How To Clean Laminate Cupboards Without Streaking

13/05/2011

11:25 am

02 Mar 2010

3,218

Gold Member

I've had enough with cleaning the dark Laminate we have. It is a daily battle.

It doesn't matter how clean ones hands are they leave oily spots everywhere..

Also, kids are garuanteed to only touch the island bench when they have had something sticky/messy!

*above picture, I've never cleaned this part of our island bench as it's damaged and getting replaced <sometime> today. So it's almost 5 months of kids prints.

I've tried a few things and tried the vinegar this morning but that didn't remove the cooking spots (pic)

The vinegar did leave a nice finish though. No streaks!

So I am just wondering what everyone uses for their cupboards and getting them clean. Also.. What parts you use, eg 1:1 or 1:5 water & vinegar.

Decorating our baby... The Preston!

Our Preston Handover: 22 December 2010

13/05/2011

12:02 pm

15 Sep 2010

5,732

Adelaide

Gold Member

Re: Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

Hi Tam, we use a few drops of eucalyptus oil in warm water, wipe it over and then dry with a cloth. It cuts through the grease. Be good if you could find something that puts a film on there so you didn't get the marks eh??

For info on our build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=43093
Built the McLaren by Dechellis - slab down 22 Feb - handover 30 Aug 2011 - and gardens finished 9 Dec 2012!!

13/05/2011

12:06 pm

02 Mar 2010

3,218

Gold Member

Re: Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

THAT was the other one... Thanks Mclaren!

I would love for the oil splashes to stop making their way up the cupboards! They must be such small particles of oil floating up with the heat, even with the exhaust fan on!

Decorating our baby... The Preston!

Our Preston Handover: 22 December 2010

13/05/2011

12:55 pm

Pitto

01 Mar 2011

102

Gold Coast

Senior Member

Re: Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

windex, works great.

we did a highrise job and it was all 2pac 30% in a dark brown/black colour and it shows up every little fingerprint, to the point where one owner had us fit handles to the kitchen. She tells me that Windex has been the best product for cleaning, even though it has on the bottle "not recommended for paintwork". she has been using it for 18 months or more without issue, so with laminate / melamine, it should be fine***

here at work we use thinners / ABS cleaner which is alot harsher that windex.

** disclaimer - purely advise only, one should always do a test on an area not seen before doing the whole kitchen. no responsibility taken for damage occurred.

13/05/2011

2:57 pm

Fernyhouse

20 Nov 2009

406

NSW

Gold Member

Re: Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

I'm using the enjo kitchen glove and then drying off. I find it easy to just wipe down the cupboards after I've cleaned the benchtops.

13/05/2011

3:03 pm

29 Mar 2010

391

K/Ridge NSW

Gold Member

Re: Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

I was reading a blog the other day and she swears by water soluble eucalyptus oil. Can be found in the first aid section in the supermarket. Thinking of giving it a go!

13/05/2011

3:18 pm

15 Sep 2010

5,732

Adelaide

Gold Member

Re: Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

karry327

I was reading a blog the other day and she swears by water soluble eucalyptus oil. Can be found in the first aid section in the supermarket. Thinking of giving it a go!

We use it all the time - it's great for cleaning spots that are greasy/dirty - ie pantry shelves, stainless steel, etc. and it smells nice too! You can put it on your hanky when you have a cold to help you breathe.

For info on our build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=43093
Built the McLaren by Dechellis - slab down 22 Feb - handover 30 Aug 2011 - and gardens finished 9 Dec 2012!!

13/05/2011

6:55 pm

BuilderPaul

01 May 2011

NSW

Loyal Member

Re: Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

Quote:

water soluble eucalyptus oil

1. OK - you cannot disolve an oil in water. Therefore its a surfactant-cleaning-something with an eucalyptus oil fragrance. Simple. Dont even bother arguing with me.

2. You want clean? Made and installed kitchens for years. Want that new clean kitchen smell? - Mineral Thinners. Buy from hardware. About $15 for 500ml. In the paint section. Strong smell. Gloves. Add water to get a mix that cleans, but less smelly. Squirt bottle.Will change your life...if you have the guts...

3. Or.. Windex.

13/05/2011

9:37 pm

05 Sep 2008

8,570

Newcastle NSW

Support

Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

Windex works well on high gloss but on dark matt laminate I find microfibre cloths, 1 wet 1 dry, work the best.

13/05/2011

9:43 pm

#10

22 Jan 2008

4,172

Newcastle

Gold Member

Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

+1 to Suh. Love Windex for all my gloss!!

Some things are worth waiting for.

13/05/2011

9:44 pm

#11

02 Mar 2010

3,218

Gold Member

Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

Thanks.. I have some experimenting to do

Decorating our baby... The Preston!

Our Preston Handover: 22 December 2010

3/06/2011

12:17 am

#12

* jas *

16 Apr 2011

249

Bronze Member

Re: Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

I use an enjo cloth and fibre. Most of the time i find is if i have used a chemical it just makes the streaks woorse.

5/06/2011

9:28 am

#13

29 Mar 2010

391

K/Ridge NSW

Gold Member

Re: Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

BuilderPaul

Quote:

water soluble eucalyptus oil

1. OK - you cannot disolve an oil in water. Therefore its a surfactant-cleaning-something with an eucalyptus oil fragrance. Simple. Dont even bother arguing with me.

Oh is that right Mr Know It All? Perhaps you should take yourself over here http://www.eurekaoils.com.au/product/Eucalyptus-Oil and have a little read. :roll:

5/06/2011

6:23 pm

#14

BuilderPaul

01 May 2011

NSW

Loyal Member

Re: Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

right, so you put more credence in the marketing guff from the company that sells it, rather than Year 10 chemistry.

Love to read what they say....if the link worked of course...

".....teach people the flanges are rubber and are damaged when a gorilla turns them off....."

8/06/2011

2:02 am

#15

11 Oct 2009

435

Perth, WA

Gold Member

Re: Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

I don't have dark laminate.. rather high gloss white, but I just use a damp microfibre cloth and it works a treat!

8/06/2011

5:11 am

#16

02 Mar 2010

3,218

Gold Member

Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

I'll have to try the cloth. At the moment it only comes up clean if I scrub with soapy water then go over it with a spraynwipe of sorts.
Thanks

Decorating our baby... The Preston!

Our Preston Handover: 22 December 2010

18/06/2011

6:03 pm

#17

02 Mar 2010

3,218

Gold Member

Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

Ok.. So the best luck I have been having is washing down with spraynwipe then going over with a damp cloth and they come up beautifully clean!

Decorating our baby... The Preston!

Our Preston Handover: 22 December 2010

19/06/2011

2:02 am

#18

07 Apr 2011

230

VIC

Bronze Member

Re: Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

We are just about to move out of our rental property and we have beige vinyl wrap doors... I was horrified at the amount of grease spots I'd not noticed before!

Out of curiosity I wanted to find something that would do the trick, in the past I have merely used spray and wipe.

I have found the miracle cleaner!!

Selleys liquid Sugar Soap

It is amazing - on a soft cloth, wet the cloth with warm water, pour some of the sugar soap on the cloth and wipe away. Ta Da! I rinse off and then give it a go over with windex to bring up a nice shine.

The kitchen is spotless!

19/06/2011

1:35 pm

#19

02 Mar 2010

3,218

Gold Member

Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

Thanks heaps snoofie.. I might try that on my sausage splattered cupboards.

Decorating our baby... The Preston!

Our Preston Handover: 22 December 2010

29/06/2011

3:52 pm

#20

Kitchenpro

29 Apr 2009

127

Senior Member

Re: Cleaning Laminate.. What's YOUR best method?

Hi Cooped, you also may wish to try a citrus base cleaner. Seems to work well and removes any oily substance left by fingers etc.

Hope this helps

With 25 years kitchen experience and a passion for what I do, I have joined this forum to offer advice or at least my opinion on all things relevant to kitchens. I was a cabinetmaker by trade and am now a senior manager of a kitchen company.

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