If your kitchen cabinets ever look stained or sticky, there’s a really easy way to deep-clean them in just five minutes without spending a penny as all you need is a common item you probably already have in your pantry.14:43, 05 Sep 2026Nothing is more frustrating than reaching for a kitchen cabinet only to discover it is sticky and stained, as not many people realise they can become one of the dirtiest areas of a home. It is quite common to wipe down your kitchen worktops every day, but cooking can create tiny oil droplets that can actually become airborne as steam will carry it to higher surfaces.‌This means that kitchen cabinets can quickly become a magnet for grease, food residue, and the bacteria that grow on these stains. If kitchen cabinets are not wiped down regularly, then not only will a kitchen be unhygienic, but the build-up of grime will become harder to remove and eventually discolour the finish.‌‌However, Tommy from My Beautiful Kitchen has shared an unusual yet very effective way to deep-clean kitchen cabinets is to use vegetable oil to tackle those stubborn grease stains.Tommy said: “Vegetable oil is a great option to help you remove old grease and grime that has built up on your kitchen cabinets.“For even better cleaning results, use the oil with two parts baking soda and a splash of lemon juice for that extra sparkle. Use a delicate, wet cloth to apply the solution.”‌How can vegetable oil clean a kitchen cabinet?It might sound strange to use oil on a greasy surface, but kitchen cabinets are usually difficult to clean because old grease will harden into fat, which will create a sticky buildup.Vegetable oil will mix with the old grease because they have similar chemical properties, and can dilute the hardened fat so it becomes a lot softer.‌Using vegetable oil will help make grease easier to clean by loosening the stain, so it is much so you can wipe down your kitchen cabinets quickly without much effort.What other ingredients can help clean a kitchen cabinet?You can also use other ingredients such as baking soda to clean kitchen cabinets. Bicarbonate of soda is alkaline, which will also help loosen grease, and lemon juice, which is acidic, so it can break down stains.‌However, it should be noted that baking soda and lemon juice can damage certain finishes, so it is highly recommended to spot test them before using them to clean with.Vegetable oil should generally be quite safe to use on most materials, which is why it is such a useful ingredient to use as a natural cleaner.How to deep clean kitchen cabinets with vegetable oil‌To begin, pour a little vegetable oil into a bowl. You just use vegetable oil on its down but you can also make a cleaning paste with one part vegetable oil, two parts baking soda and a splash of lemon juice.Apply a small amount of the oil or paste onto a damp cloth, then gently rub it onto a kitchen cabinet.Leave the solution to sit on the cabinet for a minute or two, but you can leave it for 10 minutes if the grease is particularly stubborn.Article continues belowOnce the time is up, use a clean, damp cloth to wipe the cabinet top to bottom; any grease should come away easily.Wipe the cabinet with another dry cloth, and your cabinets should now be completely clean and shiny in just a few minutes, just by using what you already have in your kitchen.