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Chores, cleaning and home care

Degreasing

Removing built-up cooking grease from cabinets, stovetops and range hoods, usually with dish soap and warm water or a cleaner labeled as a degreaser.

What It Means

Degreasing is cleaning away the sticky film of cooking oil that settles on kitchen surfaces near the stove. For most home kitchens, Dawn and Mr. Clean both start with dish soap in warm water, because the same ingredients that lift grease off plates lift it off cabinets and stovetops.

Try It: Degrease a Cabinet Door Step by Step

Step through Dawn's method for a greasy cabinet door.

Step 1 of 5: Mix. A few drops of dish soap in a bowl of warm water.

How It Sounds at Home

  • "The cabinet above the stove is all tacky again."
  • "I need to degrease the range hood this weekend."
  • "Just a drop of dish soap in warm water does it."

The Breakdown

Cabinets (Dawn's method)

  1. Put a few drops of dish soap into a bowl of warm water.
  2. Dip a sponge and squeeze it until suds form, so it's damp rather than soaked.
  3. Scrub the greasy area back and forth with the soft side.
  4. Wipe away the leftover grease and soap.
  5. Dry the surface straight away with a paper towel or a cloth.

Stovetop (Dawn's method)

  1. Make sure the stove is off and cool to the touch.
  2. Wipe it with the same warm, soapy sponge.
  3. For stubborn spots, put dish soap straight on the soft side of the sponge and scrub.
  4. Wipe clean and dry.

How often. Dawn suggests wiping the outside of kitchen cabinets at least once a week.

Try it today. Wipe just the cabinet door nearest the stove with warm, soapy water and compare it with the one beside it.

Good to Know

Dawn's steps for wood cabinets keep water to a minimum: a sponge that's only damp, and a dry cloth straight after. If you use a store-bought degreaser instead, follow its label for which surfaces it suits, how long to leave it and whether to rinse, and keep it out of the same bucket as any other cleaner.

FAQ

What's the best way to degrease kitchen cabinets?

Dawn's method is a few drops of dish soap in warm water, a soft damp sponge, then a wipe and a quick dry. It works on most everyday grease.

How often should kitchen cabinets be degreased?

Dawn suggests wiping the cabinet exteriors at least once a week. Use a mild dish soap solution and a cloth that is only slightly damp.

Should the stove be cool before I clean it?

Yes. Dawn says to make sure the stove is off and cool to the touch before you start.

Do It in Buhata

Tasks with a repeat and Duty Rotation

Add "Degrease cabinets by the stove" to Tasks with a weekly repeat, and use Duty Rotation (Premium) to take turns with it.

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Related Terms and Categories

  • Range hood filter

    The screen in a kitchen range hood that traps grease, and in ductless hoods a charcoal filter too. Grease filters get washed; charcoal filters get replaced.

  • Stovetop cleaning

    Keeping a cooktop free of spills and burned-on food, with a quick clean after each use and a deeper clean with a cooktop cleaner every few weeks.

  • Melamine sponge

    A cleaning pad of melamine foam, sold as Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and similar, that works like a very fine abrasive when wet.

  • Oven cleaning

    Removing baked-on grease and food from inside an oven, by hand or with the oven's own cleaning cycle, which KitchenAid suggests once or twice a year for most homes.

Chores, cleaning and home care

Sources

Dawn, "How To Clean Greasy Wood Kitchen Cabinets" and "How to Clean Your Stovetop"; Mr. Clean, "Cleaning Products for a Perfect Kitchen" and "How to Clean Your Stove Top in 3 Steps"

Last updated .