What To Clean Cabinets With Before Painting

Repainting cabinets is a great way to change the character of a room without spending a fortune. However, it requires a lot of prep work to ensure that your primer and paint will bond to the wood properly. Many homeowners struggle to find what to clean cabinets with before painting.

Mild dish soap and powder cleaners like Dirtex are great for cleaning cabinets before you paint them. Denatured alcohol is a great option because it evaporates quickly and leaves no stain behind. A liquid deglosser is a great way to remove grease, stains, dirt, and dust before you sand the cabinets to paint them.

Alternatives such as natural citrus cleaners can help remove tough stains and grease. Exercise caution if you use a strong solvent or chemical to clean your cabinets because they can be dangerous. Follow along as we explore what to clean cabinets with before painting.

Sandpaper is necessary to clean cabinets before painting whether you use a sander or do it by hand. You cannot prime and paint cabinets properly if the surface is uneven and rough. The grit and motion of the sandpaper will whittle down the finish so that you can paint over the wood.

Generally, homeowners use solvents or even soap and water to prepare the surface before sanding. It is much easier to use an orbital sander than to use your hands to prepare the cabinets. However, you can easily sand cabinets by hand if you remove most of the lacquer with a solvent beforehand.

Try to use at least 80-grit sandpaper to remove the paint and finish from your cabinets. Anything less coarse may not be strong enough to lift a thick, glossy lacquer from the surface.

Professional painters swear by Dirtex and similar powder cleaners. Powder cleaners can be hit or miss because some of them leave residue behind. However, that isn’t a problem with Dirtex and it is perfect for cleaning cabinets before you paint them.

Dirtex is as cheap as it is effective and only costs $10 per pound from most retailers. You can use Dirtex for nearly every surface in your home, but it is ideal for removing grease from cabinets. Dirtex can help remove tough stains from cabinets so that they are smooth before you paint them.

The powder formula of Dirtex is better for cleaning cabinets than the spray version. It only takes a moment to mix the powder with water, and you can start cleaning right away.

One of the best ways to clean cabinets before painting is with a dish soap solution. Simply mix dish soap with warm water in a bucket and let it sit for a moment. Soak a rag, sponge, or cloth in the solution and carefully wipe the cabinets down.

The dish soap will help remove grease from the surface and make it even. Make sure to use a mild dish soap such as Dawn or else you may leave behind too much soap scum and suds. Blot the cabinets with a dry rag or paper towel to remove suds and moisture.

Otherwise, you may damage the cabinets if you leave too much moisture behind. That will make it more difficult to prime and paint the cabinets. You can also use dish soap to remove grease from your cabinets anytime you notice they are dirty after you paint them.

Deglosser and sanding go hand in hand when you paint your kitchen cabinets. Generally, you can find powerful chemicals such as naphtha, toluene, and mineral spirits among others in a liquid deglosser. Each of these solvents can help remove a finish alone, but they are extra powerful when combined.

Homeowners often apply a liquid deglosser to cabinets before they sand them. This helps make it easier to sand the finish off of the cabinets, but it isn’t always necessary. However, it is helpful to use a deglosser before you paint cabinets to ensure a nice bond and save time.

You can find 32 ounces of deglosser for $8-$10 at most hardware stores. Exercise caution when you use deglosser because it contains several solvents that can harm the skin, eyes, and lungs.

Some cabinets require a strong degreaser depending on what shape they are in. Cabinets can easily become caked with grease, dirt, dust, and food residue over time. All of these stains can serve to make it more difficult to paint your cabinets later on.

That is why you need a strong degreaser to make the surface more even and save some trouble. After all, it’s much easier to sand cabinets before painting if you remove the clumps of grease first. So, what is the best degreaser before painting?

You can buy natural citrus cleaners in the store or you can make one at home at no cost. Citrus cleaners are perfect for cleaning cabinets before you paint them because of their high acidity. The acidity helps to remove grease, residue, and stains that are stubborn.

All that you need to do is spray the cabinets with the citrus cleaner and let the solution sit for a moment. Wipe away the solution with a damp rag and clean the surface with a dry rag or towel. You can also spray a rag with a citrus cleaner and wipe the cabinets to clean and degrease them.

Most citrus cleaners cost less than $10, such as Murphy Oil Soap Spray and Seventh Generation. However, you can save money if you distill citrus from orange peels. Simply soak orange peels in a container or bag filled with white vinegar and use that to clean your cabinets.

Clean your cabinets with denatured alcohol before painting for quick results. Denatured alcohol is different than isopropyl alcohol in that it is a form of ethanol. Ethanol is the type of alcohol found in adult beverages, however, denatured alcohol is altered and great to clean with.

Much like rubbing alcohol, denatured alcohol can quickly evaporate from the surface of your cabinets. This makes it perfect to clean before you paint because it won’t leave any stains or marks behind. With that said, you should be extra careful when you use denatured alcohol because it can be harmful.

Never inhale or ingest denatured alcohol and wear gloves when you handle it because it can burn your skin. Pour the alcohol onto a rag or towel and scrub the cabinets. You can either remove the excess denatured alcohol with a dry rag or let it evaporate naturally when you are done.

Dirtex, mild dish soap and natural citrus cleaners are the best ways to clean cabinets before painting them. Denatured alcohol is the best degreaser before painting because it leaves no residue and can evaporate naturally. You should always use at least 80-grit sandpaper to clean your cabinets before painting them.

Deglosser is useful if you have a tough finish or coat of lacquer on your cabinets. Be careful, however, because deglosser generally contains several solvents such as naphtha which can be dangerous. Mix dish soap with warm water if you want an easy and effective way to clean your cabinets.

You can also create your own citrus cleaner if you want to save money and be resourceful. Soak orange and lime peels in white vinegar to create a potent solution. Make sure to remove as much of the finish and grease as possible before you sand cabinets so that the paint will stick.