How to Clean and Prep Kitchen Cabinets for Painting

Painted cabinets look brand new without the cost of replacement, but only if you prep properly. The difference between a job that looks professional and one that looks amateur sits entirely in the surface preparation. Grease, dust, and gloss buildup will cause paint to peel or fail to adhere, undoing weeks of work. Kitchen cabinets are exposed to heat, moisture, and cooking splatter—they're dirty by design. Cleaning them thoroughly and sanding to create mechanical tooth for the primer is the unglamorous work that makes the finish stick. Done right, freshly painted cabinets will hold up for years. Done hastily, they'll start failing in months.

1. Strip and Label Doors First. Take off every door by unscrewing the hinges from the door frame—not the cabinet body. Label each door on the back with painter's tape and a marker so you know where it goes. Remove knobs, pulls, and hinges entirely and set them aside. You'll paint the face frame and exposed cabinet box separately from the doors. This gives you flat surfaces to work on and prevents paint from seeping into hinge hardware.
2. Empty and Vacuum Inside. Remove all contents from inside the cabinets. Vacuum out crumbs, dust, and debris from shelves and the cabinet bottom. Wipe down interior surfaces with a dry cloth. You don't need to prime or paint the inside of cabinets unless they're visible through glass doors, but you do need them clean so debris doesn't get stirred up during sanding.
3. Cut Through Grease with TSP. Mix trisodium phosphate (TSP) with hot water according to package directions—typically one cup per gallon. Use a sponge or cloth to scrub every exterior surface: door faces, face frames, sides, and top surfaces. Work methodically and don't skip spots. TSP cuts through the buildup of cooking grease and grime that a standard wipe-down misses. Rinse all surfaces thoroughly with clean water and a fresh sponge. Any TSP residue left behind will interfere with primer adhesion. Dry everything with clean towels.
4. Dull the Glossy Finish. Use 120–150 grit sandpaper to lightly sand all exterior cabinet surfaces, including doors, face frames, and sides. Sand with the grain where you can. You're not trying to sand off the finish—you're creating a dull surface that primer and paint can grip. A power sander on low speed works well for flat surfaces; use a sanding block or sanding sponge for edges, corners, and tight spots around hinges. Sand until the glossy sheen is completely gone and the surface feels slightly rough to your hand. Vacuum up all dust with a shop vac, then wipe surfaces with a tack cloth to remove fine dust particles.
5. Fill Every Imperfection. Inspect doors and face frames for chips, dents, or nail holes. Use paintable wood filler to fill any voids. Apply with a putty knife, overfilling slightly. Once dry—usually 2–4 hours depending on the filler—sand the filler smooth with 120 grit paper so it's flush with the surrounding surface. Fill hinge holes from the old hardware if you're not reinstalling the same hinges in the same locations. Don't use filler if you're painting with high-build primer, which can bridge small gaps.
6. Banish Invisible Dust. After all sanding and filling is complete, do a final wipe of every surface with a tack cloth. This removes fine dust and sanding residue that would otherwise be trapped under primer. Pay special attention to corners, grooves, and anywhere dust tends to collect. Follow the tack cloth pass with a final vacuum pass to catch any remaining particles.
7. Protect Everything Nearby. Lay drop cloths over countertops, floors, and any surfaces near the cabinets that might catch primer or paint drips. Use painter's tape to mask off walls, backsplash, and the edges of any adjacent surfaces. Tape should be applied straight and pressed firmly so paint doesn't bleed underneath. Don't mask the cabinet surfaces you're about to prime—you want full coverage.
8. Bond with Adhesion Primer. Use a bonding primer or adhesion primer formulated for glossy surfaces—this is crucial. Standard primer won't stick to old cabinet finish. Apply primer with a brush or foam roller in thin, even coats. Work on doors laid flat on sawhorses or a work table. Prime the face frame and cabinet box in place. Two thin coats of primer are better than one thick coat. Let primer dry completely between coats—check the can for dry time, typically 1–3 hours. The primer should look dry and feel hard before you apply paint.
9. Create Mechanical Tooth. After the first coat of primer dries, do a very light scuff sand with 220 grit paper or a sanding sponge. You're barely roughing the surface to help the second coat grip. This only takes a few minutes and makes a measurable difference in final coat adhesion. Wipe away all dust with a tack cloth. Apply the second coat of primer and let dry completely.
10. Inspect Before You Paint. Once primer is fully cured, examine all surfaces in good light. Look for thin spots, drips, brush marks, or areas where the original finish is still showing through. If you see bare spots, apply a spot coat of primer to those areas. If you see drips or heavy brush marks, sand them smooth with 220 grit and prime again. The goal is a smooth, even, opaque primer coat before you open the paint.
11. Apply Thin, Even Coats. Use cabinet-grade or trim paint rated for moisture and durability. Semi-gloss or satin finish is standard for cabinets—gloss is too reflective, flat is too prone to marking. Apply paint in thin, even coats with a brush or foam roller. Two coats are typically sufficient over good primer. Let paint dry completely between coats per manufacturer instructions. Paint doors while they're laid flat to avoid runs and drips.
12. Reassemble After Full Cure. Allow paint to cure fully before use—typically 7–14 days depending on paint type and humidity. Once cured, install hinges back on doors using the existing holes or the marked locations. Mount doors back onto the cabinet box and adjust hinges so doors hang straight. Install knobs and pulls. Touch up any paint nicks or spots where hinges contacted the painted surface. Wipe down cabinets gently with a soft cloth.