How to Keep Stainless Steel Spotless

Stainless steel is both practical and attractive, which is why many chefs choose this material for just about everything they need to outfit a kitchen from appliances to countertops to hood vents. Stainless steel looks good in just about any style of kitchen and if you keep it clean, it will shine as bright as the day it was installed for years to come. Keep reading to learn how to clean stainless steel like a pro.

Baby Your Countertops

Avoid using abrasive cleaners to clean stainless steel lest you want scratches permanently marking your countertops. Instead wipe them down with dish soap, warm water, and a soft cloth.

Clean Hood and Handles Weekly

Vent hoods and handles can quickly become a grimy mess if you don’t take a few minutes each week to give them a cleaning. For handles, a quick wipe down using a damp microfiber cloth will do the trick. To banish grease from your vent hood, spray rubbing alcohol on a cloth and wipe it down. Be sure to avoid spraying alcohol near or over an open flame.

Don’t Forget the Knobs

Remove knobs to clean hidden gunk at least once a week.

Banish Oxidation with Pumice Powder

Mix pumice powder with a bit of warm water to make a paste. Apply the paste following the grain of the stainless steel. Rinse away with warm water.

A Recipe for Fighting Burn Marks

Nothing ruins the attractiveness of stainless steel like a burn mark. Luckily, you can whip up a burn banishing cleaning concoction using resources you likely already have in your kitchen. To get rid of burn marks, mix together 1 cup of baking soda, ¼ cup of lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons of borax. Apply the paste over the entire affected area using a soft cloth. Scrub in the direction of the grain to remove the burn marks. Rinse the area with club soda and wipe down with a microfiber cloth.

As you can see, even the toughest cleaning projects for stainless steel only take a few minutes to complete. You don’t even need a bunch of expensive cleaning products to get the jobs done. For more cleaning tips, home decor ideas, and renovation advice, check out our blog each week for a new post.