Thanks for all the suggestions. We use Weiman now and it does a nice job on smudges and fingerprints but does not help much with the water spots. I'm a little afraid to try BKF - it doesn't scratch? Do you have to be careful to go in the direction of the grain? Hadn't heard the lemon polish idea or a couple of the others. Will check them out.
Cleaning stainless steel appliances
- Thread starter Scuba
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Well, there's your problem right there!
[emoji23]
Yes, we are a bit compulsive about our housekeeping!
HawkeyeNFO
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Lime juice.
RunningBum
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It's easier to sell people on a kitchen remodel and replacing perfectly fine appliances if you can convince them that the old finish is horribly out of date.
An even better trick is to simply stop making a color. I had bisque or biscuit or some off white shade that they stopped making. My refrigerator went out so I had to replace it with some other color, which would compel many people to change out all of their appliances. I haven't fallen for that. I'll wait for them to go. The range hood went next. Dishwashers don't last forever, though I did re-solder a circuit board to keep it alive. The range should last longer but I've had a couple problems so I'll probably get it replaced just before stainless goes out of style.
ncbill
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SS looks horribly dated to me.
I grew up in a home built just after WWI where everything in the kitchen was SS, including the countertops.
I resisted until recently when we had to replace a combo range/microwave with separate range/o-t-r microwave which both have a SS finish as my DW wanted.
And, yes, they're covered with water spots you'd never see on a black or white enameled finish.
When they die I will go back to mixing black & white enameled appliances in our kitchen.
I grew up in a home built just after WWI where everything in the kitchen was SS, including the countertops.
I resisted until recently when we had to replace a combo range/microwave with separate range/o-t-r microwave which both have a SS finish as my DW wanted.
And, yes, they're covered with water spots you'd never see on a black or white enameled finish.
When they die I will go back to mixing black & white enameled appliances in our kitchen.
Silver
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I use "409 Stone & Steel" for all my stainless appliances and on my granite. Works really well and smells great because it has lemon oil. I buy it at our local Publix store.
https://www.amazon.com/Formula-409-Cleaner-Bottle-Ounces/dp/B001EKWJO0?th=1
https://www.amazon.com/Formula-409-Cleaner-Bottle-Ounces/dp/B001EKWJO0?th=1
Meadbh
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The kitchn (no e) is a blog that I follow. I think that’s where I heard about BKF. They have several posts on cleaning stainless steel appliances. Lemon and vinegar seems to be recommended.
Your Guide to Cleaning Stainless Steel Appliances & Cookware | Kitchn
Edited to add: I asked our cleaning lady. Weiman’s, she said.
Your Guide to Cleaning Stainless Steel Appliances & Cookware | Kitchn
Edited to add: I asked our cleaning lady. Weiman’s, she said.
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Amethyst
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Amethyst
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I had all matching biscuit-colored appliances, but am gradually replacing them with SS-look, as real estate agents keep insisting we must do this if we ever want to sell. So I am interested in the SS cleaning tricks people have described in this thread.
The really awful thing was when we hired maids to clean the kitchen - ONE lousy time - and not only did they hop up on the kitchen counters, they scrubbed the SS cooktop with something, and you can see the scrub-marks going against the grain of the metal. Imagine what it would look like if we had cleaners in regularly.
The really awful thing was when we hired maids to clean the kitchen - ONE lousy time - and not only did they hop up on the kitchen counters, they scrubbed the SS cooktop with something, and you can see the scrub-marks going against the grain of the metal. Imagine what it would look like if we had cleaners in regularly.
timo2
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+2 it's what we use
Music Lover
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My GF watches house buying shows on HGTV all the time and I swear that 99% of people only care about 3 things when looking for a house: stainless steel appliances, granite counters, and hardwood floors.
No one ever looks at the furnace, the condition of the roof, or checks if there is any insulation in the attic.
timo2
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We had black appliances in our old house. They are much easier to maintain and look great! Now we have stainless and wish they were black!
edit: several years ago we heard black was the new stainless, but stainless still seems to have a hold on everyone.
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bltkmt
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Whatever you do, don't make the huge rookie mistake that I did and use one of these scrubbing sponges. I scratched up a patch on our new stove trying to get off some cooked on food. Doh!
Music Lover
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I'm an outlier among many of my friends...I've had nothing but boring white appliances for my entire life.
walkinwood
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Weiman and the like leave a residue that builds up over time. I've found that hand dish washing soap (not the one for the dishwasher) works well though it sometimes requires a good rubbing.
Amethyst
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I've gradually substituted Lysol Power & Free (no bleach/no ammonia spray cleaner) for Windex on everything except actual windows. It isn't quite as fast and effective as Windex, but is pretty good, and can be used on treated shower doors and car windshields (which is what I bought it for, originally). I use it on the cooktop and dishwasher.
HFWR
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Buffing with furniture polish after cleaning with a non-abrasive cleaner seems to be the only way to get a clean and smudge-free result. YMMV...
target2019
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Dawn plus a soft sponge. Wipe off with a soft cotton cloth.
If there's a lacquer finish, some products will damage it in spots.
I found that most of what was on the fridge was oil from handprints. Dawn or similar dissolves that oil.
If there's a lacquer finish, some products will damage it in spots.
I found that most of what was on the fridge was oil from handprints. Dawn or similar dissolves that oil.
Our problem is water spots, not oil. We have no problem getting smudges & fingerprints off, but the darn water spots are horrible.
I'll post an update once I've tried some of the suggestions.
TromboneAl
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I guess it depends on the type of stainless steel. They stick on ours:
Olive oil actually works pretty well for cleaning, but I'll try out those other suggestions.
We're about to replace our dishwasher and range (which is now officially held together with duct tape),
and I guess we'll go with SS to match the fridge. Otherwise, they'd make the fridge look dirty by comparison.
One kind of SS (ferritic) will hold a magnet; the other kind (austenitic) won't.
Why don't magnets work on some stainless steels?
Be careful with magnets on SS. I was ecstatic when I discovered my new SS fridge would hold all my magnets. I put up a few as I really wanted a grown-up fridge look...then I discovered most of the magnets scratched the SS & off they came.
