diff --git a/cordex/preprocessing/__init__.py b/cordex/preprocessing/__init__.py
index 8de3e1f..c570105 100644
--- a/cordex/preprocessing/__init__.py
+++ b/cordex/preprocessing/__init__.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
     fix_known_issues,
     get_grid_mapping,
     get_grid_mapping_name,
-    get_grid_mapping_varname,
     member_id_to_dset_id,
     promote_empty_dims,
     remap_lambert_conformal,
diff --git a/cordex/preprocessing/preprocessing.py b/cordex/preprocessing/preprocessing.py
index 8e7f65e..89b0677 100644
--- a/cordex/preprocessing/preprocessing.py
+++ b/cordex/preprocessing/preprocessing.py
@@ -405,31 +405,13 @@ def get_grid_mapping_name(ds):
         grid_mapping_name attribute.
 
     """
-    return get_grid_mapping(ds).grid_mapping_name
-
-
-def get_grid_mapping_varname(ds):
-    """Returns grid mapping dataarray name.
-
-    Returns the variable name of the first grid mapping found
-    in the dataset.
-
-    Parameters
-    ----------
-    ds : xr.Dataset
-        CORDEX like dataset.
-
-    Returns
-    -------
-    grid_mapping_varname : str
-        Variable name of the grid mapping.
-
-    """
-    return next(
-        ds[va].attrs["grid_mapping"]
-        for va in ds.data_vars
-        if "grid_mapping" in ds[va].attrs
+    message = (
+        "get_grid_mapping_name is deprecated, please use cf_xarray "
+        'accessor ds.cf["grid_mapping"].grid_mapping_name instead.'
     )
+    warn(message, DeprecationWarning, stacklevel=2)
+    return ds.cf["grid_mapping"].grid_mapping_name
+    # return get_grid_mapping(ds).grid_mapping_name
 
 
 def get_grid_mapping(ds):
@@ -455,7 +437,8 @@ def get_grid_mapping(ds):
     )
     warn(message, DeprecationWarning, stacklevel=2)
 
-    return ds[get_grid_mapping_varname(ds)]
+    return ds.cf["grid_mapping"]
+    # return ds[get_grid_mapping_varname(ds)]
 
 
 def remap_lambert_conformal(ds, regridder=None, domain=None):
diff --git a/docs/api.rst b/docs/api.rst
index 05fa2d8..f0597cf 100644
--- a/docs/api.rst
+++ b/docs/api.rst
@@ -27,13 +27,11 @@ Preprocessing
    :toctree: generated/
 
    preprocessing.rename_cordex
-   preprocessing.get_grid_mapping
    preprocessing.replace_coords
    preprocessing.cordex_dataset_id
    preprocessing.promote_empty_dims
    preprocessing.remap_lambert_conformal
    preprocessing.sort_ds_dict_by_attr
-   preprocessing.get_grid_mapping_name
    preprocessing.member_id_to_dset_id
    preprocessing.attr_to_coord
 
diff --git a/docs/whats_new.rst b/docs/whats_new.rst
index 241302e..dbe2989 100644
--- a/docs/whats_new.rst
+++ b/docs/whats_new.rst
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ Breaking Changes
 - The keyword name for the CORDEX domain identifier has changed from ``short_name`` to ``domain_id``, e.g., in :py:meth:`cordex_domain` or :py:meth:`domain_info`. If you have explicitly set this keyword, e.g., ``short_name="EUR-11"``, please change this to ``domain_id="EUR-11"``. This will be more consistent with the attribues in the updated domain tables.
 - Default branch is now ``main`` instead of ``master``.
 
+Deprecations
+~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+- Deprecation of :py:meth:`preprocessing.get_grid_mapping` and :py:meth:`preprocessing.get_grid_mapping_name` in favour of `cf_xarray <https://cf-xarray.readthedocs.io/en/latest/grid_mappings.html>`_ (:pull:`144`).
+
 Documentation
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~