Don’t believe people when they say that cleaning kitchen cabinets is a hard project to do. You don’t exactly need a professional to do this since it’s as easy as 1,2,3. You just have to be patient because it can take time plus a little elbow grease. There are no special secrets either, as there are no magical cleaners. Read this article and see how easy it is to clean your kitchen cabinets and make them look as good as new.

Cleaning kitchen cabinets can be hard when the finish is damaged or cracked because water can seep through it. When this happens, you won’t only clean your kitchen cabinets, you would have to refinish as well.

clean kitchen cabinets

Here’s a little info about how kitchen cabinets can get damaged.

You cannot avoid light oxidation, exposure to light and constant use, three things which eventually damage your kitchen cabinets especially when not cleaned regularly. You wouldn’t want to have a kitchen with no windows at all. So the next best thing really is to keep it clean most of the time.

When cleaning, use regular finishes:

  • Conversion Finishes: These are pre-catalyzed lacquer, catalyzed lacquer, conversion varnish, moisture-curing polyurethane, epoxy finish,  polyester finish, two-part polyurethane, and ultraviolet-curing finish.
  • Lacquer or Moisture Resistant Lacquer
  • Varnish
  • Polyurethane
  • Shellac

These days, the most often used finish for kitchen cabinets is the conversion lacquer or finish. Conversion finishes are typically used by cabinet makers, both factory and custom built. They’ve been around since the early 1930s and are easy to keep and clean. They dry pretty fast, strong and durable, are resistant to moisture and heat as well. However, don’t let them stand near candles within 18 inches of distance over a prolonged period because this can damage the finish.

Kitchen cabinets that use all the above finishes can actually be cleaned by using a mere cloth soaked in water and soap. Just don’t leave any water on the wood surface. For additional moisture and shine, you may apply lemon oil if you want. Just be reminded that doing so may cause a problem when you refinish your wood kitchen cabinets in the future. So to be on the safer side, a simple wet cloth will do.