Removing Grease from Your Kitchen Cabinets

Keeping your kitchen cabinets clean and free of the grease and grime that can accumulate from everyday cooking is must in order to preserve their quality and keep them looking their best. But grease can be a tough opponent, and its removal often requires the use of chemicals that can damage the finish of your wood cabinetry, not to mention a lot of scrubbing, which can be equally as harmful to delicate or porous surfaces.

The reason grease is so tough to eliminate is that its water resistant, so cleaning with your average water-based cleaners usually won't even scratch the surface. But after time, built up grease can cause a foul odor and leave your surfaces feeling gritty and slimy.

Follow these easy home recipes to remove the grease without causing damage to your wood, or breaking your back—or your bank, since you probably already have them hidden somewhere behind those greasy cabinets doors. As always when working with any new cleaning product on the surfaces of your home, a best practice is to perform a small test on an area out of view before treating the entire surface.

Recipe 1 – Vinegar and Baking Soda
Vinegar and baking soda will not only remove the grease, it will also adsorb the odor grease causes.

You'll need:
o A spray bottle
o A rag or paper towels
o White vinegar
o Baking soda
o Hot water

1. Start by pouring the vinegar into the spray bottle, and misting the cabinets.
2. Let sit for a minute, then wipe it off, removing all of the dirt and some of the grease.
3. Next, wet a new rag or paper towel and sprinkle it with the baking soda.
4. Scrub the grease spots with the baking soda covered rag. Baking soda is abrasive enough to cut through the grease, but won't scratch the cabinet's surface.
5. After your finished, once again spray the cabinets with your vinegar and wipe down.
6. Finally, wipe the cabinets down with warm water to remove any vinegar or baking soda residue.

Recipe 2 – Dishwashing Detergent
Dishwashing detergent has powerful grease-cutting properties, yet is gentle enough that it is safe on skin and surfaces.

You'll need:
o Dishwashing detergent
o Two rags
o Hot water
o A bucket
o Wax based furniture polish

1. Start by mixing enough dishwashing detergent with hot water in your bucket to create a very soapy, sudsy mixture.
2. Dip your rag in only the foam and gently wipe the surface.
3. Rinse the area thoroughly with a separate rag, wet with clean warm water.
4. To avoid leaving a residue or dull finish, polish with your furniture polish.


Sources: www.howstuffworks.com

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