The Paint-Free Hack to Instantly Brighten Dull Cabinets

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Let’s be honest: The state of your cabinets can make or break the look of your kitchen. Every appliance could be state of the art, but if your cabinets are dirty or dull-looking, your guests are going to notice, and you will too! Luckily, there’s a quick and affordable trick to bring them back to life and make you excited to enter your kitchen again. Assuming you have wood cabinets, you should polish them every so often to keep them looking fresh. If you don’t have wood cabinets, a once-over with a cleaning cloth, a wet sponge, or a mixture of baking soda and vinegar will degrease your cabinets and have them looking spic and span. 

Polishing your wooden kitchen cabinets every once in a while is a no-brainer. You spend so much time touching them, likely with dirty hands, so of course they’re going to get grimy. But the doors and frames of cabinets are often overlooked when cleaning the kitchen, so taking some time to polish them will not only make them look great but will also make your whole kitchen cleaner and more, well, polished-looking. But what’s the best way to go about polishing your cabinets?



How should you polish your kitchen cabinets?

There are two to three steps (depending on the products you choose) to a comprehensive polish process. First, choose a cleaning product that’s safe for wood; something like Pledge Antibacterial Multisurface Cleaner Spray along with paper towels or microfiber cloths is a great go-to. Spray and wipe down your cabinets to make sure they are completely clean. You can even use leftover citrus to clean grease off your cabinets if they’re really grimy.

Don’t forget to get into all the nooks and crannies. Use a toothbrush to make sure you scrub the edges, drawers, and the areas around handles. You’ll likely be surprised how much dust and dirt have built up in those areas. Next, you’ll want to grab a fill stick, something like the Mohawk Fil-Stick, in a color that matches your cabinets to fill in minor scratches and damaged areas. All you have to do is rub the stick of colored wax over the spot and it will blend in and look brand new.

Lastly, you’ll need wood polish. Now, there are combo cleaner and polishes out there, so if you want to start with a dual product like Guardsman Clean and Polish for Wood Furniture, that’s an option too. But, if you choose to clean first, you’ll need a polish like Parker and Bailey Kitchen Cabinet Cream and a polishing cloth (as opposed to a regular towel, which is too absorbent) to get your cabinets looking shiny and brand new.