That yellowing or darkening grime that plagues many a kitchen cabinet does not happen overnight — and the older the grease stains are, the stickier and more stubborn they become to remove. The glint of sparkling-clean cabinetry offers airiness from the workhorse area, and surfaces free of grime do not give away an unpleasant, rancid odor. Get and keep them as clean as possible for a space where you are proud to mix, stir, knead — or even fry.
The Value of Vinegar
Vinegar is not just for pickling veggies or drizzling over French fries. It’s grease-busting qualities also. Dampen a clean, dry cloth with undiluted white vinegar, and rub down greasy cabinets. Wash your cloth with warm water, wring out most of the moisture, and also use it to rub on the cabinetry. Dry the damp surfaces with a paper towel, but note any still-sticky spots that require a do-over.
Grease Melting Suds
Dish soap, an alkaline-based solution, cuts through grease, however so does heat. Fill your sink half full with tap water as hot as you can handle while wearing rubber gloves — hot water helps to break or melt through built-up grease. Squirt a tablespoon or two of dish soap into the water, and use a sponge having an attached nylon-scouring pad as your grease-killing weapon. Attack the grime in a circular movement, but only for as long as it takes and with sufficient pressure to remove the stains — and never your cupboards’ finish. Change the water as it cools. Rinse and dry your cabinetry to a shine.
Reducing Oil With Petroleum
Bust through hardened, dingy layers of aged, sticky, dust-grabbing grease with vegetable oil. Oil has the power to soften and lift such stains. Mix it with 2-parts baking soda for enhanced cleaning qualities. Rub in the baking-soda-and-oil glue with a soft cloth for cabinets that appear as though they belong to someone who does not cook. Use the glue to shine up dirty hinges, pulls and handles as well. Wash the cupboards with warm water and a little dish soap before rinsing and drying them.
Cabinetry Considerations
Low quality, melamine cabinetry can swell if water gets in at the seams or edges, hence the drying process of this cabinetry is as important as the washingmachine Following a stringent cleaning, wood cupboards are thirsty for a coat of protective petroleum — relax, it is not the sticky, staining type which you just fought to eliminate. A bimonthly coat of drying oil, such as lemon, tung or wood oils perks up and helps maintain pine, pine, maple or other organic cabinets. In addition, it readies them for routine cleaning to dissuade future grease accumulation. Use your range-hood’s fan to carry away steam and microscopic cabinet-grabbing grease particles whenever you turn on the cooker.