Degrease Kitchen Cabinets With An All Natural Homemade Cleaner
Remove greasy build-up and dirt from your kitchen cabinets with this all-natural Kitchen Degreaser. This cleaner will have your cabinets clean in a few short moments. Deep clean your kitchen fast.
This is The Best Degreaser For Kitchen Cabinets
I want to shout from the hilltops of my kitchen and say, “Ladies & Gentlemen, I have done it!!! I have learned how to clean kitchen cabinets and have even degreased my kitchen cabinets in the fastest way possible!” CRAZY right?
Yes, my excitement is killing me. Now I know you are thinking I am crazy, but cleanliness is one of my pet peeves. I love to sit back and feel comfortable in my home, knowing that I have a clean house. Big… Big fan of decluttering.
With that said, I started pulling down all my vases, flowers, etc. I have never been so grossed out. That led me to learn how to clean kitchen cabinets and to degrease them naturally! Starting from the top and going to the bottom is a secret I learned from hotel maids.
Read More Home Keeping Tips & Tricks from Inspiring Savings
The Best Kitchen Cabinet Degreaser
I am going to share with you my kitchen grease. It is embarrassing, but you must see the after pictures. The dust and grease on the very tops of my kitchen cabinets don’t photograph well.
I mean… I feel like it was a lot worse than what the photograph shows. Mainly because I was stuck on the tops of my cabinets, feeling all that grossness. It isn’t easy standing on my countertops to clean in a small 1 1/2-foot space, but I did it.
Supplies Needed
Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post to read through the frequently asked questions.
You are going to be completely AMAZED at how to clean kitchen cabinets and how I removed all the grease. It only took two ingredients and very little muscle work.
It was cleaned off with one or two wipes. YES, I just said one or two easy wipes. For a busy mom, that’s always a plus. Especially when you get into a mood to clean and want to get a lot done in a short period. I was coughing all while you clean…not the best of ideas.
They may not have discovered a cure for the common cold, but I found something almost as good. My kitchen cabinets are finally clean and it didn’t take me half a day to accomplish this feat.
Arlene P.
How to Make This All-Natural Kitchen Degreaser
STEP ONE: To make this process work, you will need roughly 1 gallon of hot water.
STEP TWO: Mix the amounts as listed (vinegar and borax) above until completely dissolved (Please keep in mind that hot water is the only good way to dissolve borax).
Side Note: Please do not use a magic eraser during your cleaning process. You will pull the finish off your cabinets.
And, of course, I have to show you how filthy my dirty water became. Check out that dishcloth. It is one of my favorites. My grandmother crochets washcloths. I look forward to Christmas when I get a few more of her creations each year.
When you know you have a lot of grease and dirt buildup in your kitchen, this is a great method for how to clean kitchen cabinets and degrease them in a safe, all-natural way. This recipe mixture works well on the tops and the face surfaces of your cabinets.
Other All-Natural DIY Cleaning Solutions
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Create Your Own All-Natural Vinegar Cleaning Solution in Minutes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put this solution in a spray bottle?
I would not suggest using a borax solution in a spray bottle. Borax naturally crystalizes. I would be afraid that once the water had cooled off, it would crystallize and eventually clog the spray nozzle. That would be a huge bummer. It is quite easy to whip up a batch when you are ready to tackle your cabinets.
Can this cleaner be used on the front panels of my cabinets?
Absolutely! This cleaner is safe for the tops as well as the front of your cabinets. I have to be honest. I have pure oak cabinet (see next question) fronts, and it doesn’t seem to work as well as it did for cleaning the tops. If you read through the comments of this post, you will find many that have had great success.
Can this solution be used on all wood cabinets?
Another big “yes”. As stated above, I have 100% oak wood cabinets. Disclosure, I originally concocted this mixture in 2016 and never went back to my old ways of cleaning my cabinets. My cabinets are beautiful and still remained the same color and shine since we purchased our house.
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After the tops of your cupboards are cleaned lay waxed paper down. Then next time just roll up the dirty paper. I learned this back in the early 1970s
Great Tip! Thanks for sharing.
Omg thanks for this cleaning hack. I have tried everything through the years. Nothing seemed to work. This was like magic. Didn’t even have to scrub hard on cabinets where grease was baked on. Did you a knife wrapped in dish towel to get in crevices and even that worked. Next to try the oven glass door as suggested above. Thank you sooo much!!!!
ABSOLUTELY LOVE to hear this!!! Well, if you attempt to do it with your oven, please, please, please come back and let me know how it turned out. I have yet to try it out and now I am thinking “Why didn’t I think of that.”
I have just cleaned my painted kitchen cabinets. When I was near the bottom of the cabinets I noticed I had quite a bit of buildup on my light hardwood floors.
Has anyone tried this mixture on their floors?
I noticed lots of divits where dirt builds up and dirt buildup by the stove, probably from grease splatters.
When you use a cleaner with a microfiber mop you don’t always get all the dirt. I am thinking it should do well to deep clean the floors and then right after come back with a shine restorer. Thoughts?
This is a great suggestion, Cris! I haven’t tried it on my floor. I would love to know if anyone else has experimented with this mixture as well. Thank you for the comment. And if you try it, please come back and tell all!
Hi there. I am forever looking for great cleaning ideas. I came across this and my kitchen cabinets were on my list to clean. They are 30 years old but in good shape never painted but my goodness such a pain to clean and I was never quite satisfied. This was great! I could even see the dirt dripping onto the rug I put underneath the bottom cabinets! Thank you I will be saving this!
Hi Molly,
This makes my heart so happy to hear. Thank you for sharing your experience. I remember when I first made this mixture up and washed my cabinet. I was OVER the moon happy. I finally did it.. And so glad I could share with others.
OMG!!!
I have to admit, I really thought I would never get my cabinets clean.
This worked amazingly!!!
Thank you soooo much!!!
WHOO HOOOO!!!! This is incredible. It doesn’t seem like it would do much, but I LOVE it when it proves us all wrong. You’re Very Welcome.
Careful with Borax. It´s harmful with skin contact. Use protection glasses and gloves. I help my wife when we de-grease the kitchen.
It´s a big job sometimes. She start using some stuff she bought at IKEA cheap. Or simple paper. Just to threw in the garbage. It works fine. Less heavy cleaning
Thanks, Jonny. YES, many are sensitive. This is a great tip. Appreciate the comment. AND awesome job helping your wife out 😉
Thanks for the tip–I’m sure it works great on cabinet tops; however, it did nothing for the fronts of my light maple cabinets. Still looking….
My son bought a house with white cabinets that are yellowed. The people before apparently fried a lot of stuff. Will this take care of the yellow film on the cabinets? Thanks.
Hi Linda, CONGRATS to your son. What an exciting time and looks like he has his hands full with cleaning. I am sorry to hear about the cabinets. If they are truly covered in grease this mixture would help. I would say give it a go/
In fact, if you are willing to share some before and after pictures I would love to see them. Especially if you go ahead and use this mixture. Please feel free to email me at Jen@inspiringsavings.com – Good luck~ Can’t wait to see the results
Hi Jen. I like the post on cleaning kitchen cabinets. I have painted shaker style cabinets. Would this mixture work on them also? If not what do you suggest? Don’t want to use any strong chemicals.
Thanks
Hi Brenda, I am glad you asked. And the answer is YES it is safe!! I have actually painted my cabinets since my original post and use it now on my painted cabinets. It works really well.
I have cherry cabinets with a darker stain over top. Do you think this would be safe for these cabinets? They were quite expensive but haven’t had a good cleaning in years. Thank you in advance.
ABSOLUTELY!!! There is nothing in this mixture that would cause harm. However, if you are hesitant, I would make the mixture and test it out on a small area first.
Omg! This is a miracle solution, thank you! Wish I could post a pic of how nasty my top cabinets were, yikes!
THIS IS FABULOUS to hear….Everytime I use this mix I am always amazing… I am so glad that I could help
Hi Jen .. Thanks so much for the blog! You said you put the solution in your sink ?? I have a very expensive antique hammered copper sink.. would the solution tarnish the sink ??
I was also wondering if you have a natural cleaner for the inside of the sink I have tried scrubbing it with a soft cloth and dawn soap but to me it still looks dirty inside any ideas ???
Hi Christy,
I would absolutely put it in a bucket. I would be afraid that the Borax and Vinegar in the mixture would hurt the copper. I have a stainless steel sink (very old).
I would also suggest, trying bar keepers friend for copper on your sink. Their stuff is amazing. It will shine like it was new again. AND hey let me know how it works out for you. I love their products.
Thanks for this blog post, Jen! I’m reading this while stuck at home with my kids during the Coronavirus quarantine, and I’ve decided to deep clean the kitchen while I have some free time. I’m glad I found your post about degreasing cabinets because this worked so well! I was surprised at how clean my cabinets looked afterwards!! I been reading all kinds of cabinet cleaning blogs posts to keep my home virus-free during this time, and I will definitely be reading more of your blog. Hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy!
i can not wait to try this! I tired another method I read about using baking soda & cooking oil but i was not too impressed, it was a lot of work. . I am hoping I don’t have to scrub too hard as i have bad shoulders. But I won’t care if it works! Thanks so much!
I hope so too Karen. Please do come back and leave us a follow up comment as to how well it worked for you. Good luck!
This is one of the most informative article and I’m very happy to read this whole article.
I pinned this a few weeks ago and then went out and bought the Borax. Just got through using it on my cabinets and I seriously can’t believe the difference! I figured that it would work, but not THIS much! Thanks so much for sharing!
I am so excited to hear this!!! Thank you for coming back and letting me know. Seriously the BEST stuff.
Looking forward to seeing new cleaning materials and methods
This worked like a charm for cleaning the top of my cabinets. Cuts through the grease with minimal scrubbing!
That is wonderful news. Thank you for sharing your experience, Lisa!! YAY to clean cabinets!
I am getting ready to paint the kitchen but the sticky, greasy grime is intimidating. After reading your article, I thought I would get the household cleaning vinegar to see if it helps the cleaning go faster. Thank you for the article.
I thought borax was a different cleaning agent but turns out it was a brand of detergent. Now I know. Say, is that kind of detergent available anywhere but do using different brand still works?
Borax is a cleaning agent is a naturally made mineral. The brand that is most known for selling borax and most popular is 20 mule team. Which can be found within the laundry detergent aisle at the store.
I just tried this on my oak cabinets and It worked great. The grease and grime wiped off easily. I also used it to clean the ceiling fan in the kitchen as well as all the baseboards and door jambs.
That is great news!!!! Thank you for sharing your experience!
A well-detailed article about degreasing kitchen cabinets, thanks for sharing this one.
What about painted cabinets?
HI Edna, I have not personally used it on painted cabinets so I can not speak from experience. This mixture will not harm them. If you do try it please come back and give us an update. I would love to know how it does work on painted cabinets. All the best – Jen
Love, love, love this!!! Easy and quick. ♥
THANK YOU!!!! I am so happy it worked for you!
Thank you so much. I saw this today and cleaned the cabinets tonight. What a difference. I wish I could include a couple pictures!
ME TOO!!!I would love to see how they came out. I am so glad you were able to clean those cabinets. I love this mixture.
Thank you! I used this to wash my cabinets and it worked beautifully. I have cherry cabinets and at first the solution left white streaks and spots. Cleared up when dried. I even used this on my toaster oven glass and door. Grease and grime are gone!
Excellent. Thank you Shelley for the comment. This is the first that I have heard it leaving white streak marks. I am very happy to hear it worked well for you.
I have a gallon bottle of cleaning vinegar. Can I use it or does it have to be distilled? I’m really anxious to try it. Thanks
Hey Kathy, GO FOR IT!!! While I have never used cleaning vinegar I am sure you will have the same results. I can’t imagine it being much different. AND PLEASE… come back and report how it worked. Would love to know.
Such a great article! I love cleaning recipes that use natural ingredients!!!
What got me was when you talked about how you removed the decor on top of the cabinet and found that it is filled with so many gross things. That is actually the reason why my mom decided that she will get the kitchen cabinet replaced. It’s actually dirty beyond imaginable, and it is hopeless. I am glad that I saw this article though. At least now I know a way to clean the cabinet properly. Hopefully, it does not happen again.
Yeah! I used this recipe on cabinets that are over 50 years old and probably hadn’t been cleaned in 10 or more years. Needless to say they were a dirty sticky greasy mess. Wow! What a miracle solution! Took very little effort and the grime just desolved. I did go through 1 gallon of vinegar and a box of borax but I also used this on the walls and ceilings before we painted them and it did excellent. Now we are getting ready to clean the Mexican tile floor that is just as dirty. I will be trying this solution on the floor and expect to have the same effect. Thank you for the miracle solution! I am telling everyone about this discovery!
WOWZA!!!!!!!! Rhonda that is AMAZING!!!! 10 years of grease and gone. I love to hear stories like this. I appreciate you coming back and letting us know how well this solution worked for you. AND thank you for sharing with others.
Jen, thank you for sharing this recipe! I tried it and was so amazed at how good it works. I can see why someone would want to put this in a spray bottle. My water doesn’t get real, real hot so I boiled it and let the borax dissolve. It was so hot at first but it didn’t take long for it to cool off. I will never scrub a cabinet or baseboard again!
You’re VERY Welcome!!!!!!! I am so happy it worked well for you. After some trial and error, we have a recipe that is so easy and makes cleaning a breeze. Makes a huge difference. I just wonder if it would work just as well in a spray bottle. Off to the drawing board. LOL
I was about to go out and buy a degreaser for my oak cabinets prior to painting them. I am so glad to have found this recipe. It worked wonders! Thank you.
I am so glad you found this degreaser recipe too. I am so happy it worked.
Worked wonders on my oak cabinets!! I have tried other cleaners and nothing took the grease and grime off of them. Thank you!!!
Thank you, Martha, for sharing your experience. I am so glad you gave it a go. I know it worked great for me, but hearing about others experiences makes me happy.
I use freezer paper, one side is coated with a shinny waxy coating this side goes up. Just throw away and replace when it gets dirty. You can wipe it off but replacing is just as easy.
Have you ever put any essential oils in the mix( like a drop or two) so it doesn’t make the kitchen smell like pickles?
I can’t wait to try this! I’m getting ready to repaint and wanted to get all the grime off!
Hi Melissa! Great question. I have not done it personally. The solution doesn’t smell so bad. HA ha! And never thought of it smelling like a pickle. I do say, GO for it. I don’t believe it will change the way the solution works. Would love to hear how it turns out for you.
Jen thanks so much for this formula for cleaning the cabinets! I need to do this as soon as I can buy more vinegar!
Should you rinse after you clean with the solution?
Thank You will be doing this “after” the holidays. My grandma always told me not to bother cleaning your house before a big party, no one will notice and it will be a mess afterward then clean.
A smart lady she was!
Miss her tremendously
Your Grandma gives the best advice. I need to take that piece and run with it. I know my life with be a little less stressful if I did. To be quite honest Marlene I don’t rinse after wiping my cabinets down with this solution. They look great and I haven’t personally noticed any film or tackiness after cleaning. Good LUCK and thank you for sharing your grandmother’s advice with me.
Tell me about Grandmas homemade cloths!! Knit or crochet? What kind of yarn??
Also.. do my cherry wood cabinets need oiling after cleaning?
HI Andrea!!!! Well, I do know that she crochets them. Not sure about any special yarn. I do personally wipe down my oak cabinets every once in a while with old english. I don’t typically do it after cleaning. I just sit back and enjoy them not being greasy for a while.
I crochet and knit these little dish clothes.they are the perfect size. I find the knitted one don’t stretch out when they get wet.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Knit-Dishcloth/
This is the pattern I use and the yarn.I like the mixed color yarn it changes as you work and is fun .
Thank you for sharing!!!
Will this solution be okay and work for painted cabinets? It seemed it only applied to oak stained cabinets.
I haven’t tried it on painted as I have only wood cabinets. This solution is not harmful and worth giving it ago. I would love to hear how you make out.
Did you try this on painted cabinets? Just wondering if it’s safe. Thanks!
I have since painted my cabinets after writing this article and it can confirm it works and is 100% safe.
Did you wipe down the fronts or just the top? I want something safe for wood that has been stained and I think it has a polyurethane coating. Your top looks great!
Hi Ann, At first I only attempted with the tops. I too was a little nervous. But I wiped down the fronts with no problems at all. In fact, it wiped down just as easy. I am always recommending this mixture to my friends. I can’t wait to hear how your cabinets turn out. Best of luck
I follow advise from another site on my oak cabinets and it was a mistake. I used baking soda to clean 2 cabinets and I did the whole door. Now I cannot get the baking soda out of the groves in the oak. Is their anything I can do? I did this last year.
Oh wow… I am sorry to hear that. I would suggest grabbing an old toothbrush, saturating it with clean water and scrubbing the little corners until the baking soda starts to dissolve. It sounds like it have been there for a while. You may just have to take your time with each one. Getting the water in those little edges with some movement from the bristles will be key. Good Luck. I would to hear a follow up 🙂
also use the compressed air in a can to blow the crap out of the door and get the baking soda while it is dry. I know I am a bit late but just saw this post. Hope you are all set. Be careful what you use baking soda on I am sure you have realized that by now.
Will plain borax powder work just as well? W
You could try it… I have.. and it doesn’t seem to cut through the grease as well.
Trying this mixture in the morning on my cabinets, would you put the mix in a spray bottle, or just using a scrubby or washcloth to wipe the cabinets down? Also does it work with decreasing the cabinet hinges?
Hey Jessica,
I have never used it in a squirt bottle. I typically just fill up my sink and use a washcloth to wipe everything down. Now you are doing a few firsts for me. Such as the squirt bottle and hinges. I would love to know if both work well. I was thinking that if the borax is not completely dissolved it may in fact clog up the spray bottle. Just a thought. Please let me know how it all works out for you. Best of Luck.
I cannot believe how bad I let my cabinets get. We cook with a lot of oil and the cabinet above the stove was really disgusting. I saw your post and and decided to mix up a batch and just see if it really worked – and it did! I just want to thank you. Leah.
That is WONDERFUL!!!!! I am so happy to hear that it worked. This is by far my favorite way to clean my kitchen cabinets. I bet you feel well accomplished. Thanks for coming back and letting me know.
I hope you are right. I am in the process of renting a new apartment. I have to admit I am a clean freak. While looking over the kitchen I notice the cupboards were rather dirty. I touched a couple of places and I was wrong. They are not dirty. They are FILTHY. They are sticky to the touch. At 71 I am not thrilled to be cleaning cupboards (that feel like they have not been cleaned since installation) that have been neglected for a long a long time. I start cleaning next week. I´m sure yours weren´t that bad, but if you know someone who came across a similar problem, please let me know if it worked for them. I would appreciate any feedback before I start. Will let you know if I clean them or set fire to them. Thanks for the advice. B. Karr
HI Barbara,
I could not stand cleaning mine with toxic chemicals that did not cut the grease. This is by far the most fantastic way to get the grease off. Literally, mix up the solution and wipe off with a cloth. You will see. I can’t wait to hear how it works for you. Thanks for the comment. Jen
Can this mixture of vinegar & Borax be used on the outside of real wood cabinets or should I use some other natural cleaner? Can you send me a email with an answer.
Hi Joyce, Yes, this mixture is very safe. My cabinet doors are made from oak and I use borax/vinegar to clean the outside as well with no problems. Would love to hear how it works out for you.
Thank you for making my MONTH- I’m leaving to visit family in a week, and have been considering calling Merry Maids first….looking @ referrals, called 1 cleaner who said we can do everything, but first I’ll visit and give you an estimate of hours/staff needed…freaked me out!! Want to do this before I leave , and come home to CLEAN!! Will let you know outcome!!
WOW!!!! You sound like me. Go on vacation and want to come home to a clean house. YES!!!! Please tell me what you think. I am always AMAZED by how well this little combo cleans house. Have a great vacations 🙂
They may not have discovered a cure for the common cold, but I found something almost as good. My kitchen cabinets are finally clean and it didn’t take me half a day to accomplish this feat. All it took was a cup of vinegar and one half cup Borax mixed in to a gallon or so of water. Thank you for this fabulous idea. You got my new year off to a good start. I will be checking for further tips. Thanks once again.
Arlene!!! You made my day. Thank you for your comment and SOOOO Glad it help. Something so simple and who would have thought it would clean so well..
Wow! I love this idea. Thanks for sharing.
You’re Welcome… I can’t wait to here how it works out for you
That’s an excellent idea. Now that it’s clean, fold newspaper to fit on top. Cleaning next time will be easier. All the gunk settles on the paper so you simply toss and clean the edges. I’m glad you didn’t see paper when I cleaned them recently. YUK
Thanks Elaine for sharing your neat trick. I never thought of using paper to help protect against grease..
I think that you might be a little bit better off with plain old parchment paper or even plain paper towels simply because when the grease and humidity kick in, the newsprint will transfer to the cabinet.
That is very true. I know I personally don’t use paper. I just can’t be bothered. An extra step.
I’ve used newspaper for 45 years and no ink has transferred, .BUT.. plain paper is a good idea “Just in case” Thanks.
I’ve been using wax paper. Think I’ll try parchment next time, not as slippery.
I use wax paper. It just fits. So easy
I use glad wrap on the top of my cupboards. screw it up and drop it in the bin