How to Degrease Cabinets Before Painting
Quick answer
Degreasing is the step that keeps cabinet paint from peeling, and it is the one most people skip because the grease is invisible. Wash every surface with a degreaser or a TSP substitute, rinse thoroughly with clean water, and let everything dry completely before sanding or priming. Focus on the areas around handles and the stove side, where cooking film builds up thickest and paint always fails first.
Key takeaways
- Kitchen grease is invisible and paint cannot bond through it.
- Use a degreaser or TSP substitute, not just a damp rag.
- Rinse and dry completely before sanding or priming.
- Degrease before sanding so you do not grind grease into the surface.
Before you start
Every kitchen deposits a film of cooking grease on its cabinets, and most of it you cannot see or feel. Over years it builds into a slick, slightly tacky layer that paint laid over it will lift off in sheets, usually starting around the handles and the cabinets nearest the stove. That is why degreasing comes first in the sequence — before sanding, before priming, before anything else touches the surface.
Do the degreasing before you sand. If you sand a greasy surface, you grind the grease down into the fresh scratches, and neither the primer nor the paint will grip. Clean first, then scuff.
Tools and materials
- Degreaser or TSP substitute — the workhorse cleaner that actually cuts cooking film; mix it to the label’s ratio.
- Scrub sponge or non-scratch pad — works the cleaner into crevices and around hardware.
- Two buckets or a spray bottle and rinse water — one for the cleaning solution, one for clean rinse water.
- Clean microfiber cloths — for wiping and drying without leaving lint.
- Rubber gloves and ventilation — TSP substitutes can irritate skin, so protect your hands and open a window.
Surface preparation
Start by clearing the work area and removing the doors and hardware, which makes every surface reachable and keeps the cleaning solution out of the hinges. Label the hardware as you remove it. Then work in sections so the cleaner does not dry on the surface before you rinse it — a degreaser that dries in place can leave a residue that hurts adhesion just as much as the grease it removed. Our surface preparation hub covers the full prep order.
Step-by-step method
- Remove doors and hardware. Take everything off and label it, then set up a space where doors can lie flat for cleaning and drying.
- Mix the degreaser. Combine a degreaser or TSP substitute with water at the ratio on the label. Hot water cuts grease faster, but follow the product’s guidance.
- Wash top to bottom. Scrub every surface with a sponge or non-scratch pad, working from the top down so dirty water runs over uncleaned area. Give extra attention to the areas around handles and the stove side.
- Rinse with clean water. Wipe every surface with a fresh, damp cloth to remove the loosened grease and cleaner. A second rinse is cheap insurance against residue.
- Dry completely. Dry with clean microfiber cloths and let the doors air-dry fully. Any moisture left on the surface will trap under the primer.
- Check the surface. Once dry, confirm there is no slick or tacky residue. If a wipe still comes away greasy, wash and rinse again before moving on.
Quality checks
A clean, degreased surface should feel dry and slightly dull to the touch, with no slick or tacky spots. Wipe a clean white cloth over the surface and look at it — if it comes away yellowed or greasy, you are not done. Pay special attention to the top edges and the area just above the stove, where grease condenses and settles. If water beads up on the surface, there is still a film to remove; a properly cleaned surface lets water spread flat.
Common mistakes
Watch out
Skipping the rinse is the biggest mistake: degreaser left on the surface becomes a residue that blocks adhesion just like the grease did. Sanding before degreasing is next — it grinds grease into the scratches where nothing will bond. And a quick wipe with a damp rag is not degreasing; you need a real degreaser or TSP substitute to break the cooking film.
Soaking the wood or laminate is another risk. Use a damp, not dripping, cloth and dry promptly, because standing water can swell the substrate or lift the old finish.
Cleanup
Dispose of the used cleaning solution per the label, and rinse your sponges and buckets so no residue carries into the next step. Let the cabinets dry thoroughly — overnight if you can — before you sand or prime. A little extra drying time here prevents moisture problems that show up later as bubbling or poor adhesion in the finish.
Next project step
With the grease gone and the surface dry, the next step is scuffing the finish so the primer can grip — see our sanding guide — then priming with a bonding primer from our primer guide. The full sequence is in how to paint kitchen cabinets, and the whole system lives in our cabinet painting hub.
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