How to clean white kitchen cabinets that have yellowed

A tested and true kitchen trend is custom white cabinets. No matter the style of your kitchen, white cabinets will bring light and life to your design. Because for many the kitchen is the heart of the home, sunlight and cleanliness are important. White kitchen cabinets are both clean and bright, making your kitchen a place where people will love to gather. But, white cabinets need to be properly maintained. If not, they can quickly fade and turn yellow. Here’s how you keep your kitchen whites from turning yellow.

Keeping your white cabinets white

Keep white cabinets out of direct sunlight to prevent them from turning yellow.

To make a kitchen feel warm and inviting and useful you need plenty of sunlight and a functional space to cook. Unfortunately, those are the two things that also threatened your white cabinets. Yes, it is one of nature’s cruel jokes. Cooking and sunlight can make your white cabinets turn yellow. And, not a pretty bright and happy yellow, but a dirty, unpleasant, sickly yellow. The good news is, with a little maintenance, you can keep your white cabinets white.

Just the right amount of sunlight

Protecting your white cabinets from sun damage is a balancing act. You don’t want to block out all the sun, but you also don’t want the full rays of the sun scorching your cabinets all day long. When you design your kitchen, work with your designer to figure out where the most sun is going to shine, and then hang your cabinets in places where they won’t be in direct sunlight all the time. Of course, this isn’t always possible. If you have sun coming from all angles, then thin drapes can give your cabinets the sun protection they need to stay white.

Wipe down white cabinets after cooking to remove grease.

Home cooking can turn your white cabinets yellow

Did you know that when the sweet aromas of your home cooking go wafting through the home, it is actually tiny grease particles in flight? Yeah, that doesn’t sound very appetizing, but, it is important to know because these little grease particles will land on every surface. If you allow these grease particles to sit on your white cabinets, then they will soon appear yellowish and dirty.

Regular maintenance keeps white cabinets white

Make it a habit to wipe down kitchen cabinets after cooking. Or, on a regular basis. Protect your white cabinets to keep your dream kitchen fresh, clean, beautiful, and white.
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A how-to for removing those pesky yellow stains from cabinets and other surfaces. This method also works for removing mild rust stains from kitchen surfaces.

Steps

  1. 1

    Clean the surface normally to remove the dirt/grease etc from the surface.[1]

  2. 2

    Rub the damp cloth over the surface then rub with dry cloth to dry the surface.

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  3. 3

    Put some bicarb of soda into the bowl and add a little lemon juice - it will start fizzing.[2]

  4. 4

    Dab the mixture on to the surface and start rubbing - you need a little elbow grease for this!!

  5. 5

    Keep rubbing until the stain lessens or disappears.

  6. 6

    Wipe mixture off and wipe the surface down.

  7. 7

    If the stain remains rub a whitening toothpaste on to the stain and leave for 5 minutes before rubbing well. Wipe off with a damp cloth.[3]

  8. 8

    If the stain is very stubborn you may need to dilute some bleach and rub it on to the affected area. Make sure to wash this off thoroughly.

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  • Question

    How do I remove a stubborn permanent stain on kitchen cabinets?

    Try scrubbing with 100 grit sandpaper and a mixture of dish soap and bleach, or just bleach.

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  • Clean surfaces regularly to avoid staining.[4]

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  • Try a little in a small area first to avoid damaging the surface even more.

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  • Spray a little furniture polish on clean surfaces to help keep them clean in future. This may spoil some surfaces, so check on a hidden area first.

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  • Stop using immediately if anything is damaging your surfaces.

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  • Use rubber gloves to protect your skin.

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  • Bleach is a strong chemical. Handle with care.

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Things You'll Need

  • Your normal cleaning spray
  • Bicarb of soda
  • Lemon juice
  • Rubber gloves
  • Scrubbing pad
  • Damp Cloth
  • Dry cloth
  • A little bleach
  • Whitening toothpaste
  • Bowl

References

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How do you make white cabinets white again?

To keep your white cupboards looking bright and fresh, create a cleaning solution with one cup of vinegar, one tablespoon of baking soda, and two cups of warm water. Dip a rag in this solution, wring out the access liquid, then wipe down your cupboards. Do this at least once a month.

Why are my white kitchen cabinets turning yellow?

Certain types of varnish -- older types that are not urethane-based -- can yellow with time. And moisture can cause your paint to turn an amber hue. If your kitchen cabinets have yellowed a great deal, you may need to strip the varnish and repaint.

How do you get yellow stains out of white cupboards?

To clean these, make a paste with baking soda and water. You can use a damp sponge or a soft-bristled toothbrush to apply the paste to the stains, scrubbing gently as you go. Leave the paste on the cabinets for a few minutes, and then wipe it off with a clean sponge.

What is the best way to clean white kitchen cabinets?

A quick wipe-down with warm water, dishwashing liquid, and a soft cloth will prevent discoloring. If that feels like too long in between cleanings, loveandrenovations.com recommends wiping down your cabinets with a baby wipe or Clorox wipe every night.

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