The Shelf Liner Alternative Sitting In Your Linen Closet That Keeps Kitchen Cabinets Clean

Kitchen cabinets can be an absolute nightmare to keep clean. Whoever came up with the idea of lining the shelves is a genius, except that the execution has gotten a bit complicated. Odds are, you've tried so many types of shelf liners that you could write a book comparing the most popular liner materials. The sheer number of shelf liners available can feel overwhelming.

There are adhesive liners that are great for staying in place, but the stickiness they leave behind may require significant effort and adhesive remover to take off. The no-slip liners aren't very good at keeping spills and crumbs from reaching the shelf since it's covered in tiny holes. Some people even resort to paper towels or old paper grocery bags as liners. But the second you spill even a drop of cooking oil on them, they're trash. However, there is an alternative that is often overlooked, and it's currently sitting in your linen closet: an old bed sheet.

Upcycling old bed sheets as kitchen cabinet liners is relatively simple. Measure the shelves you need to line and cut the fabric to size. If you want, you can cut the fabric slightly longer on one side and fold the extra over the edge of the shelf. Secure the edges with tape to hold in place on the underside of the shelf. The fabric protects the shelf and keeps the cabinet nice and clean. When it gets dirty, just remove the fabric and wash it with your laundry. You can also make multiple liners to swap out when one needs washing or when you just want to get festive for the holidays — the kids' old Santa bed sheets work great for that.

Reusing old bed sheets isn't just another easy DIY liner that you can use in your cabinets; it's also a really smart way to reduce waste and live more sustainably. A significant amount of textiles, including bed sheets, end up in landfills each year. Repurposing them into shelf liners keeps them out of landfills while helping you in the kitchen. Plus, if you have bedsheets with floral prints or even a sentimental design, it can be a fun way to liven up the kitchen shelves in a way that brings more of your personality into the room.

If you want to take it a step further, you can use that same bedsheet material to cover the back of the cabinet. It can run along the shelf and then up the back, which is great for old cabinets that might have scratches, stains, or an unfinished look. This is particularly nice if you are using old bedsheets with a festive print or holiday motif. Measure the fabric to fit the back wall of the cabinet and attach it with double-sided sticky tape or standard masking tape rolled up and stuck to the back of each corner. This allows the fabric to be held in place while also being easily removable without damaging the cabinet wall. You can actually use this technique as a clever way to repurpose an old bed sheet around the home – bookshelves in an office, hutches in a dining room, or even display shelves in the living room.