6 Easy Steps to Clean & Organise Your Kitchen Cabinets

Do your kitchen cabinets look like a complete nightmare? Well, if they are disorganised and dirty, they probably do! What’s worse is that, when things start to get messy or disorderly inside the cabinets, you tend to pay less attention to them because you assume that cleaning and organising them will require a lot of time (that most people simply don’t have to spare). So, while homeowners look to schedule kitchen cabinet cleaning, days go by and the situation only gets worse! 

Regardless of the circumstances that led to your very own nightmarish kitchen cabinets, you can turn them into a dream with this DIY deep clean guide! Even better, MaidForYou has got the most systematic way to clean and organise your kitchen cabinets that makes the job easier, quicker, and more efficient. So, let’s get started!

Step 1: Make Space

Before you begin cleaning and organising your kitchen cabinets, you need to organise your work space. So, first things first, clear your kitchen counters and other surfaces that can be used to hold items that you pull out of the cabinets. If some of the things that are lying around require to be stored in the cabinets, gather them and leave them on the counter. Remember that you will also need a little space to efficiently sort through the contents of your kitchen cabinets so try to maximise your work space for this.

Step 2: Gather Cleaning Supplies, Products, etc

The last thing you want to do is unload all your kitchen cabinets, only to realise that you don’t have the right cleaning supplies and products to get the job done. 

Here is what you’ll need to clean your kitchen cabinets, inside and outside:

• Dust cloths
• Microfibre cloths
• Handheld cleaning brush and dustpan
• Paintbrush
• Grease-fighting liquid dish detergent
• Glass cleaner (for glass cabinet doors)
• Shelf liners
• White vinegar (optional)

Place the items above in a basket or a mobile cleaning kit, and move on to the next step.

Step 3: Unload the Cabinets

To do this in the most organised and systematic way, we advise emptying one cabinet at a time. This way, you can assess the contents and decide whether you would like to change their storage space, get rid of any items, and so on. When you have made all of those decisions, move on to the next cabinet, and do the same. 

Step 4: Clean the Cabinet Exterior

You should clean the exterior of your kitchen cabinets first as some of the dirt may get inside if you aren’t careful enough. This will only add to your work so it’s best to clean the interiors last. 

For a thorough clean of your kitchen cabinet exteriors, follow the steps below:

• Dampen a dust cloth and wipe the top of the cabinet. Start from one end, and push the dirt towards the other end. When you get to the edge, hold the dustpan just beneath it, and push the dirt into it. 

• Using another clean damp cloth, wipe over the tops of the cabinets to remove any leftover dust or dirt.

• Wipe down the cabinet doors, outside and inside.

• Make a mild soapy solution with your chosen dish soap and water. If you’d like to use a natural cleaning solution instead, water and white vinegar (50:50 ratio) can also be effective in removing grease and stains.

• Dampen a clean microfibre cloth in the solution, and wipe down the cabinet exteriors thoroughly. This includes the handles/knobs, inside the doors, tops, side panels, and underneath the kitchen cabinets. 

• If you have glass doors or panels, be sure to use glass cleaner in place of the cleaning solution mentioned above.

Step 5: Clean Inside the Cabinet

Dirt and stains are inevitable when it comes to your kitchen cabinets. This is all the more evident when you don’t clean them in a very long time. So, if that’s the case, you will probably need to give the interiors of the kitchen cabinets a good scrub down.

Here are the steps to do that:

• If you’ve got old shelf liners in there, they’ve probably served their time and can now be discarded.

• Begin by wiping the ceiling, sides, and then the bottom of the cabinet with a dry microfibre cloth. For the corners, use the paintbrush to clean out dust and dirt accumulated there.

• Next, clean the interior with soapy water by dampening a clean microfibre cloth in your solution of dish soap and water. For stubborn stains or grease, it helps to heat the solution up and soak the area for a few minutes by placing the damp cloth over it before you scrub at it.

• Once done, wipe the interior surfaces with a dry cloth, and allow it to air out for a little while. Finish off by putting in fresh shelf liners.

Step 6: Put the Contents Back

The best way to do this is by organising the contents before you put them away. Make sure that you are grouping items as per their similarity so that it is easier to locate things. Secondly, store items that are frequently used on lower shelves (towards the front) while things that you use occasionally can be stored higher up or towards the back of the cabinet. It’s a good idea to use organising aids such as storage containers/jars, racks, and dividers; these will help keep things organised and make it easier and faster to put things back where they belong. After all, the end goal should be a combination of cleaning, organising, and maintaining your kitchen cabinets!

So, the next time you put off this task because it seems too long or too chaotic, come back to this guide on how to clean your kitchen cabinets in six simple steps! This organised and systematic approach is guaranteed to help you get through the task faster, and a whole lot easier!