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How to clean Stainless Steel Appliances



Stainless steel appliances have a sleek look until they are covered with fingerprints and streaks.  If your house is anything like mine, they are covered in the latter more than they have that sleek showroom look.  We recently bought a new refrigerator and I thought that my favorite stainless steel cleaner was perfect for all of my appliances until I grabbed it and tried to clean the new refrigerator.  Epic fail.  Streaks galore.  So this had me wondering about the best way to clean stainless steel appliances and what the best products are to use.

First of all, different companies use different grades and types of stainless steel which may need to be cleaned differently or may work better with different brands of cleaners.  I can attest to this in my home because different products work on each stainless appliance.  This is why I set out to find something that worked on all of my appliances.

What’s the best way to clean stainless steel appliances?

Apply to a microfiber cloth and clean quickly.  Don’t let the cleaner dry on the stainless before buffing it in to the surface.  I recommend using a microfiber cloth that is designed to be used on stainless steel.  This is my favorite one from Casabella.

When applying cleaner you need to wipe your cloth in the direction of the grain of the stainless steel.  This is because dirt can get trapped in the grain of the stainless and it will be and appear much cleaner this way.

Find a product or method that works on YOUR stainless steel appliances.  I’ve found 4 products that work the best on my three different brands of stainless steel appliances.  For my appliances the Weiman cleaner and polish works the very best on all of my appliances.

YOU ALREADY HAVE IT  – White Vinegar – apply directly to cloth and wipe in the direction of the grain of the stainless steel and clean with microfiber cloth.

CLEANER AND POLISH – Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish – spray on cloth or appliances and wipe in the direction of the grain of the stainless steel and clean with microfiber cloth.  Buff with a clean, dry cloth.

PRE-MIXED NATURAL CLEANER – Seventh Generation Stainless Steel Cleaner – spray on cloth or appliances and wipe in the direction of the grain of the stainless steel and clean with microfiber cloth.

CLEANING CONCENTRATE – Branch Basics  mix up 100:1 – spray on cloth or appliances and wipe in the direction of the grain of the stainless steel and clean with microfiber cloth.