How Often Do You Need To Clean The Space Above Your Kitchen Cabinets

When it comes to thoroughly cleaning your kitchen, the task is more complex than wiping down the island and giving the stove a quick scrub. To properly clean it, you also need to wipe down all the hard-to-access nooks and crannies that quietly accumulate buildup. And one of the areas in the kitchen that you should clean more often are the tops of your cabinets. These get covered in grime just like any other surface in the room, so you should make cleaning them part of your weekly or bi-weekly routine, depending on how dirty they become. This will help them stay in tip-top shape.

To ensure your cabinets' long lifespan, cleaning experts recommend wiping down their surfaces once a week, much like dusting furniture once a week. This removes any grime or grease, preventing it from building up into a sticky and unsanitary mess. However, if your kitchen gets little foot traffic, you don't cook much, or you don't have a lot grease residue, you can bump it out to two weeks. Here is a closer look into the recommended timing. 

How often you need to clean the tops of your cabinets hinges on how well-ventilated your kitchen is. If you have proper ventilation in the room, then dust, grime, and grease won't settle as easily since they will be swept away outside. Specifically, if you have a strong range hood that quickly wicks away steam and grease, this will ensure it won't coat the tops of the cabinets. If that's the case, then you can likely get away with cleaning the tops of your cabinets every two weeks or even once a month. To determine how often, check the area two weeks after your initial cleaning and see if it requires a wipe down or not. 

However, if you have a weak vent hood, a filter coated with grease, or live in an apartment with no hood at all, then it's likely the tops of your cabinets will become grimier faster. Dust and grease will layer on top of each other, creating a thick, sticky substance that will be difficult to wipe away if left for too long. In those cases, cleaning your kitchen cabinets weekly is probably best. The easiest way to make this routine is to add it to your regular weekly cleaning schedule, tackling the tops before you do your other scheduled kitchen chores. 

Cleaning the tops of cabinets is relatively easy, though it will need some specialized products. If you have excellent ventilation and don't have to deal with much grease residue, then a quick dusting with soap and water on a microfiber cloth will do the trick. For extra residue-fighting power, consider using a grease-busting soap like Dawn or trying out the laundry detergent cleaning hack for cabinets. However, if you notice a stubbornly sticky layer coating the surface, switch to something a little more heavy-duty. To quickly cut through grease and grime, opt for a degreaser over a regular multi-purpose spray.

ZEP Heavy-Duty Citrus Degreaser, which you can get for $14 on Amazon, is a great pick. It not only cuts through buildup quickly, but it also doesn't have any harsh fumes like other solvents. It has a pH between 11 and 12 (in comparison, ammonia has a pH of 11-13) making it a safe but powerful alternative. Spray it onto the surface, allow it a minute or two to penetrate the grease, and then wipe it away with a paper towel or microfiber cloth. If it's been a while since you last cleaned the area, you might need to repeat these steps a few times before all the buildup is removed.