Denis Larsson
Stainless steel can look dull when there are traces of fingerprints and smudges, although stainless steel corrodes much more slowly than other steels due to its alloying with chromium (which forms a protective film against oxidation such as rust).
However, if you are going to clean stainless steel, there is a simple method to remove marks and stains. It is to use a damp cloth with a little washing-up liquid and rub the stainless surfaces.
Then wipe off with a clean cloth and water. When stainless steel surfaces are kept clean, dust and dirt
do not stick to them as quickly. Cleaning products for cleaning stainless steel
There are also cleaning products on the market that easily remove dirt, smudges, and oxidation of all forms of stainless steel and aluminum, copper, bronze, chrome, and brass.
If you don’t want to use a special agent or cleaning cloth, baby oil can also work, but don’t forget to wipe with a cloth afterward. You then take a microfiber cloth or cloth – or even a regular dishcloth – and spread some baby oil and then wipe your stainless surfaces with the cloth. Some advise that it works well with cooking oil, but baby oil is the most common housewife trick and the most common recommendation.
Stainless appliances
If you have appliances with stainless steel doors or a stainless oven, there are also good tips to avoid sticky handprints and other stains of grease. When your kitchen appliances are new they usually have a protective coating that keeps them clean from stains and it is usually enough to wipe them with a damp microfiber cloth, but after a few years it usually takes more work to keep grease and stains away and modern appliances in, for example, brushed steel easily gets greasy spots on the surface.
Do this to keep your stainless steel appliances fresh and free of marks and dirt:
- Mix a little washing-up liquid with a liter of warm water. Then dip a microfibre cloth in the water with washing up liquid and rub the solution into the stains.
- Wipe with a damp cloth dipped in warm water without detergent.
- Wipe dry with a dry cloth.
Use microfiber cloths or other types of cloth, but never a kitchen sponge or sponge with an abrasive part that can scratch or otherwise damage the surface you are cleaning.
Vinegar is also a classic housewife tip when it comes to cleaning stainless surfaces. Do this.
- Mix one part vinegar with three parts water in a spray bottle.
- Spray on lime deposits around e.g. faucets and nozzles.
- Let it work for a while.
- Wipe off with a damp cloth or sponge.
- Wipe dry with a dry cloth.
A little warning never uses steel wool to clean stainless, it can destroy the protection that the stainless gives and also leave ugly rust spots.
