This Affordable DIY Mixture Effortlessly Melts Grease Off Wood Kitchen Cabinets

Wooden kitchen cabinets with a clear coat finish are, to me, so very beautiful. The figure of their grain and the rich colors are a taste of nature within our homes. My preference may not be surprising if you understand that I am a professional woodworker who has built kitchen cabinets since I was a teenager. But even with my profound prejudice, I will admit that cleaning those cabinets, especially removing grease, is more challenging than on the high-gloss painted or polymerized kitchens that are popular today. A product that solves that challenge? Murphy Oil Soap. It's a product that has been around for a very long time, and it solves the problem of cleaning wood that has a film finish.

A film finish is just what it sounds like. After the wood has been prepared by sanding and perhaps adding a colored stain, a film finish is applied to protect the wood and enhance its beauty. Film finishes, like lacquer, polyurethane, shellac, and traditional varnishes, lay on top of the wood in a thin, uniform layer. It presents a durable layer of protection to the wood fibers it covers. While durable, these film finishes can be damaged by harsh cleaners, especially those that are acidic (like vinegar), very alkaline (ammonia), or that have other harsh chemicals in their formula. They can dull the gloss or even break down the clear finishes, but Murphy Oil Soap is different.

Murphy Oil Soap is a combination of water and vegetable oil modified into a soap, ETDA, propylene glycol, and other surfactants. The water and soap break down and surround dirt, allowing it to be lifted up and removed from the surface you are cleaning. The benefits of this solution are that it removes dirt but does not harm the film finish or dry out the wood fibers, while leaving behind a protective residue, a bit like furniture polish. It enhances the film finish rather than breaking it down.

This soap typically comes in a concentrate that you mix in water or in a pre-mixed spray bottle. Apply it to the wooden surface with a saturated cloth or by spraying, and then scrub the surface with an appropriate amount of elbow grease. It will cut through grease and grime, leaving behind a beautiful surface. Then, and this is important, wipe or rinse the surface with clear water. If you use too much Murphy Oil Soap and do not rinse, you can eventually get a buildup that dulls the finish.

As well as being great for cleaning wood cabinets, Murphy Oil Soap has many other uses; it is recommended for other wooden surfaces, hardwood floors, as well as ceramic tile and vinyl flooring. It is not limited to wood cabinets and can easily eliminate grease from modern polymerized and painted kitchen cabinets. I started using it back in the 1980s and have not stopped. It's a keeper.