---
title: "How to remove grease from kitchen units by surface type"
description: "How to remove grease from doors and worktops by surface: laminate, gloss and matt lacquer, veneer, glass. What not to use and how to handle degreasers safely."
url: https://uklid123.cz/en/blog/mastne-skvrny-na-kuchynske-lince
language: en
updated: 2026-11-10
publisher: Úklid 1-2-3 (info@uklid123.cz, +420 608 486 486)
---

Kitchen and bathroom

# How to remove grease from kitchen units: laminate, lacquer, wood and glass

Greasy doors and a sticky worktop: how to proceed with laminate, gloss and matt lacquer, wood and glass, what damages the fronts and how to limit grease when baking.

Úklid 1-2-3 editorial team · Published 10 November 2026 · Last reviewed 10 November 2026 · 7 min read

## In short

- Start with the gentlest option: warm water, a few drops of washing-up liquid and a soft, well wrung-out cloth.
- Never clean gloss fronts dry, and do not rub matt ones too hard, or shiny patches will appear on them.
- Wipe wood and veneer along the grain and dry them straight away, using as little water as possible.
- Abrasive powders, solvents, vinegar, oven cleaner and steam cleaners do not belong on kitchen fronts.
- Never mix degreasers with other products; wear gloves and ventilate the room.

The gentlest way to remove grease from a kitchen unit is with a soft cloth dampened in warm water with a few drops of washing-up liquid or a mild all-purpose cleaner. Leave it to work for a while, wipe without pressure, then wipe the surface with a clean damp cloth and dry it. Never polish gloss fronts dry, wipe wood along the grain, and do not use abrasive products, vinegar or solvents.

The details vary by material. Below you will find a general procedure, the differences between laminate, lacquer, wood and glass, and an overview of what damages the fronts. The extractor hood, oven and stainless steel appliances are covered in separate articles.

## Why grease clings to kitchen units and where to look for it

When frying and baking, tiny droplets of fat get into the air. They settle on everything nearby and trap dust. The result is a sticky greyish film that clean water will not dissolve.

There is usually most of it on the doors next to the hob, on the upper cabinets by the extractor hood, on handles and edges that you touch with your hands, and on the top of tall cabinets. That is the place most often forgotten. Fresh splashes come off easily, so it pays to wipe them away the same day.

## What you will need

- two or three soft, lint-free cloths (cotton, a glass-cleaning cloth)
- a bowl of warm water
- hand washing-up liquid or a mild all-purpose cleaner
- for a thicker layer, a degreaser suitable for the given surface, as stated on the label
- a dry cloth for drying
- rubber gloves
- for edges and corners, a soft brush or old soft toothbrushes

Before you begin, check the care instructions you received with the kitchen, or the manufacturer's website. Manufacturers differ in the details, and their instructions take precedence over general advice.

## Basic procedure for all surfaces

- Find out what the doors and worktop are made of: laminate or foil, lacquer (gloss or matt), veneer, solid wood, glass. If you are not sure, treat it as the most sensitive surface.
- Add just a few drops of washing-up liquid to a bowl of warm water. Test any new product first on a hidden spot, such as the inside of a door.
- Wring the cloth out well. In its [cleaning and care instructions](https://www.schueller.de/de/reinigung-und-pflege) , the kitchen manufacturer Schüller recommends using water sparingly and not using a steam cleaner or running water.
- For dried-on grease, place a damp cloth on it for a minute or two so that it softens.
- Wipe gently, without scrubbing. Go over edges and joints with a soft brush.
- Wipe off any remaining product with a cloth soaked in clean water.
- Dry the surface thoroughly with a dry cloth.

If the first round is not enough, repeat it before reaching for a stronger product. Grease usually gives way on the second attempt.

## Procedure by door surface

### Laminate, foil and HPL

According to the Schüller instructions, a damp cloth and a mild cleaning product are enough for these. For heavier soiling, the product can be used briefly undiluted, or the surface can be degreased with a degreaser and light rubbing. The manufacturer rules out rough sponges and abrasive products.

### Gloss lacquer and high gloss

On gloss fronts every fingerprint and streak shows. For these, Schüller specifies a soft, lint-free cloth and lukewarm water. For heavier soiling, use an all-purpose cleaner and then wipe with clean water so that no streaks remain. It expressly warns that gloss fronts should never be cleaned dry.

The same instructions class microfibre cloths among the rough aids that it does not recommend. If you have a different manufacturer, check its guidance. To be safe, use soft cotton.

### Matt lacquer and matt foils

Matt surfaces hide fingerprints but cannot withstand scrubbing. According to Schüller, rubbing too hard can create shiny patches that can no longer be reversed. So rather let the grease soften under a damp cloth and wipe it gently. The nobilia worktop care instructions add that on deeply matt decors, shiny areas can also arise from moving objects across the surface.

### Veneer and solid wood

With wood, always wipe along the grain so that the dirt comes out of the pores, and dry the surface thoroughly straight away. For more resistant stains, Schüller allows a mild all-purpose cleaner. Standing water damages wood, so work with a well wrung-out cloth. After degreasing, restore oiled wood with an oil recommended by the manufacturer of the kitchen or worktop.

### Glass

Wash glass inserts and fronts with a glass cleaner. For grease, according to Schüller, an all-purpose cleaner or degreaser will do, after which you wipe the glass with a damp cloth and dry it. Do not spray glass cleaner on edges and joints where the glass meets the frame or the chipboard.

## Worktop

A laminate worktop usually only needs to be wiped with a damp cloth and a mild all-purpose cleaner, along the direction of the grain for a wood-effect decor. The [nobilia worktop care instructions](https://www.nobilia.de/fileadmin/assets/services/anleitungen/Pflegeanleitung_Tischplatten_web.pdf) recommend ordinary household cleaning products without abrasive components, diluted with a little water, and a soft cloth.

The same instructions warn that limescale removers and coffee machine cleaning products can damage the worktop and must be wiped off immediately with a damp cloth. Standing liquids should be removed at once, and hot pots and pans belong on a trivet. For stone, ceramic and compact worktops, follow the manufacturer's instructions.

## What damages fronts and worktops

| Product or tool | Why not |
| --- | --- |
| Scouring powders, abrasive pastes, steel wool, rough side of a sponge | Both Schüller and nobilia rule out abrasive products. |
| Solvents and thinners (acetone) | Schüller rules them out in its instructions. |
| Acidic cleaners, vinegar | Schüller rules them out in its instructions. |
| Disinfectants | Schüller does not recommend them for fronts. They are not needed for grease. |
| Furniture polishes with silicone | Schüller rules them out in its instructions. |
| Steam cleaner, running water | Schüller does not recommend them and advises using water sparingly. |
| Oven and grill cleaner | Contains lye, which according to the Toxicology Information Centre (TIS) can burn mucous membranes. It does not belong on fronts. |

## Using degreasers safely

Degreasers differ in composition and strength. Before using them, read the label and follow what it says.

- Wear gloves and open a window.
- Never mix products. The [Toxicology Information Centre](https://www.tis-cz.cz/index.php/informace-pro-verejnost/obchodni-pripravky-1) warns that mixing products containing hypochlorite with acids releases chlorine gas. The [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/hygiene/about/cleaning-and-disinfecting-with-bleach.html) recommends not mixing chlorine bleach with any other cleaning product, including ammonia. You will find more in the article [which cleaning products should never be mixed](https://uklid123.cz/blog/nebezpecne-kombinace-cisticich-prostredku) .
- Do not spray degreaser above head height. Rather apply it to a cloth.
- According to TIS, most products, including washing-up liquids, are hazardous to the eyes. If it gets into your eye, rinse the eye with water for 5–10 minutes or longer. If you have problems, call TIS on 224 91 92 93 or 224 91 54 02.

## How to limit grease when Christmas baking

In December, more frying and baking is done in the kitchen than at other times, so grease builds up faster. A few small things help:

- Switch on the extractor hood as soon as you start heating the pan and leave it running for a while after cooking. Keep the filter clean; you will find the procedure in the article [how to clean an extractor hood filter](https://uklid123.cz/blog/jak-vycistit-filtr-digestore) .
- When frying schnitzels and carp, use a lid or a splatter screen.
- After each day of baking, wipe the doors next to the hob and the handles with warm water and washing-up liquid. A fresh layer comes off without a degreaser.
- Open the oven carefully after baking so that the steam does not go directly onto the neighbouring doors. For burnt-on fat inside, the guide [how to clean an oven](https://uklid123.cz/blog/jak-vycistit-troubu) is useful.
- You can cover the top of tall cabinets with paper, which you replace after the holidays.

You can fit a thorough wash of the kitchen units into your [pre-Christmas cleaning after the weeks of Advent](https://uklid123.cz/blog/predvanocni-uklid) . If you do not want to do it yourself, you can order [deep cleaning](https://uklid123.cz/sluzby/generalni-uklid) . You will find how the price and scope are determined on the page [how much deep cleaning costs](https://uklid123.cz/kolik-stoji-generalni-uklid) .

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I use vinegar on a greasy kitchen unit?

Preferably not. In its care instructions, the kitchen manufacturer Schüller expressly states that acidic cleaning products, such as vinegar-based cleaners, should not be used on the kitchen. Use warm water with a few drops of washing-up liquid, then wipe the surface with clean water and dry it. If your kitchen came with instructions from another manufacturer, follow those.

### Why did shiny patches appear on my matt doors after cleaning?

Scrubbing polishes a matt surface. Schüller warns that rubbing too hard can create shiny patches on matt fronts. The nobilia instructions add that on deeply matt decors, shine can also appear from moving objects across the surface. Such a patch usually cannot be restored to its original state. Next time, let the grease soften under a damp cloth and wipe only lightly, without pressure.

### Is a microfibre cloth suitable for gloss fronts?

It depends on the kitchen manufacturer. For example, in its cleaning and care instructions Schüller classes microfibre cloths among the rough aids that it does not recommend for fronts. It recommends washing gloss fronts with a soft, lint-free cloth and lukewarm water, and never cleaning them dry. Check the instructions for your kitchen. If you do not have them, use a soft cotton cloth.

### What can I use to remove an old, sticky layer of grease from upper cabinets?

Proceed step by step. Place a cloth soaked in warm water with washing-up liquid on the grease, leave it to soften for a few minutes and wipe. If it does not give way, repeat. Only then use a degreaser intended for your surface, as stated on the label, testing it first on a hidden spot. Wear gloves, ventilate, and finally wipe the surface with clean water and dry it. Do not use oven cleaner or abrasive sponges.

## Sources

- [Reinigung und Pflege – Schüller Küchen](https://www.schueller.de/de/reinigung-und-pflege) (checked 10 November 2026)
- [Pflegehinweise für Tischplatten allgemein / Návod k údržbě pro stolní desky – nobilia](https://www.nobilia.de/fileadmin/assets/services/anleitungen/Pflegeanleitung_Tischplatten_web.pdf) (checked 10 November 2026)
- [Obchodní přípravky – Toxikologické informační středisko](https://www.tis-cz.cz/index.php/informace-pro-verejnost/obchodni-pripravky-1) (checked 10 November 2026)
- [Cleaning and Disinfecting with Bleach – CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/hygiene/about/cleaning-and-disinfecting-with-bleach.html) (checked 10 November 2026)

Prepared by the Úklid 1-2-3 editorial team with the help of AI and verified against the sources listed. Manufacturers' instructions and regulations change: always follow the current wording of the source and the product label. This article is general information, not professional or legal advice. This article was translated from Czech with the help of AI. The sources are in the original language.

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