How To Clean Stainless Steel

Stainless steel appliances and items can be slightly more challenging to keep clean compared to appliances of other materials. These appliances easily show smudges, fingerprints and streaks, so they are important to clean. Before you begin cleaning stainless steel appliances, take a look at the manufacturer’s instructions. Besides the instructions in the manual, the list we’ve compiled below will also work for cleaning most stainless steel finishes. You can keep your appliances looking new with these few field-tested cleaning methods.  

Things you should avoid when cleaning stainless steel appliances:

• Never use abrasive sponges such as steel wool or scrubbing pads.
• Avoid using chlorine-based cleaners or other products that contain chloride.
• Don’t use commercial oven cleaners.
• Harsh tap water may leave spots or stains, so rather use distilled water.
• Don’t leave dirty water or cleaning products on your stainless steel appliances. 

Remember these things for cleaning stainless steel:

1. A Microfiber cloth with warm water will usually be enough to clean your appliances.
2. Glass cleaners work well for removing fingerprints.
3. Wipe with the grain to avoid streaking.

Cleaning With Vinegar And Olive Oil

For this method, you will need white vinegar, olive oil, and two microfiber cloths.

1. Pour white vinegar into a clean spray bottle.
2. Spray your stainless steel appliance.
3. Wipe it down with a microfiber cloth.
4. Once it’s clean, dip a clean cloth into a small amount of olive oil.
5. Wipe the appliance with the cloth in the direction of the grain. This will also add shine and remove smudge marks and streaks.

Cleaning With Dish Soap And Baby Oil

For this method, you will need dish soap, baby oil, warm water, and microfiber cloths.

1. Dilute one spoon of dish soap into one litre of warm water.
2. Dampen a microfiber cloth with the mixture and clean your appliance with the grain.
3. Then dampen another clean microfiber cloth with warm water and wipe the soapy residue from the appliance.
4. Let the appliance dry, then work baby oil into the finish with a microfiber cloth. Remember to move in the direction of the grain.

With proper care and maintenance, you can keep your stainless steel looking shiny and add an elegant touch to your kitchen and home. If you want to do the same for your other metal possessions, check out our posts on how to clean silver and how to clean brass. Use the methods listed here to help you clean your stainless steel appliances and prevent them from corrosion or permanent damage. All you need are the right cleaning tools and a little effort. Consider adding stainless steel appliance cleaning to your regular kitchen cleaning routine.