Fall Cleaning Week: Cabinets

Whew, what a week!!  Are we having fun yet?  Things are starting to come off my checklist and I am happy about that!

My last big chore when it comes to Fall cleaning are the cabinets.  This didn't used to be on my Spring and Fall cleaning list until I was sitting on the floor one day playing with the girls and I happened to start looking at my lower cabinets.  Oh my goodness.  If you want to get a good idea of what needs cleaning. Crawl around your house on your hands and knees and look around.  Walls, cabinets, furniture. They all get very dirty over 6 months.  So, to make sure they get a good cleaning every so often, I added it to my checklist.  

But before I get into cleaning the cabinets, I feel I must make this small point.  My cabinets look terrible even when they are clean. They are old, they need stain, heck, they need to be completely re-done.  So I am a little embarrassed to show these pictures to you since they are pretty shabby.  But we are all friends here, right?  Not all of us have picture-perfect houses. And, it doesn't mean they can't be clean. :) 

Ok, here we go.  Here are my cabinets.  At first glance, they don't look too bad.  But if you look close, you can see the dirt and grime that builds over time (hey, that's a rhyme!). Sticky hands, dog slobber (yuk), cooking grease, it all adds up. 

This is the area right under the sink.  Ew.....

Another lovely view. Apparantly, this drawer gets a lot of use.  And not just from me. It is close to the floor.  Perfect baby height.  I especially love the wear marks in the stain. *sigh*...someday....someday...

Ok, this is my cabinet cleaning work horse! Basic H Degreaser!  Better than Murphy's Oil Soap (my previous product of choice).

Simply spray on and let it sit a few minutes to let it start working on that grease and grime. 

While I am down here, I might as well clean this too. :)

After it has set a bit, take a microfiber towel or other damp rag and start rubbin'.  

Ahhhh...much better.  

That's it! It's simple as that.  For scuff marks, I will get a magic eraser and very gently rub the scuff mark out.  Make sure to follow up with a squirt of Basic H because those magic erasers leave behind quite a residue! 

Once all the fronts are clean, don't forget to use the same process for inside the doors.  They get lots of build-up there too.  Hard to see on this one, but its there. 

While I am at it, I will also give the shelves a quick wipe down.

And that's it! It feels so good having clean cabinets to go along with my clean floors.  And, I have a renewed sense of commitment to work towards a kitchen remodel! My new Shaklee "why":  Pay off our debt fast for we can update this kitchen once and for all!

Now all that is left are the little odds and ends on my check list.  It typically takes me a couple weekends to get through all of the tasks, it is all worth it.  I feel so much better having things clean and refreshed before the house gets shut up for winter. 

For now, there is work to be done outside to spruce up and winterize for winter.  

I hope you enjoyed this week's series on Fall Cleaning.  What are you big Fall Cleaning chores?  

Stay tuned for more Fall fun.  I have a series on Fall Foods coming in October!

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