How to Clean Greasy Kitchen Cupboards

Every time you fry, roast or boil, tiny droplets of fat travel in the steam and settle on the nearest cool surfaces. The cupboards either side of the hob and above it get the most, followed by the tops of wall units, the extractor hood and the handles, where fingers add their own oils.

Fresh grease wipes off easily. Over months, it oxidises into a tacky, yellow-brown layer that dust and fluff stick to. That's the stage when people start searching for a way to get it off without stripping the doors.

The finish of your cupboards decides how strong you can go:

Start with the gentlest method and only step up if you need to. Fill a bowl with hot water and a good squeeze of washing-up liquid – it's designed to cut grease and is safe on almost every finish.

Wring out a microfibre cloth until it's just damp and wipe each door from the top down, paying attention to the edges and around the handles. Rinse the cloth frequently. Follow with a second cloth dampened in clean water, then buff dry with a third. Leaving doors wet is what causes swelling at the edges of MDF and chipboard units.

If the film doesn't shift, make a paste of bicarbonate of soda with a little washing-up liquid and water. Apply it with a soft cloth, leave it for a few minutes and rub gently in small circles, then rinse and dry. On gloss doors, skip the paste and use a kitchen degreaser spray suitable for gloss and lacquered surfaces, applied to the cloth rather than the door.

Diluted white vinegar (one part to two parts warm water) helps on laminate and many lacquered finishes, but avoid it on natural stone handles, unsealed wood and some matt lacquers. Steam cleaners can be effective on laminate but can lift vinyl wrap and damage wood – use them with care, or not at all.

Avoid scouring pads, oven cleaner, bleach and solvent cleaners. They can dull, discolour or soften the surface, and the damage is usually permanent.

Unscrew handles if they're heavily soiled and soak them in hot soapy water, using an old toothbrush around the fixings. Wipe hinges with a soapy cloth and dry them so they don't rust.

The tops of wall cupboards are often the worst part of the kitchen: a thick layer of greasy dust nobody sees. Stand safely on a step stool, lift off the loose dust with a dry cloth or vacuum brush, then degrease with hot soapy water. Laying sheets of greaseproof paper on top of the cleaned units makes the next clean a matter of swapping the paper.

Inside cupboards usually just need emptying, vacuuming crumbs out of the corners and wiping with a damp, soapy cloth. Pay attention to the cupboard under the sink (check for leaks while you're there) and the one where oils and spices are kept, which tends to be sticky. Let everything dry before putting items back.

Cleaning inside empty cupboards is a standard part of an end of tenancy clean. In a lived-in home, it's usually an add-on to a deep clean because of the time needed to empty and refill them.

Use the extractor hood every time you cook, ideally starting a few minutes before and running it for ten minutes afterwards, and keep its filters clean – our extractor hood guide explains how. A quick weekly wipe of the doors nearest the hob stops grease building up into a layer that needs a degreaser.

If you have a regular cleaner, ask for the cupboard fronts around the hob to be included in each visit. A professional kitchen deep clean once or twice a year deals with the tops of units and the areas that get missed.