How to clean kitchen cabinets until they shine

Accidental spills, splatters and greasy fingerprints are bound to happen, especially if you cook every day, yet most people don’t clean their kitchen cabinets regularly.

No matter if your kitchen cabinets are glass, wood, laminate or painted, they lose their visual appeal when they are covered in grime, stains or dust. Not only will your kitchen aesthetic suffer, but dirty kitchen cabinets might harbor bacteria or viruses.

To help clean and refresh your kitchen, Carolyn Forte, executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, shares everything you need to know about cleaning kitchen cabinets. Follow these easy instructions, whether you are looking for a quick or deep clean, and keep reading for our recommendations for the best multipurpose cleaners and cabinet cleaners.

HOW TO REGULARLY CLEAN CABINETS

Whether your cabinets are finished wood, laminate or painted wood, consider these simple instructions to keep your kitchen looking clean and bright.

1. Apply a safe but grease-cutting all-purpose cleaner or a mixture of dish soap and water to a cloth. Ensure that the cloth is damp but not overly wet.

2. Wipe both sides of the cabinet door, paying special attention to knobs and drawer pulls, where you will likely find greasy fingerprints.

3. For stuck-on grime (likely for cabinets above the stove), wrap a delicate scrub pad in a cloth and wipe clean.

4. Use a damp cloth to rinse the cabinet doors until there is no soap or cleaner residue.

5. Buff dry with a microfiber cloth. If you are using a cabinet cream for finished wood cabinets, buff afterward, but also read label directions.

HOW TO DEEP-CLEAN CABINETS

For a quick touch-up, you should regularly wipe your cabinet doors and knobs, but don’t neglect the inside of your kitchen cabinets and drawers forever, as they can accumulate crumbs, dust and stains. Every few months, a deep clean is in order.

1. Starting from the upper cabinets and working your way down, begin emptying each cabinet and drawer. Tip: You can go one by one or empty a few at a time, but avoid emptying all the cabinets at once.

2. Using a damp microfiber cloth and an all-purpose cleaner, wipe down the inside of the cabinet, including any shelving and the back of the cabinet door.

3. Do not forget to clean any hardware, grooves or trim, where dust and grease can build up. If your cloth cannot reach small crevices, use a toothbrush or other small brush to gently scrub the area.

4. Buff dry.

HOW OFTEN TO CLEAN KITCHEN CABINETS • Daily:

If you splatter or spill food as you cook, it is best to wipe up the mess with a damp cloth as soon as possible. Cleaning as you cook will make the need for a deeper clean less frequent.

• Monthly: For a quick touch-up, you can wipe the outside of your cabinets once per week using a cabinet cleaner of your choice.

• One to two times per year: Every once in a while, kitchen cabinets benefit from a deeper clean, which means taking everything out and cleaning both the inside and outside of every cabinet. Our advice? Plan a deep cleaning in the fall and spring.

Kitchen-cabinet cleaning supplies:

• Parker & Bailey Wood Cabinet Cleaner

• Scotch-Brite Delicate Scrub Sponges

• Mr. Clean Multi-Surface Cleaner

• Grove Microfiber Cloths

• Microban Multi-Purpose Cleaner

• Dawn Dish Soap

BEST ALL-PURPOSE CLEANERS, ACCORDING TO CLEANING EXPERTS

Tackle the grease and bacteria on your tables, floors, windows and more, plus use options that disinfect, too.

BEST OVERALL ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER: Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner

Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner is so versatile that it can be used either diluted or at full strength, both indoors and outdoors, and for heavy, average or light cleaning jobs. In our tests, the product cleaned surfaces, including tile, chrome, concrete, grill grates, cooking tools, patio furniture and more with impressive results. We also used it to remove stains that we applied to carpet and cotton laundry swatches. It is the most versatile all-purpose cleaner we have ever tested. and is available in large-size jugs, too.

BEST SCENTED ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER: Clorox Scentiva Multi-Surface Cleaner

Who says products that clean well and kill germs have to smell bad? The bleach-free Clorox Scentiva Multi-Surface Cleaner powers through grime, while leaving behind the subtle scents of Pacific Breeze and Coconut, Tuscan Lavender and Jasmine, and Hawaiian Sunshine and Tahitian Grapefruit Splash. And if you like the scent, you are in luck: Most of the varieties are also available in wipes and bathroom and toilet-bowl cleaners. This product has not yet been tested in the lab, but we have tried and tested dozens of other products from this brand, and we trust their performance. To disinfect, the surface must remain wet for 10 minutes.

BEST PLANT-BASED ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER: Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner

Seventh Generation is a leader in plant-based cleaning products, and this Free & Clear formula goes even further by also eliminating dyes and fragrances. In our tests, this biodegradable all-purpose spray cleaned counters, stovetops and cabinets quickly and without streaking. It is also a 91 percent U.S. Department of Agriculture Certified Biobased Product.