Use oil soap, such as Murphy Oil Soap ($4, Target) to both clean and shine your cabinets. This non-abrasive solution will make your cabinets look like new without causing any damage. Always use damp, not soaked, cloths when cleaning wood cabinets.
Mix equal parts of white vinegar and hot water in a 5-gallon plastic bucket. Add a few drops of olive oil to the mixture. The vinegar and hot water help to disinfect your cabinets, while removing grease and grime. The olive oil provides a subtle shine.
After sanding the laminate with 120-grit sandpaper, roll or brush on the paint If you're having trouble choosing a paint color, keep it simple. White paint can help brighten your kitchen and give it a fresh look, while a sleek black or dark brown paint gives your laminate cabinets some modern flair.
Mix 1 oz. Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner with 4 cups warm water in a spray bottle or mix a stronger solution for very greasy cabinets. Apply Simple Green. Spray the solution onto a clean, non-abrasive, damp cloth or microfiber pad and wash until clean.
A water-based all-purpose cleaner is generally safe to use on laminate cabinets if you need a little more power than plain water. You can also use liquid hand soap or dish detergent to clean the surfaces. After cleaning the laminate with any cleanser, go over it with a clean cloth to remove the remnants.
For a streak-free finish, use a solution of 50% distilled white vinegar and 50% water, or a commercial glass cleaner with ammonia.
A sure way to recognize wood laminate is when the grain does NOT follow through your piece. Wood Veneer is a sheet or thin layer of 'quality-natural-hardwood' that is adhered to a lesser quality wood surface. Wood Veneers give the impression of a more desired quality wood without being as costly.
Use Pledge® Moisturizing Oil to clean wood kitchen cabinets, windowsills, decorative trim, tables, chairs and more*. Or, get this: You can use it on your leather shoes. Try that on for size. *Safe to use only on finished, sealed surfaces.
Do not cut or chop on the laminate surface. Keep waxes and polishes (such as Mr Sheen or Pledge) well away, they merely dull the natural shine.
Laminate cabinets, or those with a painted or waterproof surface treatment like polyurethane, can be dusted and cleaned with a soft cloth and all-purpose cleaner. Older wood cabinets with varnished or lacquered finishes need occasional waxing to maintain their appearance.
The Best Way to Clean Veneer Furniture
Avoid harsh and abrasive cleaners and rely on simple soap and water. If you want to repair small scratches, you can apply oil polish and rub the area with a soft microfiber cloth until the scratch is no longer visible.
The least expensive option is painting laminate cabinets. Laminate is not an ideal surface to paint, but it can be done.
Can you stain laminate cabinets? You can stain laminate cabinets using tinted polyurethane stain or gel stain. Since laminate isn't real wood, using ordinary liquid wood stains will leave you with a streaky and splotchy surface: that's because they won't get absorbed.
Good-quality wood glue and a clamp to hold the laminate against the core is a good way to repair laminate coating that is peeling. Once the glue has set and dried, you can begin to clean the cabinet doors and drawers.
Most people think that melamine cabinets can be difficult to remodel since the plastic-like surface is notorious for being hard to paint over. But this reputation is unnecessary. With a primer made to adhere to plastics and difficult surfaces, you can have your cabinets refaced in a weekend.
When painting melamine, thermofoil, and laminate surfaces, you need the right paint and brushes to get the best results. Paints such as latex, acrylic, and chalk work well on these materials, but most of them require priming before use.
Clean With Mild Dish Soap
Like with wood cabinets, you shouldn't need to resort to abrasive cleaning products like vinegar or baking soda to remove dirt and grease from your laminate kitchen cabinets. A bit of dish soap in warm water applied with a good dose of elbow grease should be more than sufficient.
So how do you clean them if you happen to have MDF cabinets? The easiest solution is a mixture of dishwashing soap and warm water. Do not use the strong dishwashing soaps as it can be harsh on the surface of your MDF cabinet doors. Instead, use a weaker one and dilute it with one part soap and two parts warm water.