Kitchen cabinetry is an essential component of any kitchen. Keeping them clean is vital to maintaining a neat and orderly appearance. Kitchen cabinets are natural grease hotspots because of their proximity to the stove.
Laminate cabinets are particularly prone to grease and grime. They are often used in high-traffic areas such as the kitchen. It makes them look dirty and gives your kitchen an overall unclean appearance.
Cleaning your cabinet fronts with a damp cloth followed by a dry cloth every other week is ideal. However, we still need to remove a coating that’s too stubborn to remove with a simple wipe-down. But with the right cleaners and tools, you can easily clean grease off laminate kitchen cabinets.
What are Laminate Kitchen Cabinets?
Laminate cabinets are made from a thin layer of laminate material glued to a piece of plywood or particleboard. Laminate is a type of plastic material available in many colors and designs.
Laminate kitchen cabinets are usually less expensive than other types of cabinetry, such as wood or metal. However, they can still be quite durable and long-lasting if adequately cared for. Plastic laminate surfaces are also reasonably easy to clean.
Laminate materials for cabinets have two different types:
- A type of hard plastic with various colors and textures is the most widely utilized.
- Thin wood sheets make up the second type of laminate material.
Manufacturers use wood laminates to cover pressed wood, giving the appearance of solid wood cabinets. They will cover the plywood with laminate produced from high-quality wood, giving the appearance of genuine wood cabinets.
Homeowners and experts can easily reface cabinets using laminate. You need to trim the laminate and glue it to the cabinet surfaces after cleaning and preparing the original cabinet. Although some laminates come with a pressure-sensitive adhesive backing, you can still use a special glue to adhere to the laminate.
Laminate vs. Wood Cabinets
Cabinets made of laminate and solid wood serve the same purpose. Neither one is better than the other. Cost, maintenance, durability, and other considerations all play a role in determining the best solution for your needs. Each variety has a distinct niche and distinguishing characteristics that make it desirable.
➡Durability
Laminate has a longer life when you properly take care of it. It is a manufactured product that stands up to wear and tear better than wood. Wood cabinets may show signs of wear and tear sooner than laminate, such as scratches, dents, or chips.
On the other hand, a well-cared-for set of wood cabinets can last as long as laminate. If you take good care of your wood cabinets, they will last for generations.
➡Maintenance
Laminate is easy to clean and does not require much maintenance. You can wipe it down with a damp cloth and mild soap to remove dirt and grime. Wood cabinets require a bit more care. It would be best if you cleaned them regularly with a mild soap and water solution to remove grease and grime. It would help if you also wax them every few months to protect the finish.
➡Cost
Laminate cabinets are typically less expensive than wood cabinets. They are often mass-produced, which reduces the cost. Wood cabinets are usually handmade or made to order, increasing the cost.
➡Installation
Laminate cabinets are easy to install. You can often install them yourself with some essential tools. Wood cabinets require more time and effort to install. You may need to hire a professional to install them properly.
➡Refacing
You can easily reface laminate cabinets with a new laminate. You don’t need to remove the old laminate first. Wood cabinets require more work to reface. You need to remove the old wood before you can install new wood.
➡Design
Laminate cabinets come in a wide variety of colors and designs. You can find them in almost any color or style you can imagine. Wood cabinets are available in a limited number of colors and styles.
If you are looking for a wide variety of colors and designs, laminate cabinets are an excellent option. If you want a more traditional look, wood cabinets may be better.
Benefits of Laminate Cabinets
Laminate has come a long way, and it’s now a popular choice for many modern kitchens remodels. Here are some of the benefits of laminate cabinets:
✅Laminate cabinets are durable.
When installing a new kitchen cabinet, all you hope is for it to last long. And that’s what you get with laminate cabinets. When you choose laminate, you’re getting a tough, long-lasting product. Laminate is long-lasting, scratch-resistant, moisture-resistant, and resistant to regular wear and tear because of the way it’s made.
They are consist of layers of resin-impregnated paper fused under heat and pressure to create a hard, durable surface. This material is also highly resistant to moisture, making it ideal for the kitchen.
✅Laminate cabinets are cost-effective.
Apart from the fact that it looks wonderful, laminate is an extremely cost-effective material for kitchen cabinets. When you compare laminate to wood, you’ll find that it’s a fraction of the price.
This lower cost doesn’t mean that laminate cabinets are of lower quality. They are often better quality because they’re more consistent than wood. Because laminate is mass-produced in factories, the quality control is much higher than wood cabinets.
✅Laminate cabinets are easy to care for.
Kitchen cabinets that look wonderful but are a pain to keep clean are the last thing you want. Laminate is an excellent choice for your cabinets since it requires very little maintenance. Your cabinets will last a long time if you take excellent care of them. To keep your cabinets appearing new, wipe them down with a dry cloth now and then to keep dust at bay.
For tougher messes, you can use a mild soap and water solution. Be sure to rinse the cabinets well and dry them completely to prevent water spots.
✅Laminate cabinets come in a wide variety of colors and styles.
When it comes to color and style options, laminate cabinets are hard to beat. You’ll find that laminate comes in various colors, patterns, and styles. It means that you’ll find the perfect cabinets for your kitchen.
Whether you want a modern look or a more traditional style, you’ll find laminate cabinets that meet your needs.
How to Clean Laminate Kitchen Cabinets?
Cabinets made of laminate are easier to clean than cabinets made of wood. However, laminate cabinets easily absorb food deposits and grease. As a result, while laminate cabinets are less difficult to clean than wood cabinets, they may require more frequent, short maintenance.
Here are some tips for cleaning laminate cabinets:
📌Dust them regularly.
Dust adheres to all surfaces, particularly laminate cabinets. So, work from the top down to eliminate dust build-up with a feather duster or a lint-free cloth. Pay attention to the corners, which are notorious for accumulating dust.
📌Wash them with soap and water.
You can clean Laminate cabinets with a mild dish soap and water solution. Clean the hinges and handles with a toothbrush dipped in the solution. Use a soft cloth to avoid scratching the surface when cleaning.
📌Rinse and dry the surfaces.
Rinse the surfaces with a clean towel and warm water after cleaning them with detergent. Warm water evaporates much faster than cool or lukewarm water. It’s also best if you don’t expose your cabinets to water over long periods. It would be best to wipe down your cabinets with a dry towel as soon as you’ve washed any detergent or cleaning agent off them. When laminate surfaces are exposed to water for an extended period, they will distort and break.
📌Don’t use baking soda and vinegar.
Contrary to popular belief, baking soda and white vinegar are ineffective cleaning solutions for kitchen cabinets made of laminate or wood. Baking soda is a mild abrasive that can scratch the laminate cabinets’ surface. White vinegar is acidic, which can damage the laminate surface over time.
You can remove mineral deposits and soap build-up using white vinegar. However, they are unlikely to be an issue in kitchen cabinets. Baking soda and white vinegar, on the other hand, are abrasive and are more likely to hurt than help. Baking soda adheres to the surface and leaves a faint white film that dulls any shine your cabinets may otherwise have if not fully rinsed and wiped clean.
📌Use abrasive scouring tools sparingly.
You may use wire-bristled brushes, steel wool, or scouring pads to clean metal surfaces such as pans and pots. However, when used to clean it, they will always leave scratches on a smooth surface, such as laminate or wood. The best way to clean laminate cabinets is using a microfiber or moist, soft cloth.
📌Use a cleaner specifically designed for laminate.
To clean laminate cabinets without damaging them, use a specifically designed product for cleaning laminate surfaces. These products are formulated to clean laminate without scratching or dulling the surface.
Apply the cleaner to a soft cloth and wipe down the surfaces. Be sure to rinse the cabinets well and dry them completely to prevent water spots.
📌Refinishing cabinets
You may have utilized all of your elbow greases and tried more abrasive cleaners, such as white vinegar or strong industrial cleaning goods. Despite this, your cabinets are drab, dusty, or simply ugly. Don’t worry because you still have hope. There are things you can do to provide your old kitchen with a fresh, new look. And the steps aren’t necessarily difficult or expensive.
You can preserve your old cabinet boxes and keep your kitchen’s familiar arrangement while giving it a fresh new design. By resurfacing your cabinets, you may have a “new kitchen” look without the “new kitchen” price tag. Refacing cabinets entails removing old doors and drawer fronts and replacing them with new ones. The outward-facing components of the existing cabinet boxes are prepped, and a veneer, or new skin, is applied to match the new doors and drawer fronts.
How to Remove Grease Off Laminate Cabinets?
Kitchen cabinets are notorious for collecting grease, filth, and food splatters, but laminate cabinets are relatively easy to clean. You can maintain your laminate cabinets looking fantastic by doing routine cleaning, scrubbing persistent stains, and eliminating grease and grime.
Here are some tips on how to clean grease off laminate kitchen cabinets.
⭐Prepare and wipe the surface.
You should prepare the surface before applying elbow grease. It includes wiping down all of the cabinets with a clean, dry towel. The purpose is to ensure that you prepare the surface for any form of degreaser that you will use.
If there is dust or debris on the kitchen cabinets, you will compromise the results. It will be easier for you to apply the grease remover if you wipe them first with a piece of a dry, soft cloth. Even if you’re using the best degreaser for kitchen cabinets, it is crucial. You can simply remove grease from laminate kitchen cabinets if you prepare the surface.
⭐Apply degreaser.
It’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty of this cleaning job. You’ll need a decent degreaser for laminate kitchen cabinets. Apply it to the entire area and make sure you distribute it equally. You don’t want to leave any streaks or spots.
Even if specific areas may have tiny visible grease, you should clean them just as thoroughly as the others. Keep in mind that the goal is to make the cabinetry look balanced and tidy. If you conduct spot cleaning, this will not happen.
⭐Don’t forget the handles and knobs.
You should also apply the degreaser to the handles and knobs of your laminate kitchen cabinets. They can get just as greasy as the rest of the cabinetry, if not more so. If you don’t want to remove them completely, you can simply clean them with a soft toothbrush.
⭐Give the degreaser time to work.
It would help to let the degreaser sit on the laminate kitchen cabinets for a few minutes. It is usually long enough for the solution to break down and remove the grease. You can determine whether or not it’s time to wipe away the degreaser by looking at the instructions on the packaging.
⭐Wipe away the degreaser.
After you’ve given the solution time to work, it’s time to wipe away the degreaser. Use a damp, clean cloth for this task. If you’re using a paper towel, make sure it’s new. Once you’re finished, throw away the paper towel immediately.
You should avoid using a sponge because it can hold grease. If you use a sponge, you may inadvertently spread the grease around instead of removing it.
⭐Finish up.
You should finish the job by wiping down the laminate kitchen cabinets with a clean, dry towel. It will help to remove any streaks that the degreaser may leave behind. It will also help to give your cabinetry a nice shine.
And there you have it! These are some tips on how to clean grease off laminate kitchen cabinets. With a little bit of elbow grease, you can make your cabinetry look good as new.
When to Clean Your Kitchen Cabinets?
You may clean your kitchen cabinet either weekly or seasonally. It will help if you do it more often if your kitchen gets a lot of traffic. If you have small children, you may need to clean your cabinets weekly to remove fingerprints and other marks.
Instead of cleaning down kitchen cabinets regularly, a weekly spot treatment is the best method to keep them clean. Wipe away spatters, fingerprints, and other blemishes with a soft cloth soaked in a multi-purpose cleaner.
You should also give your cabinets a deep cleaning at least three or four times a year. It will help to remove any built-up grease and grime. A deep cleaning may require removing the doors and drawers from your cabinets.
Cleaning laminate kitchen cabinets is a simple task that you can do yourself. With the right tools and some elbow grease, you can have your cabinetry looking new in no time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the best material for cabinets?
A: The best material for cabinets depends on your budget and needs. If you’re looking for something that’s low maintenance, laminate may be the best option. Solid wood is a good choice if you’re willing to spend more money.
Q: What is under laminate cabinets?
A: Under laminate cabinets are cabinets that have a layer of laminate on the surface. This type of cabinetry is easy to clean and maintain. It’s also less expensive than solid wood cabinets.
Q: What is the best way to clean gloss laminate cabinets?
A: The best way to clean gloss laminate cabinets is with a damp, clean cloth. You may also use a mild dish soap mixed in the water if your cabinets are particularly dirty. Wipe the cabinets down in a circular motion until they’re clean.
Q: How to clean dark laminate cabinets?
A: The best way to clean dark laminate cabinets is with a damp, clean cloth. You may also use a mixture of mild detergent and water. Apply a nonabrasive liquid kitchen cleanser if you want to remove stubborn stains and burn marks.
Q: How do I clean the insides of my kitchen cabinets?
A: The best way to clean the insides of your kitchen cabinets is with a damp, clean cloth. You may also wipe the insides of cabinets and drawers with white vinegar diluted in warm water or just a simple warm, soapy water. Be sure to rinse and dry the surfaces thoroughly afterward.
Q: Can I use a sponge to clean my laminate kitchen cabinets?
A: No, you should not use a sponge to clean your laminate kitchen cabinets. Sponges can hold grease, which means you may inadvertently spread the grease around instead of removing it.
Q: How do I make my laminate cabinets shine?
A: The best way to make your laminate cabinets shine is to wipe them down with a clean, dry towel. It will help to remove any streaks that the degreaser may leave behind. It will also help to give your cabinetry a nice shine.
Final Thoughts
Our kitchen cabinets see a lot of use. From cooking to cleaning, we rely on them to help us keep our kitchen organized and functioning. Over time, grease and grime can build up, making our cabinets look dull and dirty.
Fortunately, cleaning laminate kitchen cabinets is a simple task that you can do yourself. With the right tools and some elbow grease, you can have your cabinetry looking new in no time.