This post on how to clean stainless steel appliances has been sponsored by Casabella. All opinions are 100% my own.
Many people (myself included) love the look of stainless steel appliances, but they are notorious for displaying fingerprints and smudges. When we got our first stainless steel appliance, I was determined to figure out a way to clean it without streaks; and it is so easy! Let’s take a look at how to naturally clean stainless steel appliances so they look like new.
I am pumped! We just got ourselves a brand new, stainless steel dishwasher! Our old one was no longer cleaning our dishes since the soap didn’t dissolve half the time. Not only that, the brackets that held the racks in place were broken; and it was growing slimy orange stuff inside. (Totally gross!)
I cannot tell you the number of times I have been asked about how to clean stainless steel appliances, but because I didn’t own a stainless steel appliance, I could never answer the question. Now that I have one, I was ready to figure out the best way to keep it clean.
What You Need to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances Naturally
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Ingredients Needed for Cleaning Stainless Steel Appliances
Supplies Needed to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances Without Streaks
- Microfiber Cloth for Stainless Steel– I try to steer clear of store-bought cleaning products as much as possible. When I discovered Casabella made a microfiber cloth specifically for stainless steel, I was excited to give it a try because all you need is water… no harmful chemicals 🙂
- Clean, Lint-Free Cloth– I used a clean Dish Towel
How to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances So They Look Like New
Stainless steel is notorious for attracting smudges, fingerprints and water stains, but there is an easy way to clean stainless steel appliances without streaks, so they look like new.
Start by grabbing a microfiber cloth designed for cleaning stainless steel appliances. Simply add water to the cloth, wring it out, and wipe down the stainless steel appliance with the grain.
You do not want water drying onto the stainless steel as this will create watermarks. Instead, grab a clean, lint-free towel (or cloth) and dry it off; again, wiping with the grain.
To polish stainless steel appliances (and reduce the appearance of future smudges and fingerprints), add a little olive oil to a dry lint-free towel/cloth and wipe it onto the appliance, with the grain.
Please note: You are not dousing your appliance in olive oil, this should be a very minimal amount.
Once you’ve polished the whole appliance with olive oil, go back over it with a dry towel (not the part with olive oil), and buff your appliance… with the grain.
Let’s take a look at where our stainless steel dishwasher started, shall we?
… and now…
So much better, right???
Common Questions About Cleaning Stainless Steel Appliances
How Do You Clean Stainless Steel Appliances Without Streaks?
As I stated over and over again in this post, the key to cleaning stainless steel appliances without streaks is to always go with the grain. Whether you are cleaning the appliance with the microfiber cloth or polishing it with the olive oil, you always need to move in the direction of the grain. Most stainless steel appliances I have seen have a horizontal grain, so wipe left-to-right. However, if you feel like your cleaning motion is a bit rough, you may be working against the grain and this will cause streaks.
Is There Anything You Should You NOT Use to Clean Stainless Steel?
Yes! Do not use anything even mildly abrasive on stainless steel appliances as this will scratch the surface; so no scour pads or steel wool.
Bleach should also never be used on stainless steel as it will cause rust and pitting of the surface (source).
How to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances
Ingredients
- Olive Oil
Supplies
- Stainless Steel Microfiber Cloth
- Clean, Lint-Free Towel or cloth
Instructions
- Start by wetting down the stainless steel cleaning cloth and wring it out
- Wipe the stainless steel appliance with the wet cleaning cloth, always going with the grain
- Thoroughly dry the appliance with a clean, lint-free towel to avoid water stains
- Add a bit of olive oil to a clean, lint-free towel and polish the stainless steel in the direction of the grain
- Remove any excess olive oil with a clean, lint-free towel, buffing the stainless steel along the way (again, in the direction of the grain)
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Where did you pick up your cleaning caddy? I have been looking for one for several months and I can’t seem to find any. 🙁
I’m impressed. This actually worked pretty well. I have always hated my stainless steel because it was impossible to clean. I said would never buy it again and I still won’t, but this trick will help me until it’s time to replace my appliances. One word of warning….if you have a dog, you may find him licking the olive oil off the refrigerator.
These are very useful ways to keep stainless steel clean. I agree that, don’t use water drying onto the stainless steel because this will create watermark. Thanks for sharing..!!