You Should Never Use Baking Soda And Vinegar On Cabinets. Here's What To Do Instead

The kitchen is prone to messes perhaps more than any other room in a house. Cooking can spread crumbs and bacteria all over the place, especially if you're someone like Bobby Flay, who washes his chicken before cooking. The countertops are a quick fix with some disinfectant and paper towels, but the cabinets are another story. Whether the grime is visible or not, it's good to give them a good cleaning every now and again. Just beware of one cleaning solution that won't get the job done.

Baking soda and white vinegar each have cleaning properties when used separately, but it's a mistake to mix them together. Baking soda is an alkaline base and vinegar is an acid, so when merged together, they create a reaction to neutralize each other's properties. This chemical reaction can be unpredictable when introduced to wood and the finishing gloss on top, sometimes giving the cabinets splotchy dark stains. Harsh acidic cleaners with vinegar might also strip the cabinet's coating or damage the wood.

The best way to clean wood cabinets is by first wiping away any dust or major grime with a paper towel. Applying a wet cleaning solution to a dusty surface can make the dust clump and spread around rather than leave the surface. "Dry, wet, dry" is typically an effective method when cleaning.

When it comes to making a cleaning solution, all you have to do is mix warm water with a bit of dish soap. The soap's degreasing properties will help get rid of grime without stripping away the wood's finishing. Apply with a non-abrasive material like a cloth rag or the soft side of a sponge — no Scrub Daddy here. You don't need to drench the cabinets in water, either, as the moist sponge will be enough to wipe the cabinets by working from top to bottom.

You can also use any cleaner that specifies being made for wood, like the plant-based Method daily wood cleaner on Amazon. Whatever cleaning solution you go with, just remember to dry the cabinets after applying it. You don't want them to absorb too much water. A microfiber cloth you can throw in the washing machine will get the job done, and it's something you can reuse for cleaning ovens, microwaves, and countertops. Keeping your wood in top shape will have your kitchen looking spiffy for many meals to come.