AIBU to never clean the top of my cupboards?

[tryingtosortmylifeout]

I inherited an old and very sticky kitchen when moving into my new house. I’ve been deep cleaning all the cupboards and surfaces but the top of the cupboards (right near the ceiling, so not visible to anyone unless they are seven feet tall) are extra filthy. The whole of the fairly large surface is covered in a really sticky grease, presumably built up from decades of cooking, dust and general dirt and grime.

AIBU just to leave this for another five years or so until we (hopefully) manage to buy a new kitchen? Even if I wanted to I’m not sure it would be possible to clean it - it’s in such a state and my cloth basically just sticks to the dirt!

Photo attached - the whole of the surface is covered in it.

AIBU and WWYD?

Mr Muscle kitchen spray, left to soak, will remove it

God no. Just leave it. What you can’t see and won’t ever need to see, just leave. And I’m generally a very clean and tidy person!

I have the same issue and have just left it. Out of interest, what do you use to get rid of the stickness on doors etc? Nothing seems to work for me!

Cherries, I've just been using Cif kitchen cleaner and (crucially) a scouring pad - I wouldn't have got the stickiness off with a normal sponge-scourer or cloth. It's been a nightmare to clean and has taken me several days so far.

We had the same issue when we moved in- it looked almost like golden syrup or something and was just as sticky! We went through a lot of that silver wire wool stuff and soaked some cloths in hottest water I could stand to use (thick rubber gloves helped at lot!), then layered them on top and left it to sit for a while. It wasn’t actually as bad as I though it would be, and was super satisfying once I got going. Think I used some kind of Cillit Bang that we found left in the cupboards.

Yanbu. I’ve only ever cleaned the top of kitchen cupboards at the end of tenancys!

Brillo pads are your friend

Do it and then put newspaper along the tops of the cupboards. Just change the newspaper periodically. You will never have to clean them again.

I done mine when I first moved in, they were manky with furry thick grease, they came up clean fairly easy. That was 3 years ago they haven't been done since and are still ok. I think.

You need this stuff

www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-heavy-duty-degreaser-5ltr/88668

My partner brought it in from the garage when I was struggling with the extractor fan build up and I was amazed, always use it if there is stubborn grease now. Be super careful with it though, make sure it’s well diluted and wear heavy duty rubber gloves!

Clean the tops of the cupboards, I use a hot bio washing powder solution, dry thourly, a hair dryer is good.
Now lay over the tops of the cupboards sheets of paper, I use newspaper, make sure you cover right up to the edges but out of sight, pin down if required.
So next time you feel the urge to look at the tops again you can just roll up the now greasy paper and replace with clean sheets, no more cleaning.

Bio solution is also good for cleaning extractor fan grill, just let soak for 10 minutes.

I couldn't relax knowing the dirt was there, it's always been the first thing I've done when moving into a property and I can safely say whoever's lived there before me has never done it (and I've moved a lot), but since I've literally just been cleaning the pipes round the boiler ahead of my service tomorrow you can probably certify me insane and ignore me .

I've literally just been cleaning the pipes round the boiler ahead of my service tomorrow you can probably certify me insane and ignore me

I've pulled out white goods that are going to be taken to recycling and cleaned all the cobwebby dust out, just so I don't get shamed in front of the delivery people... so I'll join PottyPottery on that particular Monica Geller bench

OP Elbow Grease or Flash Fairy are both great with this kind of grunge

What is all this madness??? - if you can’t see it, can’t smell it and it’s not a bio-hazard then it’s not a problem. I’ve lived in my house for decades and never considered doing this, not even considered and discarded, despite having the same kitchen for all that time.

We used spray sugar soap on our excessively greasy kitchen - worked wonders! But not on the top bits that no one would ever see!!! invested that energy in other filthy areas

Hob brite worked miracles on ours when we moved in, we use it all over the kitchen and it also makes white upvc window frames sparkle 🙂

Sugar spray is your friend

@LiGlitterbug your before and after photos are literally the most satisfying thing I’ve ever seen.

I think wire wool is a good option as scouring pads just seem to stick to the grease.

Great tip about the newspaper too, thanks all. I hadn’t thought of that.

Tonight I’m going in!

It's never even occurred to me to look up there... I have to now, this is going to be bad isn't it?

Ha Shart - that’s the problem, now I’ve looked it’s annoying me!

Layers of grease lining the tops of the cupboards is a fire hazard. If by some unfortunate accident you have a fire in the kitchen it will spread even quicker if you've got layers of grease/dust on top of wooden cabinets.

Sugar soap/fairy/bio washing powder or any other decreaser will do the job no problem.

Breakthrough! Good old Cif. I have a feeling this is going to be very satisfying (and also a little grim).

I have a roll of wallpaper for the tops of my cupboards.When I redo the kitchen the cupboards will go up to the ceiling .

Seventh, I wish I could build mine up to the top of the ceiling too, but the ceiling curves down at one end so it’s not an option for me sadly.