How to Remove Kitchen Cabinet Lighting

Removing kitchen cabinet lighting can be as easy as reversing the original installation process. However, if you weren't the one that installed the lighting to begin with, you might need some coaching. While some under-the-cabinet linear lighting fixtures often plug in to an available electrical outlet, others use a direct wiring scheme to obtain electrical power. In this case, removing the fixture will necessitate caution while working with wiring.

Step 1: Turn off Power

Make sure to turn off power to the kitchen cabinet lighting fixture you wish to remove. Locate the breaker to the power circuit and turn it off. Place a piece of masking tape over the breaker to prevent anyone from turning it on during your removal process.

Step 2: Remove Cover, Bulbs

Remove the kitchen cabinet lighting fixture cover along with the bulbs. Place the bulbs in a safe and secure location so they can be reused later.

Step 3: Remove Socket Strip

Start removal by taking the socket strip off of the mounted fixture. Snip or disconnect the wires from the electrical box to the socket strip.

Step 4: Remove the Fixture

Using a power drill, remove the kitchen cabinet lighting fixture by carefully unscrewing its connection to the underside of the cabinet. Be careful not to mar the fixture if you intend to reuse it.

Step 5: Choice

At this point, you will have a choice to either push the exposed wires back into the wall through a hole in the wall, or proceed to the outlet to remove the wall plate to gain access to the 2-gang electrical box and remove the wire connection to the fixture.

Step 6: Cover Hole

If you choose to push the wiring into the wall, you’ll need to cover the hole with either a decorative plug or use spackle putty applied with a knife to fill the hole. If you spackle, use it sparingly to reduce the need to sand. Place a small amount directly into the hole and then spread some putty about a ½ inch in diameter around the hole. Allow sufficient drying time before carefully sanding.

Once sanded, use the same paint color for the wall to touch up the area. Note that there may be some color distortion if the paint used is not from the same original dye lot or if the original paint has faded. There is no need for sanding or painting when using a decorative plug.