Cleaning the Impossible

Sticky Kitchen Cabinets

If it seems like no amount of kitchen cleaner will remove the grime from years of frying chicken or meatballs, try using Murphy's Oil Soap. John Thomas, a wood refinisher in New York who has worked on countless old and dirty cabinets, likes it because it's gentle. He mixes it in equal parts with water and a dash of paint thinner until the mixture looks milky white. Wearing rubber gloves, he rubs the solution over the wood with a soft cloth (don't use anything abrasive or you might damage the finish, Thomas says). Then, he wipes it off with clean, dry paper towels.