How do I clean very old cabinet's exterior without repainting?
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Tammy Poole
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Mix warm water, 1/2 cup baking soda and a tblsp of dish liquid and scrub with a non scratching scrubber.
Murphy's Oil or a mixture of lemon juice & liquid oil (Olive) and a very soft steel wool. Work with the grain. I did a very old buffet and although it didn't take all the permanent marks off, it took all the accumulated dirt off and left it beautiful with character.
TSP, tri-sodium phosphate or Krud Kutter.
First start with dawn dish soap and water. Add a bit of vinegar if you have a stubborn spot. Rinse and dry. See if that works.
If they're kitchen cabinets, you may be dealing with grease on them. Clean them with a degreaser. Dollar Tree sells one called LA Awesome Orange Degreaser. For $1, it does a really good job. Don't use bleach on white painted cabinetry. My experience in the past, the bleach yellowed the paint after a while.