How to clean oak kitchen cupboards that have been varethaned?

Murphy's Oil Soap willget them clean. I would at least sand the doors down before painting for the best results.

Try making a solution with white vinegar and dawn dish soap.

A product called awesome works well where other products do not. It can be bought at most dollar stores. You could also use a steam cleaner.

I would try Murphy's Oil Soap. It is fairly cheap and effective in cleaning wood with buildup. If you decide to paint you will definitely need to sand first to remove the grease as well as to provide a porous surface for the paint to grip onto.

TSP/Trisodium Phosphate/Sugar Soap is commonly recommended to clean greasy, grimy surfaces in the kitchen to prepare surfaces for painting.

It's so good at the job, Lowe's Hardware recommends it:

https://www.lowes.com/projects/kitchen-and-dining/refinish-clean-kitchen-cabinets/project

You'll want to use gloves as it can be very drying to the hands and to rinse those surfaces thoroughly.

Some people fear that its toxic, but it isn't really. According to LiveStrong, "Trisodium phosphate is commonly used as a food additive in the U.S., European Union and other countries of the world. It also functions as a degreasing agent, a stain remover and a general cleaning agent. Also known by the names TSP, E339, trisodium orthophosphate or sodium phosphate, trisodium phosphate is no longer used in consumer soaps and detergents because of ecological concerns."

Here's the link, should anybody care to read about it:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/518834-is-trisodium-phosphate-bad-for-you/

I agree with Molly. Now for painting the cabinets;

Make sure they are clean and dry. Use acrylic latex paint. Remove the doors and hardware. Mark the doors and cabinets with tape where they go. Lightly sand the doors and cabinets to remove any gloss and roughen the surface for paint. Prime with a stain blocking primer like Zinsser 123. Then paint with your color. Seal with at least three coats with a water based polyurethane. Use a small foam roller and foam brush for a smooth finish.

thank you for all the tips!!1