Grease-caked cabinet doors and sticky drawers quietly cost Chicago landlords showings. Here's how to deep clean rental kitchen cabinets inside and out during turnover so the kitchen shows like new.
When a unit turns over, most cleaning crews hit the floors, the bathroom, and the visible countertops, then call it done. Kitchen cabinets get a quick wipe on the doors and nothing else. That's a mistake, especially in Chicago's competitive rental corridors like Lincoln Park and Lakeview, where prospective tenants open every cabinet and drawer during a showing.
Start by pulling every shelf and drawer completely empty, then remove old shelf liner. Previous tenants leave behind contact paper that's curled, stained, or hiding water damage underneath. In older Ravenswood two-flats and vintage greystones, cabinet boxes are often original wood from the 1920s, so check for soft spots, loose shelves, and separating joints before you start scrubbing.
Cooking grease is the real enemy, and Chicago's humid summers make it worse. Airborne oil settles on cabinet faces and slowly turns tacky, collecting dust into a brown film that's especially heavy on the uppers flanking the stove. A plain wipe won't touch it.
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