I don’t think I’ll ever understand how my kitchen drawers and shelves get so grimy. My kitchen cupboards and drawers are closed the majority of the time, but somehow all sorts of yucky stuff manages to sneak in during the brief periods that they are open. (It’s one of those unsolved household mysteries, much like the socks that go missing from the laundry.) But even if you’re a neat freak in the kitchen, your drawers and shelves might still be grimy due to a previous tenant or owner.
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Regardless of how they got that way, today I’m sharing a simple project that will help you improve the look of your kitchen almost instantly – DIY shelf and drawer liners! These liners are quick and easy to make, but best of all, they are totally removable.
Related: Make Your Own Inexpensive And Easy-To-Clean Fridge Liners
Many traditional drawer and shelf liners are made using contact paper. It’s easy enough to apply, but nearly impossible to remove due to the super-sticky adhesive on the back. I wanted a less permanent solution, so I opted to use oilcloth for this project. Oilcloth liners are durable, easy to wipe clean, and can be easily removed at any time. They’re a perfect solution for renters, or anyone who would prefer not to deal with any sticky adhesives. Here’s how to make your own!
Oilcloth Drawer & Shelf Liners
You’ll need:
Directions:
Step 1 – Measure
The first thing you’ll need to do is get the dimensions of every surface you’ll be making a liner for. So grab your trusty measuring tape and a notepad, and get measuring!
If you’re lining several shelves or drawers that are all the same size, consider making a template out of some spare paper. You can trace the template onto your cloth as many times as you need, and will probably save you some time.
Step 2 – Cut
Once you have your dimensions measured or your template made, you’re ready to cut! Use a ruler or other straight edge to make sure your lines are straight.
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Step 3 – Place
When you’re done cutting, all that’s left to do is “install” your liners. Remove everything from the drawer or shelf and give it a good cleaning first, to make sure you’re not simply covering up any messes.
Place the liner into the drawer or onto the shelf. To help keep the oilcloth liner in place, I secured it with a few pieces of double-sided tape (one piece in each corner, and one in the center). The double-sided tape is tacky enough to keep the oilcloth from slipping and sliding around, but not sticky enough that it will leave behind any pesky adhesive residue. (And if the tape loses it’s stickiness over time, you can just pull it off and replace it with a new piece of tape.)
Replace the items in the drawer or on the shelf, and you’re done! Give yourself a pat on the back, and admire your handiwork!
So glad my kitchen is now in style. We put oil cloth on kitchen shelves when I was a young girl at home. It’s easy to change and easy to wipe off.
I love this idea. Thanks!
UPDATE: We have finished all the kitchen cabinets and drawers in my kitchen with oilcloth and we are LOVING it! I bought mine at Hobby Lobby with a 40% off coupon. I needed an entire bolt which came 47″ wide by 15 yards. The double sided tape did not work well for us. We used a 20 oz. bottle “Roman” brand WALLPAPER & BORDER ADHESIVE ($6.98) found at Lowes and it worked great. We did not need to apply the paste to the entire back of the oilcloth, just in the corners and a few spots as you suggested with… Read more »
Hi! I love this idea for liners but I have another situation. My desk at work has fabric on the sides that has gotton horribly stained! S ince it is a new job and office and they cannot afford a new desk I wa going to cover the fabric sides with contact paper until I saw your idea for oilcloth. Any ideas on how to make it stick to stained fabric without looking tacky?
Hot glue would be great, but if you’re looking for a more temporary solution, then I would use glue dots! http://amzn.to/2sZGLgj
I lined all the drawers, shelves and cabinet floors in our house with plastic tablecloth fabric from Joann’s. For some reason, I couldn’t fine it just now on their online site but I bought more in the store not two months ago. It’s 54 or 56 inches wide and is a pretty lace-like pattern. $9-10 a yard? And of course with your coupon it’s even more reasonable. It cleans up by hand or when really dirty I pop it into the washing machine on gentle/cold and dry it on tumble only. I haven’t used shelf liner or contact paper in… Read more »
Great idea Jill that I am going to use. Now, who can figure out how much oil cloth I will need from my measurements (alot)?
Also, what approx. price did you pay for the oil cloth? I’ve seen it ranging from a low of 4.99 up to 17.99 a yard. Did you buy it online?
If you click on the word “oilcloth” in the materials list, you can see where I bought my oilcloth! :-)
wow. they look nice.
What is oilcloth??
It’s an enameled cloth that used to be made by covering linen cloth with linseed oil. The manufacturing process has changed, but it’s still a strong, durable fabric that makes great shelf liners! :-)
really helpful idea!!
Great idea. I also put linoleum (bought at Home Depot but the yard or 1/2 yard) under my sinks for easy wipe up and cleaning.
Never thought of it, but it sounds like a good idea worth trying.
That’s a great idea! Thank you for sharing.
Both sound like real good ideas. Our neighbor gave us a whole box of sticky back vinyl tiles, Works great under the sinks & cabinet shelves.