What’s your method for cleaning your kitchen? Deep clean the oven, then perhaps the surfaces and appliances. But how much attention have you been paying to your kitchen cabinets? It’s not exactly the area which we think to clean but you’ll be surprised at how dirty they can get over time.
Every time you go into your kitchen, you’ll open and close a cabinet door. Cross-contamination is a quick way to fall ill through salmonella and other kitchen illnesses. Kitchen cabinets will receive splatters from cooking oils, dirt, grime and even dust. So although you may not think they should be included in your regular cleaning routine, they should be.
When should you clean your kitchen cabinets?
It would be too easy to say to clean them every week. We’re realists and we know that cleaning anything beyond your kitchen surfaces weekly is asking for a lot. That being said, it would be the optimal way to clean them. While they may not look dirty every week, the build-up of sticky residues can quickly turn hem into a deep clean issue that’ll require more elbow grease than your average weekly wipe down.
The longer you leave it, the harder you’ll have to clean. This is true for everything, even hoovering your carpets. But sticky stains in the kitchen? They’ll attract bacteria and other nasties that will make you want to never cook in there again. So, we suggest weekly. That’s how often you should be wiping down your kitchen cabinets.
The process of cleaning kitchen cabinets
It can depend on what type of cabinets you have as to what cleaners you can use. As always, we’re not fans of chemicals in bottles. For starters, there are far too many to choose from but they’re also often overpriced.
When you realise that you use nothing more than dish soap to clean the stains and grease from your plates, you realise you need nothing more to clean your cabinets.
Step 1 - Removing the content
If you’re going to do a job, do it properly. Cupboard by cupboard. There’s no ‘batch cleaning’ method to this process. You’ll need to empty all the cupboards one by one so you can really get in there. It may at first seem like a long job, but it’s far easier to swiftly wipe the lot in one go after removing everything first.
Step 2 - Making your cleaning solution
Like we mentioned, hot soapy water. That’s all you need. If it’s been a while since you’ve cleaned your cabinets and some sticky residue is more stubborn you could also grab a hot water and vinegar solution. This will gently fight the grime. If you’re unsure about whether you can use vinegar on your cabinets, test an area first before cleaning the whole cabinet.
Step 3 - The cleaning process
Grab your cloth, and get scrubbing. Hot soapy water solution or vinegar, it’s up to you. After you’ve removed as much of the dirt as possible, wipe it down with a damp clean cloth. Make sure you completely dry the entire cabinet before putting anything back. The last thing you want is a build-up of moisture to attract more bacteria than before!
Step 4 - Focus on the little things
Make sure you pay attention to the handles. As touch points in your kitchen, they’re most likely be covered in germs. For this, you might need something a little stronger. Mix together a paste of baking soda and warm water then use a toothbrush to really get into the corners of the handle. Remember it’s not just the part you touch that can become contaminated. If you need to, allow the paste to sit for a while as it does its magic before wiping it away with a warm damp cloth.
Using natural products to clean your kitchen cabinets means saving money but also a reduced impact on the environment. No plastic bottles to store chemicals in, and then no chemicals going down the drain as you wash your clothes. The perfect eco-friendly way to keep germs out of your kitchen.
We know cleaning kitchen cabinets can seem like a big task. So if you don’t have the time every week to empty the cabinets and clean here are a few things you can do to reduce the build-up:
- Dust them before you go food shopping. As the cupboards naturally empty, dust them before you restock them.
- Wipe down the ones nearest the cooker/hob after cooking the same way you would wipe down your surfaces after washing up.
- Keep heat-producing appliances such as kettles out from underneath cabinets. The steam can damage them.
More about Purdy & Figg
If you liked this article we have many more including cleaning with lemon, cleaning with white vinegar, zero waste cleaning, refill not landfill, how to go plastic free, how to clean dishwasher with vinegar or how to clean toilet with citric acid in our Cleaning Advice Hub.
If you looking for quality natural Eco products such as Refillable Cleaning Spray, Hand Sanitiser Spray, Hand Wash or Hand Cream, head over to our store.
