How do I clean my kitchen cabinets before painting?

Wash them down with suedey ammonia.

The best paint to use in a kitchen is an oil based gloss or semi-gloss finish, because it holds up to routine cleaning very well. Matte finishes don't do well in kitchens at all. After painting and drying, line the cabinet shelves with shelf liner before putting dishes and food items back up in them. Clean cabinet exteriors, including doors and framing with soapy water using a good degreasing detergent like Dawn and wipe them down weekly to prevent build up of grease.

TSP, trisodium phosphate, Krud Cutter.

Seal the paint finish with ate least three coats of a water based polyurethane. They will be easier to keep clean.

I am going to try sealing them and then waxing them. I just had custom cabinets built and painted with what is supposed to be a good paint brand. I noticed that the paint is chipping and not holding up to daily use. I repainted them and am going to try to seal them with left over Bona Traffic floor sealer and wax them to see if they will hold up better.