Stainless steel appliances can give any kitchen a contemporary and fresh look. With three tween boys our stainless steel doesn’t stand a chance. Fingerprints, smudges and food end up covering most stainless steel surfaces in our kitchen.
Here are a few tips for keeping your stainless steel surfaces clean.
DON’T wipe with a damp cloth and let it dry au natural. This will cause big streaks and possibly rust. Been there.
DON’T use anything abrasive including steel wool. This will scratch and ruin your stainless steel.
If you need something a bit stronger try one of these non-toxic techniques:
DAMP CLOTH
Use a damp cloth (not wet) to wipe down your appliances. Make sure to thoroughly dry after wiping down to prevent water streaks and stains. This will work for most smudges and fingerprints.
OLIVE OIL
Apply a small amount of olive oil to a soft cloth. Make sure you don’t over do it! Buff out the area on your refrigerator or stove top that has stubborn finger prints or smudges.
Flip over the cloth and re-buff the area with the clean side of the cloth.
That’s all there is to it!
FLOUR
Use dry flour and a clean, soft cloth to buff out your stainless steel. With a little muscle power your stainless will look sparkly and shinny. This might be a bit challenging on upright appliances, but will work wonders in your sink and on smaller appliances. Use this technique on your stainless steel pots and pans. Place the leftover flour in your compost bin!
VINEGAR
One of my all-time favorite cleaners, vinegar, makes yet another appearance in helping to clean stainless steel. A simple white vinegar and water solution works wonders on stainless. Mix 3/4 cup white vinegar and 1/4 cup water in a spray bottle and you’re ready to go. Not a fan of the vinegar scent? I happen to love the smell of vinegar, but feel free to add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the mixture.
If you want info on how to clean your stainless steel pots and pans check out my tutorial HERE.
How do you keep your stainless steel clean?
