A kitchen just won’t look its best unless you know how to clean stainless steel the proper way. Just because an appliance is dubbed “stainless” doesn’t mean it can’t get dirty. In fact, the shiny surface can actually show smudges, grime, and other buildup more prominently. Anyone who has taken a closer look at the fingerprinted refrigerator handle will tell you just how clean (or dirty) stainless steel really is.
“Stainless steel is like that sleek black car: beautiful when it’s clean and shiny, but often looks dull and dirty if it’s not properly maintained,” says Tim Conn, president and cofounder of Image One, a commercial cleaning company.
Still, stainless-steel appliances—microwaves, refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens—look sleek and modern. Some designers are even embracing the industrial kitchen trend by adding stainless-steel countertops to remodels. You might also have a stainless-steel sink or cookware that deserves some TLC as well.
The good news is that getting stainless-steel surfaces spotless is not rocket science, though it does require some elbow grease.
“The frequency of cleaning your stainless-steel appliances may vary depending on the climate you live in, how active your kitchen is, and whether you have kids or pets,” says Anne Ruozzi, the cofounder of Therapy Clean, a plant-based cleaning product company. “I’d suggest that you clean your appliances whenever they get smudgy, but if that’s not possible, then you should strive for once a week.”
All you need are some DIY hacks using natural ingredients like white vinegar and olive oil or cleaning products suited for stainless steel, and a handful of cleaning tips from the pros. Follow these easy steps and you won’t have to look at water stains or drip that tarnish your stainless-steel appliances.
1. Spot treat grime and buildup
When it comes to stainless steel, not all messes are the same, meaning not all cleaning methods will be the same either. Smudges and hard-water stains may come off pretty easily with a simple wipe down, whereas caked-on food or other, more intense, buildups may require a more serious product—and more elbow grease on your part. So make sure you know what you’re up against before grabbing all of your supplies.
Tempting as it may be to reach for steel wool to tackle a stubborn spot—don’t. While stainless steel may look like it has a natural grain to it, steel wool can scratch it, leaving annoying marks, especially if you start focusing on one spot in a circular motion. Instead, use some warm water and dish soap, like Dawn Powerwash spray, and gently wipe away the grime with a paper towel or a microfiber cloth. For a stubborn drip stain like BBQ sauce, for instance, let the dish soap and water cleaning solution sit for a few minutes. Then wipe away.
Explore different methods for residue removal. Sprinkle a bit of baking soda on the surface, then apply white vinegar (it can be in a spray bottle or a small amount dabbed on a kitchen towel). Gently wipe away the spot with a soft cloth or paper towel and rinse with warm water.
Another insider secret for banishing buildup, according to Ron Shimek, president of Mr. Appliance, is to use club soda. All you need to do is pour the club soda into a spray bottle, spritz, and wipe.
2. Find the right cleaning solution for stainless steel
It goes without saying that you’ll need some cleaning products in order to get clean stainless-steel appliances. However, not all cleansers will work wonders on this material. In fact, a regular all-purpose cleaner might actually leave stainless steel streaky. The key is to look for ingredients with essential oils. It may seem counterintuitive to fight greasy fingerprints with grease, but oils actually buff away smudges.
AD tested Therapy Clean Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish on a fridge that is opened a dozen times a day by elementary school kids. To say that the handles didn’t look shiny is an understatement. Yet the streak-free formula with coconut oil and lavender essential oil blend wiped the sticky mess away in less than a minute.
For a stainless-steel dishwasher, we tried Koala Eco Natural Glass Cleaner because it contains peppermint essential oil. The plant-based formula got rid of smudges right away. We love that it’s naturally antiseptic and also dealt with any bacteria that could have accumulated on the spots where there were drips from dirty dishes.
To fight tough grime, such as caked-on grease that drips down an oven door, try Weiman stainless-steel cleaner and polish. Other popular cleaning solutions for cleaning stainless steel include Bar Keepers Friend soft cleaner and Bon-Ami Scratch-Free powder cleanser.
When cleaning a stainless-steel sink, look no further than the Pink Stuff, a paste with sodium silicate, which not only helps buff away dirt, it deals with hard-water stains that can form around the faucet and along the edges of the sink. Apply it with a sponge and let sit for a few minutes. Then buff away the build up with a bit of tap water. Make sure to rinse thoroughly as it will leave a cloudy film if not properly wiped away. A dry microfiber cloth should get the job done.
3. Follow the direction of the grain
When cleaning stainless steel, there is one general rule: Wipe along the direction of the grain. You’ll want to spray your cleaning solution onto the surface of the stainless-steel appliance then wipe following the material’s grain.
It’s usually fairly easy to spot the linear direction, but if your appliance is giving you a hard time, Shimek has a simple solution. “Try rubbing the appliance with a clean microfiber cloth both horizontally and vertically,” he says, “In doing so, you’ll then feel a resistance when the cloth runs in the opposite direction and will, of course, glide smoothly when placed in the correct direction.”
By going in the direction of the grain it becomes easier to tackle water spots and finger smudges, which can be a bit ingrained in the surface.
4. Buff away
Once your microwave, refrigerator, or any other kitchen appliance receives the full treatment, that’s not all; “there are two parts to managing stainless steel: the actual cleaning stage, and the polishing stage,” Conn says. “Polishing will make sure the surface isn’t just clean, but also shining.”
Use a dry cloth, preferably a microfiber cloth instead of a paper towel, which can leave linty residue and polish in a circular motion. We also found that the reusable Swedish dishcloths, like those from Cloud Paper and Papaya, are great at picking up extra cleaning solution residue and buffing away any stray streak marks.
5. Seal with olive oil (optional)
Depending on the type of cleaning solution you use you may or may not need to add extra shine with olive oil to your stainless-steel surfaces. “Olive oil acts as a protective coating that can help to protect in between deep-cleaning sessions,” Shimek says, noting it can help repel smudges and mask previous scratches.
To apply, put a small amount of olive oil on a microfiber cloth and wipe it gently back and forth along the grain or in a circular motion—there is no real science to this step. With this final step, your appliance should be sparkling in no time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best home remedy to clean stainless steel?
For a simple DIY cleaning solution, you’ll need white vinegar, lemon juice, and tap water. Here is a step-by-step process from Shimek.
Fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and white vinegar. You can add a few drops of lemon juice or essential oils to make the mixture smell better.
If you have stubborn spots and grime, add a little bit of baking soda, and gently scrub away the buildup. Spray the solution and wipe it down with a microfiber cloth along the grain.
“Once all fingerprints and grime have been removed, wet a second microfiber cloth with water and apply a few drops of dish soap,” Shimek says. You’ll want to gently wipe this dishwashing liquid solution across the surface. After, rinse out the soapy cloth and wipe the surface once more to remove any lingering soap. “This extra step will remove the acidic residue that white vinegar leaves behind, and it will ensure that the vinegar doesn’t interact poorly with the metal over time,” Shimek says.
Once the stainless-steel appliance or countertop looks clean, complete by polishing the surface. Use a small amount of olive oil and apply to a microfiber cloth.
What should you not use on stainless steel?
No matter what cleaning solution you choose, there are a few things you should always avoid. Don’t use steel wool, scouring powders, ammonia, or bleach on your kitchen appliances—they can all be just a little too intense and damage the finish. The same goes if you’re wondering how to clean a stainless-steel sink. “No matter how grimy your appliances are, these abrasive cleaning products will only make matters worse by leaving scratches behind,” Shimek says.
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