How to clean kitchen cabinets: a guide for landlords

Kitchen cabinets can be a faff to clean, but they add an important finishing touch to a kitchen – and everything that can attract tenants counts in the current rental market.

To help you get your property ready for its next viewing, we’ve teamed up with Harriet, a Simply Business customer and owner of Calm Oasis Cleaners, to put together a series of DIY videos particularly for landlords.

• How to clean the extractor fan filter in your kitchen
• How to clean a stainless steel kitchen sink in your rental property
• How to clean a stainless steel hob in a rental property
• What does landlord insurance cover?

How clean cabinets lure in tenants

Kitchens can really make or break a property and unfortunately, they’re often more likely to break it.

Because of what they’re used for, kitchens are always more likely to get dirty than most other areas of the house and, depending on what your previous tenants liked cooking, they can end up a real pain to clean.

Kitchen cabinets, in particular, can get overlooked in favour of the really noticeable features like hobs, ovens and sinks. However, discerning tenants are likely to check your cabinets to see if they would be happy storing their food and utensils in them. Damp, stained or otherwise under-par cabinets can be very off-putting.

Tools for cleaning kitchen cabinets

• A multi-surface cleaner to loosen any grease and sticky residues
• A microfibre cloth or other soft cloth so as not to scratch the cabinets
• A dry cloth or rag to wipe down the cabinets
• Distilled vinegar mixed with water to bring the cabinets to a high shine

How to clean kitchen cabinets

The way you clean your cabinets will depend on their design as well as what they’re made out of, but there are some general principles that apply.

Follow these steps to get your cabinets sparkling again:

1. Spray your cabinets with a multi-surface cleaner to help shift any gunk on them
2. Spray your cloth, as well, before getting to work removing built up dirt
3. Make sure to clean the top of the cabinets as this is where grease can collect
4. Wipe down with a dry rag to remove any residue
5. Mix half distilled vinegar with half water and spray on the cabinets before buffing with your rag to make your cabinets shine
6. If you have any moulding or other shaping on your cabinets, you can use a toothbrush to clean the crevices

If you’re worried about mould in your kitchen cabinets, check out our article on how to remove mould.

Preparing your property for new tenants

Making sure your property is totally viewing-ready can quickly get expensive. We’ve got a whole series of videos from Harriet to get every part of your rental property in tip-top condition, without spending a fortune.