Cleaning greasy kitchen cupboards without damaging them

What the people who make kitchen doors say to clean them with, what they ban, how each finish differs, and how to strip years of grease before you paint.

Updated 30 October 2026 · The Kitchen Resprayer

The short answer

Clean kitchen cupboards with lukewarm water and a little liquid soap, on a damp cloth, then dry them straight away. That's what UK door makers specify, and it's gentler than most cleaning hacks.

Don't use abrasives, bleach, ammonia, solvents, alcohol or multi-purpose sprays, and don't spray anything onto the doors. For years of build-up, use a degreaser, tested first.

What the door makers say

The companies that make kitchen doors all publish care instructions, and they agree more than the cleaning blogs do. DIY Luxury Kitchens, Units Online, Landau and DIY Kitchens all say lukewarm water with no more than 5% soap; Magnet says a 1% solution. DIY Luxury Kitchens and Units Online both say use a cloth that's damp, not wet, and dry the door with a soft cloth straight after.

Don't spray the doors

DIY Luxury Kitchens says never spray anything onto the doors, even the soapy water, and not to let liquid seep into the joints. Put it on the cloth.

Dry them

Magnet says its fronts are moisture resistant, not waterproof, and that failure from leaving them wet isn't covered by its guarantee.

Mind the steam

Magnet says keep the dishwasher shut for at least 30 minutes after a cycle so the steam cools first. DIY Luxury Kitchens warns that steam and heat from kettles and toasters damage fronts.

Wipe splashes now

DIY Kitchens and Landau both say wipe cooking splashes straight away, before they become the sticky film.

What not to use

Banned	By
Abrasive cleaners, scourers, abrasive cloths	DIY Luxury Kitchens, Units Online, DIY Kitchens, Magnet
Bleach and chlorine	DIY Luxury Kitchens, Units Online, DIY Kitchens
Multi-purpose cleaners	DIY Luxury Kitchens, Units Online, DIY Kitchens, Magnet
Solvents, thinners, acetone	DIY Luxury Kitchens, Units Online, DIY Kitchens, Magnet
Alcohol-based cleaners	DIY Luxury Kitchens, Units Online, DIY Kitchens
Ammonia	DIY Luxury Kitchens; Kutchenhaus for gloss
Wax polish and spray polish	DIY Luxury Kitchens, Units Online, DIY Kitchens, Magnet
Paper towels and dusters	Magnet

From each maker's published care instructions, read 30 October 2026.

Makers disagree on two things, so your own door maker's sheet wins. Magnet allows a 50/50 mix of water and methylated spirits for stubborn marks on its high gloss and painted fronts, while three others ban alcohol. Magnet starts with a microfibre cloth; Units Online says microfibre isn't recommended on any kitchen door.

By door finish

Vinyl or foil-wrapped

The weak soap solution, damp cloth and dry, with extra care on heat and steam: DIY Luxury Kitchens says vinyl doors must not go above 70C.

High gloss and acrylic

Kutchenhaus says dust first so you don't drag grit across it, then warm water with a tiny amount of washing-up liquid, then dry and buff. Ammonia, bleach, harsh sprays and abrasive sponges can dull the gloss or leave fine scratches. Magnet says acrylic fronts get only a soft cloth and dilute soapy water.

Painted or sprayed

Edward Bulmer Paint says let freshly painted cabinets cure for 7 days before heavy use, and keep harsh chemicals and abrasives off a water-based eggshell. After that, the same gentle soap-and-water routine.

Lacquered wood and veneer

The same 5% soap rule (Units Online, DIY Luxury Kitchens), wiping along the grain (Landau).

Oiled wood

The odd one out. Osmo says washing-up liquid and detergents are highly detrimental to its oiled door finish, that bleach and baking soda are likely to stain it, and to use its own spray cleaner instead.

Laminate and melamine

The 5% soap solution, and wipe splashes straight away (DIY Kitchens).

Years of grease build-up

Soap and water won't shift a film that's been building for years. Which? says normal soap can't remove it, and that's when you need a degreaser. Test any of them on a hidden part of a door first.

Zinsser Universal Degreaser & Cleaner

Apply, let it work briefly, wipe off. Zinsser says it's not for varnished surfaces, may mark metal and glass (handles, glazed doors), and must be rinsed off if you're painting next. Gloves and eye protection.

HG Grease Away

HG says spray it on, leave it briefly and wipe off with a damp cloth, after testing first. Since door makers say never spray the doors themselves, spray it onto the cloth on kitchen fronts.

Sugar soap

Rustins says its sugar soap is suitable for paintwork, and Rust-Oleum lists kitchen cupboards for its own. See below for the dilution.

Two popular hacks don't sit well with the makers. The Pink Stuff's maker calls its paste a mild abrasive containing quartz, and door makers ban abrasives. Bicarbonate of soda isn't recommended by any door maker read for this page, and Osmo says it can stain an oiled finish.

Before you paint them

Cleaning before painting is a different job from everyday wiping. Which? says that if the grease isn't removed, the paint will separate.

Product	Dilution	Then
Rust-Oleum concentrated sugar soap (£4.99)	About 125 ml to 4.5 litres before painting; about 50 ml for everyday cleaning	Rinse so no salts remain: they weaken paint adhesion
Rustins sugar soap (£3.20 for 500 ml at Dunelm)	500 ml to 13 litres	Rinse with clean water, let dry thoroughly
Zinsser Universal Degreaser	Neat	Rinse any residue off before painting

Makers' own instructions and listed prices, read 30 October 2026. Wear gloves and eye protection with all three.

Then sand and prime as the paint maker says. How to paint kitchen cupboards properly covers the whole job, and repainting painted kitchen cupboards covers going over an existing paint finish.

If the grease has had years to soak into tired doors and you'd rather they came back like new, send two photos for a free respray quote.

Where this comes from

All read 30 October 2026. Firms change their prices and terms; check the current position with them.

Common questions

The way UK door makers specify: lukewarm water with a little liquid soap (no more than 5%, says DIY Luxury Kitchens; 1%, says Magnet), on a cloth that's damp, not wet, then dry the door straight away. Don't spray anything onto the doors. For years of build-up, use a degreaser tested on a hidden spot first.

UK door makers ban abrasive cleaners and scourers, bleach, ammonia, solvents and acetone, alcohol-based cleaners, multi-purpose cleaners, and wax or spray polish. Magnet adds paper towels and dusters, because grit scratches the fronts.

Which? says white vinegar is good for shifting grease, but none of the door makers' care sheets read for this page recommends it: they all specify a weak soap solution. If you try vinegar, test it somewhere hidden first, and check your own door maker's care guide.

Its maker describes the paste as a mild abrasive containing quartz, to be used with care on delicate or polished surfaces. Every door maker read for this page bans abrasive cleaners on kitchen fronts, so keep it off the doors.

Which? says years of grease can't be shifted with normal soap and needs a degreaser. Zinsser's Universal Degreaser is applied, left briefly and wiped off, but it isn't for varnished surfaces and can mark metal and glass. Test first, wear gloves, and rinse afterwards.

With sugar soap, then a rinse. Rust-Oleum says about 125 ml of its concentrate to 4.5 litres of warm water before painting, and to rinse so no salts are left, because they weaken paint adhesion. Rustins says 500 ml to 13 litres. Let the doors dry thoroughly before sanding.

How to paint kitchen cupboards properly

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