How To Clean Wood Kitchen Cabinets (and the Best Cleaner for the Job)

Spot-cleaning kitchen cabinets after spills and drips is easy enough, but finding a process and product that removes the grime and grease from many a meal preparation takes patience and a little bit of label research (especially if you are tackling a painted surface).

I tested four cabinet cleaners — two spray formulas, a plant-based product, and a traditional oil soap — to find out which product would clean my kitchen cabinets best. Here’s what I discovered, and how you can clean greasy cabinets at home.

Reorganizing my kitchen storage has improved function and cut dishwasher unloading time by at least a third. While the renewed pleasure of our space is exciting, my number-one kitchen complaint was still the state of the cabinets. I periodically handle surface stains and drips with a quick spray and wipe, but unfortunately my routine with a multi-surface cleaner was no longer doing the trick. Grime, grease, and spills were still hanging around after each cleaning.

Daydreaming about painting them for three months didn’t get me very far, so I came down from the clouds and tested a few methods and products for reviving kitchen cabinets.