water. “Never soak or put a wood board in the dishwasher,” says Wasserman.
White vinegar suits wood well. Not only does it remove dirt and dust, but it also helps polish the wood. It provides a shimmering effect, giving the wood more life. When there are wine, milk, and other liquid stains on wood, you can apply the vinegar and allow it to soak for a few minutes.