It's easy to overlook cabinets when cleaning the kitchen, but buildup from cooking grease often leaves cabinetry feeling sticky and looking dull and dirty. Degreasing kitchen cabinets is a straightforward cleaning job, but there are some important things to know before you get started. Discover how to degrease kitchen cabinets, starting with finding the right degreaser for your cabinet material.
Choose the Right Cleaning Method for Your Cabinet Type
Before learning how to degrease kitchen cabinets, you must know what material you're working with. Review the owner's manual that came with your cabinetry, look the cabinets up online, or consult a professional if you're unsure of the cabinet material type. This research step will help avoid costly damage.
Degreasing typically requires heavy-duty cleaning agents and tools that day-to-day cabinet cleaning doesn't call for. When degreasing cabinets, it's essential to understand what the material can and cannot tolerate.
Wood Cabinets
Wood kitchen cabinets vary in fabrication, with different finishes and seals. The seals, in particular, can be damaged by exposure to the wrong cleaning agents, so consulting the manufacturer's instructions before cleaning wood cabinets is crucial.
Painted Cabinets
Painted surfaces do not like to be oversaturated with moisture. When cleaning painted cabinets, apply the cleaning agent to the cloth rather than spraying it directly on the cabinets. After applying the cleaner of your choice to the cloth, wring it out so that it is damp but not dripping.
Laminate Cabinets
Laminate is a forgiving material that can be safely degreased with most cleaning agents. However, avoid using abrasive cleansers or scouring pads to degrease laminate cabinets, as they can scratch the finish.
Glass-front Cabinets
Glass-front cabinets are usually mounted into another material, such as painted wood or laminate, so it's important to use a cleaning agent that won't damage the non-glass cabinet material. Additionally, avoid using oil-based cleaners to clean the non-glass cabinet material, as it can leave streaks or dull spots on the glass.
Use a microfiber cloth and a glass cleaner with ammonia or, if you prefer a gentler cleaning agent, a grease-cutting dish soap like Dawn diluted in water. If using dish soap, you may need to go over the glass with a traditional glass cleaner after degreasing to remove streaks and water spots left behind by the dish soap solution. When degreasing glass cabinets, be sure to clean both the outside and inside panels.
What You'll Need
Instructions
How to Degrease Kitchen Cabinets
Using the ideal degreasing agent for your cabinets, follow these steps to remove sticky grease and surface residue.
Degrease Cabinet Door Fronts
Apply the degreaser of your choice to a microfiber cloth. Working from the top down, wipe the front of the cabinet doors to remove the sticky film of grease. If your kitchen cabinets have glass panels, clean both the front face and the inside of the glass.
Degrease Cabinet Door Edges
After degreasing the cabinet door fronts, open the doors. Using the same cloth, apply more degreaser if needed, then wipe the top, side, and bottom edges of the cabinet doors.
Degrease Cabinet Frame
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Leave the cabinet doors open to allow access to the frame. Use the same cloth to wipe the frame until all residue is removed, applying more degreaser as needed.
Choose the Right Kitchen Degreaser
While there are several options for degreasing cabinets, you may find that some gentler cleaning agents, like distilled white vinegar, are not tough enough for the job. Ammonia-based degreasers and citrus oil degreasers are typically the best cleaning agents for removing sticky buildup due to their heavy-duty formulations designed to cut grease.
However, a grease-cutting dish soap like Dawn is a good option for people who prefer a gentler cleaning agent. The strategic use of tools, like a non-scratch scrub sponge, will lend additional scouring power to milder cleaning agents. Below, learn how to degrease kitchen cabinets using these three agents and how to protect yourself from chemical exposure.
Ammonia-Based Degreasers
Mix 1 cup of ammonia into 1 cup of water to make an ammonia-based solution for degreasing cabinets. Ammonia is a strong cleaning agent, so be sure to work in a well-ventilated area and wear protective household gloves when handling the chemical. Alternatively, purchase a commercial degreaser that contains ammonia.
Citrus Oil Degreasers
Commercial citrus oil degreaser formulas can vary significantly, so check the label to ensure the ingredients are ones you're comfortable using in your home. For example, Citrasolv is a gentle citrus degreaser, while ZEP Heavy-Duty Citrus Degreaser, as the name suggests, is a more intense cleaning agent.
Dish Soap
Grease-cutting dish soaps, like Dawn, are the gentlest choice for degreasing kitchen cabinets. If extra cleaning power is needed, use a non-scratch abrasive sponge to help safely scour away sticky grease film.
How to Prevent Greasy Buildup on Cabinets
Knowing how to degrease kitchen cabinets is great, but what about preventing greasy buildup to begin with? To reduce the frequency of deep-clean degreasings, use lids and splatter shields when you cook. Using a range hood while cooking will also help ventilate airborne grease particles—but be sure to wipe the hood down afterward. You'll want to give countertops and cabinets a cursory wipe-down as well. Routinely doing these things after cooking will significantly cut the time you'll need to spend degreasing kitchen cabinets and other surfaces.
Source: Kerr, J. (2025g, November 14). How to degrease kitchen cabinets in just 3 simple steps. Better Homes & Gardens. https://www.bhg.com/degrease-kitchen-cabinets-11849455