After cooking, food grease ends up stuck to pans, pots, appliances, furniture, tiles and grout in the kitchen, and you inevitably ask yourself: how do you remove grease from the kitchen?
Grease is one of the most persistent types of dirt, especially in the kitchen. Fortunately, there are home remedies and specialised products for cleaning kitchen grease. Below, we explain the different ways so that you know how to remove encrusted grease from the kitchen on any surface.
How to clean kitchen grease
Cleaning kitchen grease is a task that can take you some time, but it is absolutely necessary to prevent dirt from clogging the extractor hood, damaging the furniture or hampering the operation of appliances such as the ceramic hob.
It is important to know the different methods for cleaning kitchen grease. Bear in mind that some of the home remedies we present are not as effective as chemical products designed specifically for this task, especially when dealing with old or heavily encrusted grease.
Lemon juice
Lemon juice is one of the most effective home remedies for cleaning grease in the kitchen. It is a very powerful grease remover thanks to its astringent action and its acidic component, which dissolves grease without damaging most surfaces.
Simply dilute the juice of one or two lemons in a litre of hot water and apply it to the surface with a sponge. Use it on tiles, worktops and household appliances and you will see how easily the grease disappears.
Apple cider or white vinegar
Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar are equally effective for removing grease in the kitchen. Besides eliminating grease, they are also useful for disinfecting and preventing bad smells, since vinegar has antiseptic properties.
Dilute the vinegar in water and heat it. Let it stand for a few minutes and then apply it with a cloth or sponge onto the grease. Rinse with cold water. For tougher grease, you can apply it undiluted and leave it to work for 10 minutes before scrubbing.
Sodium bicarbonate
Along with vinegar, baking soda also has antiseptic and antibacterial properties. It is a mild abrasive, perfect for cleaning grease stuck to household appliances, furniture and kitchen walls without scratching the surfaces.
To use it, sprinkle the baking soda over the greasy area and scrub with a damp sponge. For greater effectiveness, you can combine it with lemon juice: the chemical reaction between the two boosts the degreasing effect. It is especially useful on tile grout and gas burners.
Coffee grounds
This may be the most sustainable method for removing grease in the kitchen. Coffee grounds act as a natural exfoliant and are effective at removing grease from plates, pots and surfaces without the need for chemical products.
Sprinkle a little onto the crockery or surface you want to clean and use a sponge to scrub in circular movements for a few minutes. Then rinse with hot water. The result will surprise you, especially on frying pans and casserole dishes.
Professional cleaner or degreaser
Now that we have seen the home remedies, it is time to talk about specialised products. If you want to remove grease from the kitchen completely effectively, our recommendation as specialists is that you try DG10.
It is an eco cleaner and degreaser with a bactericidal and virucidal disinfectant action. It is an effective solution against all kinds of persistent dirt, including the most ingrained grease, which you can use to clean tiles, extractor hoods, ovens, fridges, grills and any kitchen surface that is not damaged by water. Just spray and apply with a sponge or cloth: a single application is enough.
How to remove stubborn, ingrained grease
Grease that has gone uncleaned for some time is much harder to remove than fresh grease. When grease is carbonised by heat or builds up over weeks, home remedies are usually insufficient. For these cases, follow this protocol:
- Apply heat: very hot water softens ingrained grease. Soak a cloth in almost boiling water and place it over the area for 5 minutes before cleaning.
- Use a powerful degreaser: specialised chemical products such as DG10 are formulated precisely to attack old grease. Apply, leave to work for the indicated time and scrub.
- Baking soda + vinegar paste: mix baking soda with a few drops of vinegar until you get a paste. Apply it to the ingrained grease, leave it to work for 15 minutes and scrub with a slightly abrasive sponge.
- Scraper or spatula: for carbonised grease in ovens or hobs, a plastic or metal scraper (used carefully) can help remove the thickest layers before applying the cleaning product.
- Repeat if necessary: very old grease may require two or three applications. Patience is key.
The most important thing is not to let grease build up for too long. Weekly cleaning of the most exposed surfaces avoids having to deal with heavily encrusted grease that requires extra effort.
How to remove grease depending on the surface
Not all kitchen surfaces are cleaned in the same way. The method you use will depend on the material and how dirty it is. Below we explain how to act in each case.
How to remove grease from tiles and walls
Tiles retain grease on their surface and, above all, in the grout. To clean grease from the kitchen wall, apply a solution of hot water and white vinegar or a spray degreaser. Leave it to work for a few minutes and scrub with a sponge. For the grout, an old toothbrush dipped in baking soda and lemon is very effective.
How to remove grease from kitchen cabinets
Kitchen units, especially wooden ones or those with lacquered finishes, accumulate grease on the handles and on the surfaces near the hob. To clean grease from wooden kitchen units, it is best to use a mild mixture of warm water with a few drops of washing-up liquid. Avoid abrasive products that could scratch the finish. If the grease is heavily encrusted, vinegar diluted in water (50/50) works well without damaging the surface.
How to clean grease from the extractor hood
The extractor hood is the surface that accumulates the most grease in the whole kitchen. The filters should be removed and soaked in very hot water with washing-up liquid or a powerful degreaser for at least 30 minutes. Then scrub with a brush and rinse well. The outer casing can be cleaned with a spray degreaser applied with a cloth.
How to clean grease off the kitchen worktop
To clean the worktop, the method will depend on the material: granite or marble worktops do not tolerate acids such as vinegar or lemon, as they can damage the sealant. In these cases, use hot water with neutral soap or a specific degreaser. For porcelain or stainless steel worktops, almost any method is valid.
How to clean grease from the oven and the fryer
The oven and the fryer concentrate the most carbonised grease, which is the hardest to remove. For the oven, the most effective trick is to apply a paste of baking soda and water to the inside walls, leave it to act overnight and clean the next day. For the fryer, empty the used oil, fill it with hot water and a few drops of washing-up liquid, and leave it to soak. A professional degreaser such as DG10 also gives very good results on both appliances.
The best product for removing grease from the kitchen
If you are looking for the best product for removing grease from the kitchen with guaranteed results, professional degreasers are the most effective option. Unlike home remedies, they are formulated with specific active agents that break down the chemical structure of grease, even when it is heavily ingrained or carbonised.
At CH Química we manufacture industrial and service hygiene products that are also perfectly suitable for domestic use. DG10 is our multipurpose eco cleaner-degreaser: it acts on grease, disinfects and eliminates bacteria and viruses, without leaving harsh residues. It is suitable for all kitchen surfaces that are not damaged by water, from tiles to stainless steel, including ovens, fryers and extractor hoods.
Conclusion
Whether you opt for home remedies or a professional degreaser, the key is to act regularly to prevent grease from building up and becoming ingrained. For everyday cleaning, lemon, vinegar or baking soda may be enough. But when the grease has been there for a while or is on surfaces highly exposed to heat, a specialised product such as DG10 will make the difference.
At CH Química we are specialists in chemical products for industrial, institutional and service hygiene. If you want to keep your kitchen properly clean, whether domestic or industrial, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Frequently asked questions about how to remove kitchen grease
What is the best home remedy for removing grease from the kitchen?
Baking soda combined with lemon juice is one of the most effective home remedies for cleaning kitchen grease. The mixture creates a reaction that boosts the degreasing effect of both ingredients. White vinegar diluted in hot water is also very effective and, in addition, disinfects and eliminates bad odours. For everyday grease, either of these methods works well; for ingrained or old grease, a professional degreaser is recommended.
How do you remove stubborn grease that will not come off with normal methods?
To remove very stuck-on or ingrained grease, the most effective approach is to combine heat and a powerful degreaser. First, apply heat with a cloth soaked in hot water to soften the grease. Then, use a professional degreasing product, leave it to work for the indicated time and scrub hard. If it is carbonised grease in the oven or fryer, a baking soda paste applied for several hours can also help to loosen it before cleaning.
Which professional product is the most effective for removing kitchen grease?
Among professional products for removing kitchen grease, degreasers with bactericidal and virucidal action offer the greatest effectiveness because they not only remove grease but also disinfect the surface. CH Química’s DG10 is a multi-purpose eco degreaser especially suited to kitchens: it acts on ingrained grease on tiles, ovens, hoods, worktops and appliances, and is suitable for both domestic and industrial use.
How do you clean grease from wooden kitchen furniture without damaging it?
To clean grease from wooden kitchen furniture without damaging the finish, it is best to use lukewarm water with a small amount of neutral washing-up liquid and a soft cloth. Avoid abrasive products, concentrated ammonia and neat vinegar, as they can damage the varnish or lacquer. For grease built up in harder-to-reach areas, such as edges or handles, a cotton bud soaked in diluted vinegar can help.
How often should kitchen grease be cleaned?
Ideally, clean the most exposed surfaces, such as the worktop, hob and extractor hood, after each use or at least once a week. Tiles and walls can be cleaned fortnightly. Hood filters should be degreased once a month if you cook daily. The oven and fryer should be cleaned after each intensive use to prevent the grease from carbonising and becoming much harder to remove.