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Cleaning 30+ years of gunk off kitchen cabinets???? how? (Original Post) NMDemDist2 Aug 2016 OP
Those Mr Clean Magic Erasers work great. Just wet them and start erasing! japple Aug 2016 #1
super hot water and ammonia Kali Aug 2016 #2
they aren't painted NMDemDist2 Aug 2016 #3
well, if Dawn strips the finish, ammonia may do it too Kali Aug 2016 #4
Try hand sanitizer (AKA 70% alcohol gel), a pile of rags, and elbow grease on an inconspicuous spot friendly_iconoclast Aug 2016 #5
wow, never would have thought bout using that! NMDemDist2 Aug 2016 #7
TSP De-greaser Lars39 Aug 2016 #6
Simple Green maybe? NMDemDist2 Aug 2016 #8
I've never used that one before. Lars39 Aug 2016 #9
hmmmm... i'd love to paint NMDemDist2 Aug 2016 #10
Ah, the great oak/paint gender divide! Lars39 Aug 2016 #11
yup NMDemDist2 Aug 2016 #12
I've done a dirty kitchen clean up with ammonia and water on a bath towel. demigoddess Jul 2017 #13

japple

(9,773 posts)
1. Those Mr Clean Magic Erasers work great. Just wet them and start erasing!
Sun Aug 7, 2016, 07:49 PM
Aug 2016

You might need to lay in a supply as they wear out pretty quickly. They do a good job, though. Might be even better if you use in combination with something else like vinegar or ammonia.

Kali

(54,990 posts)
4. well, if Dawn strips the finish, ammonia may do it too
Sun Aug 7, 2016, 08:04 PM
Aug 2016

but if they are solid would that may be the best bet anyway - strip and refinish...

I hear ya on the 30 years of gunk though. about ready to just toss the stove as opposed to cleaning the sides and back.

 

friendly_iconoclast

(15,333 posts)
5. Try hand sanitizer (AKA 70% alcohol gel), a pile of rags, and elbow grease on an inconspicuous spot
Sun Aug 7, 2016, 10:10 PM
Aug 2016

It did a great job on a really gnarly looking side table I got dumpster diving.
It really brought back the grain, which looks like cherry or mahogany.

NMDemDist2

(49,313 posts)
7. wow, never would have thought bout using that!
Sun Aug 14, 2016, 11:03 AM
Aug 2016

I'm thinking Simple Green, i don't have the time or energy to do a lot of elbow grease on 30+ cabinet doors.

Lars39

(26,093 posts)
9. I've never used that one before.
Sun Aug 14, 2016, 12:18 PM
Aug 2016

I've had results with Krud Kutter.
Saw a post on Pinterest about Borax and Dawn, but I didn't save it.
We bought a fixer-upper last year. I swear the cabinets had never been cleaned. The doors are cleaner after about a week and a half of scrubbing, but I ran into the same problem of clean versus stripped. I think at a certain point wood just can't be salvaged.
We're going to keep the boxes, make new doors and paint.

NMDemDist2

(49,313 posts)
10. hmmmm... i'd love to paint
Wed Aug 24, 2016, 08:34 PM
Aug 2016

but hubby loves the wood look.

I'll probably have to have a cabinet guy refinish all the doors

Lars39

(26,093 posts)
11. Ah, the great oak/paint gender divide!
Wed Aug 24, 2016, 09:01 PM
Aug 2016

My husband loves oak cabinets, with maple a close second!
Hopefully refinishing the doors won't be too pricey. At least they can take them and the smell elsewhere to work on them.

demigoddess

(6,640 posts)
13. I've done a dirty kitchen clean up with ammonia and water on a bath towel.
Sun Jul 30, 2017, 01:00 PM
Jul 2017

I would follow up on wood cabinets after cleaning with lemon oil furniture polish. It should restore the wood after such a harsh cleaning. But it takes something like ammonia to clean that kind of gunk. Go over it twice in the scrubbing phase. the kitchen I did took me two or three days to clean. Renters who apparently fried a lot of their food and smoked.

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