Cleaning Wood Kitchen Cabinet Doors

Better? Don't know, I always use paint thinner or naptha.

Greased Lightning!

Sonny

Yeah, paint thinner for non-waterbased goo and Murphy's Oil Soap for the water-washable stuff. I use a murf/thin/murf cleaning schedule for the really bad stuff, like when I moved in here.

-- You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. --Jack London

I use mineral spirits on wood furniture and cabinets...good for removing wax and grease, and have never seen it damage wood finish. Test on inconspicuous area first.

Murphy's Oil Soap made in a solution of warm water and an old terrycloth towel or facecloth will clean all of the grim off your dirty kitchen cabinets without damaging the finish...

Using something else like thinner, etc. or a harsh chemical cleaner could soften the finish and you would be rubbing the dirty INTO the finish as you try to clean it...

~~ Evan

I've cleaned cabinets with TSP (Trisodium phospate (sp)). It's a deep degreaser. You just need to change the water frequently if the cabinets are really dirty. I think I bought it at Ace Hardware.

Rob

I would first try a mild grease cutting detergent such as "Dawn" dishsoap mixed with warm water. If that didn't work my next choice would be VM&P Naphtha.

Naphtha is often used to clean guitars but be careful to use VM&P naphtha and not the high flash naphtha that is used as a retarder and sold by many paint stores.

As always, TEST IN AN INCONSPICUOUS PLACE FIRST.

And TSP is also a heavy-duty deglosser. I'd never use it on anything I wanted to maintain a gloss on.

-- You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. --Jack London

I only used it as prep for a repaint.

Vinegar?

I use it on our kitchen cabinets' doors and the interior doors of the house to remove grease marks.

One issue to mention is that it seems old, hard cooking grease on wood cabinets will soften some finishes and removing the grease removes the softened finish. Don't know any way around that, but m.s. works very well on fine finishes (not already damaged).

I thank everyone who provided constructive replies.

Brian