When you think about the rooms in your house that get the most abuse, the kitchen certainly comes to mind. Whether you’re always hosting dinners or just like to experiment with new recipes, all those delicious foods you whip up tend to leave their mark — literally. From sticky cabinets to grime that’s caked on your backsplash and appliances, grease has a way of making itself at home in your kitchen.
Over the last few months, my husband has been working on a renovation project to fill his time during a slow period at work. When he first stepped foot in the two-bedroom condo, he was immediately struck by how disgusting the kitchen was. The prior residents had neglected to clean years of grease off the white cabinets, walls and other surfaces. Honestly, it was pretty gnarly.
Instantly, I realized this was a great opportunity to put some heavy-duty kitchen degreasers to the test to see how well they stand up to a true mess.
Going into this experiment, I honestly wasn’t sure how well the products would handle these gross stains. But I was pleasantly surprised and have now found a few new go-to degreasers that I can confidently purchase for my own home to tackle any stains I encounter in the future.
What should you look for in an effective kitchen degreaser?
When shopping for an effective kitchen degreaser, Alicia Sokolowski, the president and co-CEO of AspenClean cleaning services, recommends looking for two important attributes. “First, the product should break down oil. Second, it should also lift this oil off of the surfaces, allowing you to wipe it up instead of spreading it around,” she says.
When it comes to the formula, products should contain effective surfactants, which Sokolowski describes as “cleaning agents that have the ability to loosen grease.”
Ryan Knoll, the founder of Tidy Casa home cleaning company, says alkalinity is one critical element while cutting grease. “We’re looking for pH between 10 and 13 and solvents that handle what the alkalinity doesn’t. D-limonene and glycol ethers like 2-butoxyethanol are what gives citrus degreasers their real teeth,” he says.
Best overall kitchen degreaser
Efficiency: 5/5 | Ease of Use: 4.5/5 | Scent: 5/5 | Overall average score: 4.83/5
Our first impression of the Easy-Off Heavy Duty Degreaser was the scent, or rather, the lack thereof. So many cleaning products have heavy scents, but this one was practically odorless, so it made doing the job a bit easier.
In the kitchen, there were two cabinets above the stove that were particularly greasy, with caked-on stains. We used Easy-Off on the lefthand cabinet. We were impressed by how quickly the grease stains started to come off when we sprayed it.
We started by spraying the product into a microfiber cloth a few times then wiping down the cabinet. After the first pass, more than 50% of the gunk was gone.
Overall, we only had to go over the cabinet three separate times (with a few sprays into a cloth each time) to get the stains out. After the third spray, I actually said “Holy moly!” because the cabinet looked brand new and shiny, like the stains had never been there.
We were so impressed with the results that we used Easy-Off on the righthand cabinet when we seemed to be reaching a plateau with another product we tested.
After wiping the righthand cabinet down with a bit of water to clear any remaining residue from the other product, we sprayed Easy-Off directly onto the surface and let it sit for a minute. This time, it took off more grease is one swipe than the other product did in multiple passes. This one had some more intense staining, so we did four more passes (spraying the product on the cloth then wiping), but the stains were 95% gone by the end.
If I had one criticism of the product, it’d be the fact that the nozzle does tend to leak a little. The foam itself does come out easily, but it’s not as clean a spray as the other products we tested. Still, the remarkable results are worth it and it’s phenomenal if you’re looking for minimal scrubbing.
More kitchen degreasers, tested by the author
Best scent:
Efficiency: 4.5/5 | Ease of Use: 5/5 | Scent: 5/5 | Overall average score: 4.83/5
When you’re scrubbing off grease stains, things can get messy quickly. But we were pleasantly surprised to see that the mess was contained with this spray, more so than any of the other products we tested. In other words, the product did a great job of mopping up the grease without spreading it to other areas while cleaning.
We tested this Lysol cleaner under one of the cabinets closest to the stove. There was a bunch of nasty grease caked on there, so we sprayed the product into a microfiber cloth a few times and started scrubbing. After the first pass, 90% of the stains were gone.
Next, we sprayed the surface directly and let it sit for two minutes before scrubbing again. At that point, the surface looked brand new. (By the way, those are screw holes in the photo, not residual stains.)
We also used this spray on the cabinet underneath the sink, which had residual grease and dirt on it, and were pleased with how quickly it cleaned everything off (two passes). It also left behind a great shine.
As for the scent, my husband described it as “delightful.” It’s got a citrus scent that doesn’t linger and won’t give you a headache if you’re sensitive to smells. The brand definitely nailed the whole “less is more” element with the scent.
The reason we didn’t give the Lysol spray a perfect score on efficiency was simply because the stains it tackled were much less caked on than the ones the Easy-Off spray handled.
Best for lighter stains:
Efficiency: 4.5/5 | Ease of Use: 5/5 | Scent: 4.5/5 | Overall average score: 4.67/5
We used this degreaser on the righthand cabinet above the stove and were instantly impressed by the citrusy smell that’s reminiscent of orange soda. It’s not overpowering, but if you’re sensitive to smell, it might be a bit much for you. However, we were fans of it!
The bottle was very easy to spray and the product came out quickly after a few initial pumps to get it going (something you experience with most cleaning products).
To start, we sprayed four pumps into a microfiber cloth then wiped down the cabinet. The results were immediately impressive, especially in the upper righthand corner, where the stains were most pronounced.
Next, we sprayed the cabinet directly and let the product sit for two minutes before wiping it down with the cloth. Since the product runs downward as it settles in, we found that spraying into the cloth first is a cleaner, more effective method.
On the third pass, my husband put some extra elbow grease into it and the stains started to really clean up. By the sixth spray, we realized that we were getting diminishing returns, so we decided to give it a rest and try the Easy-Off degreaser the next day to finish the job.
Since Zep couldn’t fully remove the stains on this cabinet, we were curious to know how it stood up to lighter stains. We used it on the side of a cabinet by the kitchen door. The spray handled these smaller stains like a pro and it looked almost brand new after one round.
Overall, Zep does a great job of removing grease stains. It does require a bit more scrubbing than Easy-Off and more rounds of cleaning, especially for caked-on stains. But the stains come off a little bit more with each round of cleaning, and I’d say it’s pretty darn powerful.
Best for cabinets:
Efficiency: 4/5 | Ease of Use: 5/5 | Scent: 5/5 | Overall average score: 4.67/5
We’re not really sure how the prior residents of this condo managed to get so much grease on a cabinet that wasn’t even near the stove, but I digress.
The side of this particular cabinet was pretty dirty before we used Krud Kutter Original Cleaner Degreaser Spray on it. Like with the others, we sprayed a bit of product into the microfiber cloth then scrubbed the surface. It took out the majority of the stains with only a few minor spots left behind.
On the second pass, we sprayed the cabinet directly and let the product sit for a minute. Afterwards, we scrubbed it and were pleased to see that all of the spots were gone.
It’s worth noting that these stains weren’t as thick as some of the other stains we treated, hence the lower efficiency score. But the product did a wonderful job of cleaning them up and leaving the cabinet shining.
As for the smell, it was just as mild as the Easy-Off spray and not really noticeable.
A tried-and-true editor favorite:
Efficiency: 4/5 | Ease of Use: 3.5/5 | Scent: 5/5 | Overall average score: 4.17/5
Bar Keepers Friend Powder Cleanser is well known for being a pro at removing rust stains, grease and hard water mineral deposits. The powder has an oxalic acid formula that lends stainless steel surfaces (among others) a beautiful shine. It’s often used on pots and pans, ovens and range hoods.
For the purposes of this experiment, we tested this powder cleanser on two surfaces — the sink and an outlet cover — since it’s not great to use it on wood cabinets.
Before using the product, the inside of the sink was a little discolored. After scrubbing thoroughly, it looked a lot shinier. Around the faucet, there were a few hard water mineral deposits, but the product tackled them with ease.
We also tested the product on an outlet cover that was pretty disgusting. After removing it from the wall, we applied the product, wet it and scrubbed it with a brush. While this isn’t a typical use for the product, it did a wonderful job. After three passes, the outlet cover was as good as new.
Compared to the sprays we tested, this product is a bit messier since it’s a powder, and there’s a bit more work involved since you have to add water. For this reason, it scored lower on ease of use compared to the sprays.
In terms of the smell, it’s a fresh, clean scent that isn’t offensive and doesn’t linger.
Best for caked-on grease:
Efficiency: 4.5/5 | Ease of Use: 5/5 | Scent: 2/5 | Overall average score: 3.83/5
We used The Pink Stuff on two surfaces: an outlet cover and underneath a cabinet. When my husband first sprayed this product, he had quite the spirited reaction and declared that it smelled gross. I couldn’t help but agree that the scent was overpowering.
Tackling the outlet cover first, we sprayed the product into a microfiber cloth a few times then scrubbed. All of the grease came off in one fell swoop (with minimal scrubbing!).
Next, we tackled something a lot more horrifying: the bottom of a cabinet that was covered in thick, caked-on grease. We were up against a pretty nasty mess, and not much grease disappeared after we first sprayed the product into a microfiber cloth and scrubbed it. However, we then sprayed the cabinet directly and let the product sink in for two minutes. Afterwards, around 70% of the grease was gone.
After two more times of spraying the product into a rag and scrubbing, the cabinet grime was almost 100% gone.
Frequently asked questions
Unfortunately, there’s not just one thing that causes grease in the kitchen. But in general, cooking is mostly to blame.
"The most common culprits are frying, sautéing or cooking anything at high heat and oils. This is naturally going to create an awesome splash zone of sauces and oil right around the cooking areas,” Knoll says.
Sokolowski says oil typically vaporizes into small grease particles as it heats up. "Those then drift throughout your kitchen and cool on various surfaces like cabinets, countertops, backsplashes, range hoods and other appliances,” she says.
Cooking oils, butter, animal fats and other food splatter can all create grease. Poor ventilation is also to blame. "If the range hood isn’t used on a regular basis or if the filter is dirty, the grease that is being released throughout your cooking has nowhere left to go. It will therefore settle onto nearby surfaces and mix with dust, turning the grease into stubborn buildup,” Sokolowski says.
Kellsie Zapata, a team member at Zapata’s Cleaning Services, says this depends on the product you’re using and the surface you’re cleaning.
“Many kitchen degreasers can safely be used on sealed cabinets, backsplashes, painted walls, range hoods and most appliance exteriors when they’re used according to the manufacturer’s directions,” she says. However, not every cleaner is safe for every surface.
“Natural stone countertops, unfinished wood and delicate painted finishes can all react differently depending on the product being used. Electrical outlets and appliance control panels should never be sprayed directly, so always spray your microfiber cloth first and then wipe the surface,” Zapata advises.
To avoid potential damage, she recommends testing a small area of the surface first to see how it responds to the cleaner.
Generally, the longer you wait to treat a stain, the less likely you are to remove it. But when it comes to grease stains, the surface is what matters the most.
“Most of the time, grease, even old grease that sat for a while, can and will come off, but if we’re on porous natural stone or painted walls, there’s a chance the grease got baked in,” Knoll says.
Rosa Picosa, a Fabuloso cleaning expert, says the length of time a grease stain has been sitting on a surface determines how difficult it is to remove. “Fresh grease is usually much easier to clean, while grease that’s been building up over weeks or months can become sticky and trap dust, food particles and other grime, making it harder to remove,” she says.
Zapata notes that the most challenging grease to clean off is grease that’s been repeatedly heated over months or years. “As it’s exposed to heat again and again, it becomes much harder,” she says.
Knoll adds that the heat of the oil that caused the grease stain also contributes to how caked on the stain is. “The hotter the oil is that’s creating the grease, the more likely it is to stick to the surface. Some of the worst offenders are bacon grease, deep frying residue and oil smoke from repeated cooking,” he says.
The trick to removing any grease stain is letting the product sit on the surface for a few minutes. “That can make a huge difference as to whether or not the grease is going to come up. What a lot of people tend to do is spray on the chemical, then wipe it off right away, but the trick is to let it sit,” Knoll says.
Also, keep in mind that you may need to do multiple rounds of cleaning to remove the stain.
It may sound simple, but routine maintenance is the best way to prevent grease stains in your kitchen.
“I always encourage homeowners to do quick wipe-downs around the cooktop after cooking instead of waiting until grease has accumulated. Pay special attention to the backsplash, range hood, nearby cabinets and appliance fronts because those are usually the first places grease settles,” Zapata says. “Running your range hood or exhaust fan while cooking also helps reduce the amount of airborne grease that ends up coating the rest of your kitchen.”
How we tested kitchen degreasers
We tested six kitchen degreasers on a variety of surfaces in the kitchen, using microfiber cloths to scrub away the grease.
Each of the degreasers was assigned a specific surface, including a sink, cabinets and outlet covers. On each surface, we used a degreaser two ways: spraying it into a microfiber cloth first then using that cloth to wipe the stain away and spraying the product directly on the surface then wiping with a cloth.
Each product was scored on a scale of 1-5 (1 being the worst, 5 being the best) in the following categories:
- Efficiency: How well did it get the job done? Did we need multiple passes? Did we need a different product to finish the cleaning process?
- Ease of use: If it was a spray, did it come out easily? Did the packaging leak? For other forms, did it require any additional steps?
- Scent: Was there any scent at all? If there was a scent, was it overpowering or unpleasant?
Why trust Shop TODAY?
Chrissy Callahan has been writing for Shop TODAY since 2017 and has covered a wide range of topics ranging from how to remove deodorant stains from clothes to the best kitchen trash bags for our Ranked series.
Meet the experts
- Ryan Knoll is the founder of Tidy Casa, a home cleaning company in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona.
- Rosa Picosa is a Fabuloso cleaning expert.
- Alicia Sokolowski is the president and co-CEO of AspenClean, a company that provides all-natural, chemical-free cleaning services.
- Kellsie Zapata is the owner of Zapata’s Cleaning Services based in Thomasville, Georgia. She has previously spoken to Shop TODAY about the best dusters, multipurpose cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners and more.
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