I Tried Good Housekeeping’s Favorite Cleaner on My Wood Cabinets, and They’ve Never Glowed Like This

I’m no stranger to cleaning greasy wooden cabinets. With a kitchen that gets heavy use, I’ve tried several cleaning methods — some work way better than others, and I’ve gotten into a groove of what works for my kitchen and my family. But I’m always on the hunt for a new product or trick. 

When I saw that Good Housekeeping named Parker & Bailey Kitchen Cabinet Cream their top pick for the gentlest cabinet caretaker, I knew I wanted to give it a try. And at only $10, I’ve never “added to cart” so quickly.

The back of the bottle gives a quick history, explaining how a furniture maker and a polish maker joined forces to start the company in 1879. This gave me even more hope — Pledge, one of my favorite kitchen cabinet cleaning products, is also from a company known for wood care. My cabinets are unpainted wood, and I appreciate products that effortlessly highlight their natural grain and glow.

The directions were simple enough. Shake the bottle well, apply a little polish onto a damp cloth, and start rubbing it into the cabinets. I started with the cabinet underneath the stovetop, where it’s not just grease that’s troublesome, but drips and drops from up above. The creamy formula handled the mess without issue. I did have to add a bit more product to some of the more stubborn food spots, but that was expected — and it handled the grease without issue. While technically a one-step process, I did opt to buff the cabinets afterwards with a clean, dry cloth as suggested, and my cabinets really did glow! 

Next, I moved onto the cabinet over the oven. The vent on the unit leaves quite a bit of residue on the backside of the door that is a pain to keep up on. With very little elbow grease, Parker & Bailey Kitchen Cabinet Cream cut through the caked-on gunk immediately — I was actually shocked how quickly this cleaned up what is generally a sticky mess that I have to really rub at. 

What’s more? There’s no chemical smell or any strong fragrance. There’s a very light spice scent if you really take a good whiff, but you have to be really intentional about it. I did not detect any “cleaning” smell in my kitchen after cleaning my cabinets. (Up to you if that’s a pro or a con!).

Good Housekeeping’s winning cabinet cream delivers on exactly what it promises: It cuts through grease very well, and provides a beautiful finish to wooden cabinets. The only real downside to this product is the cost. At about $10 for 8 ounces, it’s not the greatest value buy when you compare it with other products — especially sprays that pack a bigger bang for your buck. I have quite a few cabinets, and I don’t see this bottle getting me through more than two full scrub-downs. With that said, I wouldn’t hesitate to repurchase, as the glow truly brings a light to my kitchen (and my face!) I didn’t know I needed. 

Buy: Parker & Bailey Kitchen Cabinet Cream, $9.61