Ditch Cleaning The Space Above Your Kitchen Cabinets Forever — Use Foil Instead

If the top of your kitchen cabinets isn't on your deep cleaning checklist, you might want to take a quick peek up there. Odds are, they're pretty gross. It's kind of an out-of-sight, out-of-mind area that's easy to skip during your regular cleaning routine. So there's plenty of time for dust and bugs to gather, not to mention the steam and oil from cooking that makes its way up there. All of which mixes together and sets over time to create a messy buildup. But if the thought of having to scrub the tops of your kitchen cabinets all the time sounds exhausting, we've got a solution: aluminum foil.

Yes, foil — the handy kitchen staple used to cover roasting pans and wrap leftovers — can also help keep the tops of your kitchen cabinets clean. You simply roll it out over the surface of the cabinet tops, wrap the ends to keep anything from sneaking underneath, and ditch the scrubbing pads and cleaners. You'll never have to wonder if you're cleaning your kitchen cabinets enough because the foil will be up there doing it for you. When the foil gets dirty, just pull it off and replace it with a fresh layer. Of course, it does require that you give the top of your kitchen cabinets a good wipe down first. You don't want to place foil on top of a layer of nasty grime. But count this cleaning as a one-and-done that your new bestie, foil, will help you never have to do again.

Grab your step stool, put on a pair of latex cleaning gloves, and let's get to work beautifying those kitchen cabinet tops once and for all. Begin with a degreaser to cut through the grime and a sponge to wipe it away. You can make your own cleaner with ½ cup of vinegar to disinfect, 1 gallon of warm water, and as much lemon as you need to dilute the scent of the vinegar and to cut through the grease, plus ¼ cup of baking soda. This creates a paste-like cleaner that can be applied directly to the cabinets. If you need a little extra help lifting off the layer of gunk, use a plastic paint scraper, which is our favorite budget-friendly tool that makes cleaning the top of kitchen cabinets a breeze.

Once they are sparkling like new, roll out a layer of foil to cover the entire surface area. You can overlap several sheets if needed, and carefully wrap them around the corners and edges to seal them up. This helps preserve the clean surface by keeping dust and grease from collecting directly on the cabinets. How often you'll need to replace the foil depends on how quickly dust and grease collect up there. It might be a good idea to check each time you do your routine kitchen cleaning. Over time, you'll get a better feel for how frequently you need to replace the foil. To discard the dirty foil, carefully lift it off the cabinets, folding the edges into itself to keep the mess contained, and throw it away. Then replace it with a fresh layer of foil.