One of the most popular appliance finishes is stainless
steel. It can be a very classy look, but sometimes it can seem daunting to
clean all of the fingerprints, especially if you have little kids. When you
need to clean your stainless steel appliances there are a couple things to
consider.
1. Use a
cleaner made specifically for stainless steel and a soft microfiber cleaning
cloth. DO NOT just use regular water and a paper towel. There can be minerals
in your water that can harm the stainless steel and the paper towel fibers can
get trapped in the grain.
2. NEVER use
steel wool, steel brushes or other metal cleaning pads. Metal against metal
will scratch your appliances leaving you with a not so pretty finish. This will
also leave small carbon remnants that can be left in the steel which will leave
a rusty looking finish which is not what you want.
3. Always wipe
with the direction of the “grain” of the stainless steel. If you look at the material you will be able
to see if the striations in the stainless goes horizontal or vertical,
whichever way they go that is the direction you want to wipe. This helps clean
deep into the microscopic grooves where oxidation happens.
4. Be careful
about the cleaner that you use. Some
cleaners leave a “greasy” film on the product and can be harmful to the
environment. While some cleaners, such as Ecosential by Smart Choice, are
formulated to clean while still being eco-friendly.
5. Pay
attention to stainless steel handles. Sometimes the grime can stick to these
areas the most. It might be best to take off the handles to get the sparkly
shine. You should also wipe the area around where the knobs are as dirt and
grime get trapped in these areas.
6. Don’t forget
about the hood. If not careful, the hoods can buildup grease and dust very fast
in those hard to reach areas. Make sure to get a ladder and wipe down these
areas to get the perfect stainless steel look.
Stainless
steel does require more cleaning, but with a little elbow grease it can stay
beautiful just like it was brand new. Once you have these tips in your head and
clean every few weeks, you will be so happy that you picked stainless steel
appliances in your kitchen.
