How to Lightly Sand Cabinets Before Repainting

Remove the drawers and doors from the cabinet’s frame. Loosen the door’s fastener with the correct tool, such as a screwdriver or Allen wrench, and place the doors onto a piece of plastic tarp. Number the cabinets on a small sticky note to help cut down on confusion during reinstallation.

Remove the drawer pulls and hardware from the cabinets and drawers. Set the hardware inside a plastic container to prevent misplacing them or their screws.

Slip on a pair of rubber gloves, safety goggles and a respirator. Create a mixture of 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap, 1/2 cup trisodium phosphate and 1 gallon lukewarm water. Stir the water with a wooden stick or spoon to incorporate the TSP and the dish soap.

Wet a rag with the mixture and wipe down the cabinet and drawers. The TSP removes any grease, grime or dirt on the cabinet without damaging the wood. Dampen a separate rag with plain water and wipe down the cabinets to remove the TSP residue. Allow the cabinet to dry completely before continuing

Sand the cabinets and drawer fronts with 150-grit sandpaper. Use a gentle hand when sanding the cabinets to roughen up the surface and avoiding causing damage or scratches.

Wipe off the sanding dust with a tack cloth or damp kitchen sponge. Allow the cabinets to dry completely before priming and painting.