Categories: Kitchens

How To Clean The Tops Of Greasy Kitchen Cabinets – Secret Tip

Published by
James marcus

Instead of “How to Clean the Tops of Greasy Kitchen Cabinets”, this post really should be called “The Horror That Lies Above” because that’s exactly what was I found. You see, this is an area that I don’t clean on a regular schedule. I think I mentally put it off because I know how icky it gets. All that dust that’s mixed in with cooking grease = sticky gross gunk. The only reason I even made it up there was because I was hanging some decorative plates above the cabinets.

Now, if you’re faint of heart, easily grossed out, squeamish, or faint easily…don’t scroll down.

I’m giving you fair warning!

Are you ready for the horror?

*Cue the horror music* Here it comes….

EEEEeeeewwwwww!!!!! So GROSS, right?!

I was so mortified, that I immediately sent my hubby to the store to fetch me some heavy duty grease cleaner and went to work. I also tested a natural way to clean this greasy gunk off using only vinegar and baking soda, which was something I’ve seen done on Pinterest. Here’s what I did.

How To Clean The Tops Of Greasy Kitchen Cabinets

Supplies (chemical way):

  • SECRET TIP – old credit/store card, putty knife, or paint scrapper – this makes cleaning so quick and easy!
  • paper towels
  • Fantastik Scrubbing Bubbles Heavy Duty All Purpose Cleaner or your chosen heavy duty cleaner

Supplies (natural way):

  • old credit card/store card, putty knife, or paint scrapper
  • vinegar in a spray bottle
  • baking soda
  • lots of paper towels or reuseable towels

Chemical Cleaning

For the chemical way of cleaning, I used Fantastik’s Scrubbing Bubbles Heavy Duty All Purpose Cleaner. I am not sponsored, nor was I compensated for this post. This is just what the hubby brought home from the store and what I used.

  1. Don’t faint. Generously spray the tops of the cabinets with your chosen heavy duty cleaner. Let it sit for a few minutes.
  2. Get some paper towels and an old credit card/store card or anything with a sturdy straight edge. Begin to scrape off the sticky greasy gunk. Use the paper towel to wipe off the gunk from the card. Continue to do this until the entire top of the cabinet is clean. *Tip- using a plastic card makes it so much easier to scrape off the gunk. Much faster than trying to wipe it up.*
  3. Spray once more and give the cabinets a final wipe down.
  4. To prevent having greasy gunk build-up, cut and lay some type of paper on the tops of the cabinets (wax paper, wrapping paper, cut cereal boxes, etc…)

It’s not pretty, but it will help prevent greasy build up on the cabinets. Just change out the paper when needed.

Natural Cleaning

After using a chemical heavy duty cleaner, I wondered if just using vinegar and baking soda would be able to cut through the sticky greasy gunk. So, I poured some vinegar onto the top of one of the cabinets and sprinkled some baking soda on top. It immediately began to fizz and I could see some of the greasy begin to appear in the bubbles.

  1. Generously spray vinegar onto the cabinet tops and let this set for a minute or two. Sprinkle baking soda on top. Start scrubbing while the vinegar and baking soda is bubbling. Once it stops bubbling, you just have ‘water’, so scrub while the mixture is actively bubbling. Another option would be to make a baking soda paste with just water and baking soda. This will require some scrubbing, but the baking soda will help scrub off the grime. *Tip – Do not pour vinegar onto the top of the cabinet. I did this and some of the vinegar seeped down into my cabinet and made a small mess. Use a spray bottle to spray the vinegar onto your cabinet tops.*
  2. Get some paper towels and an old credit card/store card or anything with a strong straight edge. Begin to scrape off the sticky greasy gunk. Use the paper towel to wipe off the gunk from the card. Continue to do this until the entire top of the cabinet is clean.
  3. Wipe down again with straight vinegar until all the grit from the baking soda is gone.
  4. To prevent having greasy gunk build-up, cut and lay some type of paper on the tops of the cabinets (wax paper, wrapping paper, cut cereal boxes, etc…)

UPDATE: I’ve had a lot of people asking me which method I prefer better, the natural or chemical way. Both methods clean off the grime very well using the plastic card to scrape it off. So really, it is up to you which method you use. The only real difference is that the baking soda way does require wiping down the cabinet a little more to remove the gritty baking soda.

Glad you made it this far without fainting 🙂

When was the last time you cleaned the tops of your kitchen cabinets? What are your tips/tricks to keeping this area clean?

More Cleaning Tips ~

  • How to Clean Carpets Like A Pro
  • How to Clean a Microwave
  • Deep Cleaning Tips – 18 Places We Forget To Clean
  • How To Remove Wax From Walls

This post was last modified on 03/11/2023 11:47

James marcus

Garden Courte is a blog written by [James Marcus], a passionate gardener and writer. She has been gardening for over 20 years and has a deep understanding of plants and how to care for them. In her blog, she shares her knowledge and experience with others, providing tips and advice on gardening, plant care, and more.

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Published by
James marcus

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