How To Clean Grease Buildup From Cabinets

4 Proven Ways to Clean Sticky Wood Kitchen Cabinets

Jennifer L. Betts

Jennifer worked for five years as a housekeeper in a large hotel chain. In that capacity, she learned how to clean just about anything.

Professional Cleaner

Did you have a kitchen mishap, and now you need to know how to clean sticky wood kitchen cabinets? It's actually not as hard as you think. How to clean sticky grease off kitchen cabinets takes a bit of dish soap, baking soda, and patience.

Supplies

When it comes to how to clean sticky wood kitchen cabinets, you need:

Baking soda
Dish soap (blue Dawn recommended)
White vinegar
Orange
A soft or old toothbrush
Sponge
Toothpaste
Castile soap
Large bowl
Linseed oil
Spray bottle

How to Clean Sticky Grease Off Kitchen Cabinets With Dish Soap

When it comes to removing any kind of sticky mess or grease off your cabinets, the first thing you want to try is dish soap. Blue Dawn works the best for grease stains. Dawn alone is strong enough to get year-old bacon grease off of siding and works fabulously on wood cabinets. It's also gentle and won't hurt the finish on the wood.

Fill a bowl with warm water and add a few squirts of dish soap.
Use your hand to mix it around.
Take your sponge and wipe down the sticky areas.
Let it sit for about a minute and scrub the areas with the grease.
If it doesn't come up right away, grab your toothbrush.
Dip it in the soapy water and then a bit of baking soda.
Gently scrub the sticky spot.
Add a bit more of the soapy water as necessary.
Dampen a cloth with a bit of vinegar and water to remove soap residue.

Cleaning Kitchen Cabinets With Baking Soda

If the dish soap method isn't working for you or you want something with a bit more scrubbing power, then baking soda is going to be your best friend. Baking soda scrubs the area but isn't abrasive, so it doesn't hurt your finish. For the baking soda method, follow these instructions:

Create a paste of baking soda and water. You want it a bit on the thicker side and not runny.
Dip your toothbrush in the paste.
Gently scrub at the sticky area.
Allow the paste to sit for a few minutes.
Give it another gentle scrub.
Wipe the area down with a damp cloth.
Apply a bit of linseed oil to a cloth and re-moisturize the areas you scrubbed. You can also rub it over the entire cabinet area.

If you have an orange available, you can cut an orange in half and dip it in baking soda to scrub the area rather than making a paste and using a toothbrush. Just make sure to rinse it well before applying the oil.

Remove Grease on Kitchen Cabinets With Homemade Vinegar Spray

The cleaning power of vinegar can't be overlooked, but it is acidic. Therefore, you don't want to spray straight vinegar on your wood cabinets; it could be harmful to the finish. Additionally, diluted vinegar isn't as powerful at removing a sticky mess. So, you need to go for the 1-2 punch combo and throw a bit of Dawn into the mix.

In a spray bottle mix, 2 cups of water, 1 cup of vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of Dawn.
Shake to mix.
Spray down the sticky cabinet.
Wipe the grime away with a sponge.
Gently scrub the toothbrush over stubborn areas.
Use a clean, damp cloth to wipe away any residue.
Apply a bit of linseed oil to add shine.

While you can substitute other dish soaps, the combination isn't as effective. However, castile soap is nearly as effective as Dawn if you have that available. Just remember with castile soap, less is more. Therefore, you'll only need 1 tablespoon for this recipe.

How to Clean Grease off Kitchen Cabinets With Toothpaste

Surprise, toothpaste isn't just for brushing your teeth, it can remove grease from your cabinets too. However, toothpaste alone isn't enough, so you'll need some baking soda as well. To make this grease-fighting concoction:

Mix 1 cup of water, 1 teaspoon of white toothpaste, and 2 tablespoons of baking soda.
Use your finger or a spoon to mix it well.
Dip a sponge in the mixture and scrub down your cabinets.
Rinse with a damp cloth until all residue is gone.

Give Orange Oil Cleaner a Go

If the grease on your cabinets is tough and home remedies aren't working, bust out the orange oil cleaner. Just follow the instructions on the container to remove any residual or stubborn sticky and greasy areas plaguing you.

Cutting Through Grease on Your Wood Cabinets

Unless you are a very careful cook, grease splatters can and will happen on your cabinets. And, if they've gone unnoticed for a while, they can become a tacky mess that you think it impossible to remove. However, all you need to do is scrounge through your cabinets to find the grease cutters.