How to Clean Inside New Cabinets After Construction

That Cleaning Girl · Post-Construction Cleaning

New cabinets are one of the most exciting parts of a remodel, right up until you open a drawer and find a layer of sawdust and a pile of tiny screws. The tracks and sills we tackled in How to Clean Construction Dust Out of Window and Sliding Door Tracks are one hidden dust trap. Cabinets are the biggest one, and they need to be clean before a single dish goes in.

Why new cabinets are so dusty

Cabinets are usually installed before the last round of drywall touch-ups, trim, paint and countertop work. Every one of those steps creates dust, and the cabinets catch it. Doors that stayed closed still collect fine powder that sneaks through gaps. Drawers often hold sawdust from on-site cutting, and the backs of shelves can have bits of caulk, tape or packaging.

On top of that, new cabinets often come with stickers, labels, protective film on glass inserts, and hardware packaging stuffed in a drawer.

Know your finish first

Before you clean, find out what you are working with. The most common finishes are:

• Painted cabinets: can be soft for the first few weeks, especially if painted on site
• Stained wood with a clear coat: fairly durable, but scratches with grit
• Thermofoil or laminate: easy to wipe, but heat and harsh solvents can damage it
• High-gloss or lacquer: shows every streak and scratch

If you have the cabinet maker's care instructions, follow them. In general, gentle is the way to go: soft microfiber, mild soapy water or a pH-neutral cleaner, and nothing abrasive.

Step by step: inside the cabinets

1. Empty each cabinet and drawer of any packaging, screws or hardware bags. Set the hardware aside for the contractor.
2. Vacuum the interior with a soft brush attachment, starting with the top shelf and working down.
3. Vacuum the drawer boxes, getting into the corners and along the slides.
4. Wipe every shelf, wall and the inside of the doors with a barely damp microfiber cloth.
5. Follow with a dry cloth so no moisture sits on the wood.
6. Leave the doors open for a little while so everything air dries fully.

Vacuum first, always. If you go straight to a damp cloth, you will push drywall dust into the corners and create paste.

Cleaning the outside

The outside of new cabinets usually has fingerprints, pencil marks, dust and sometimes tape residue. Dust the tops first, since that is where the most powder collects, especially if the cabinets do not go all the way to the ceiling. Then wipe the doors and frames with a damp microfiber, following the grain on wood. Clean the hardware with a soft cloth and dry it to avoid water spots.

Pencil marks from installers usually come off with a dry eraser sponge used very gently. Test it in a hidden spot first, especially on painted or glossy finishes.

Removing stickers and labels

New cabinets often have stickers on the inside of doors, on the drawer boxes or on glass inserts. Peel them slowly. If a residue is left behind, a little cooking oil on a cloth can loosen it, followed by a mild soapy wipe to remove the oil. Avoid harsh solvents on painted or thermofoil cabinets, since they can dull or soften the finish.

Mistakes to avoid

• Spraying cleaner directly on the wood, which can soak into seams
• Using a scrub pad or the rough side of a sponge
• Using all-purpose degreasers on brand-new painted finishes
• Leaving cabinets wet, which can swell edges over time
• Putting shelf liner down before the cabinet is fully dry
• Unpacking dishes before the drywall dust in the rest of the kitchen is cleaned

When to clean your cabinets

Timing is everything. Cabinets should be cleaned inside and out during the final clean, after the countertops are installed and the painter has done the last touch-ups. If they are cleaned too early, they will need to be done again.

Across the new neighborhoods in Red Oak and Midlothian, we see plenty of kitchens where cabinets were cleaned once early on and then got a second coat of dust from countertop cutting. Waiting until the dusty work is done saves you from cleaning twice.

Ready for dishes

Clean cabinets are the line between a finished kitchen and a working one. Vacuum, wipe gently, dry well and give them time to air out. If you would like help with this step and the rest of the house, see our post-construction cleaning service and tell us about your project.