Have you just bought new appliances for your modern kitchen? Do you want to know how to keep your kitchen sparkling and fresh?
Stainless steel appliances are found in nearly every modern kitchen today.
Many homeowners are unaware of the importance of cleaning their stainless steel regularly.
If you want to keep your kitchen looking as new as the day you moved in, read on. We have gathered the best methods for how to clean stainless steel below.
Why Stainless Steel Appliances Are More Popular Than Ever
For most kitchen designs, stainless steel appliances are one of the most common choices. All types of different kitchen appliances can boast stainless steel. This includes refrigerators, dishwashers, wall ovens, and ranges.
Each of these items can be sold with a very clean steel look that appears stylish compared to typical white or black finishes.
It is now much more common than it used to be to see stainless steel and appliances around the home, particularly in the kitchen. The shine and sparkle of the steel are incomparable with other common household materials.
Stainless steel reflects light and brightens any indoor space instantaneously.
This stands in contrast to some of the historical colors used in kitchen design. Very bright greens and yellows used to dominate most modern styles, but now steel lends a classy and polished look that has separated itself into its own class.
Part of the attraction of using stainless steel in your kitchen is the fact that it is highly adaptable with nearly any modern layout. You can place stainless steel appliances into wooden and marble surfaces with ease. With this flexibility, you should be able to adapt your kitchen space with a stainless steel appliance within nearly any kitchen style available today.
Keeping Clean Stainless Steel Surfaces
Of course, there is one major downside to using stainless steel. Stainless steel needs to be maintained regularly to improve its longevity over the long haul.
Without regular maintenance, in due time new and glistening appliances with stainless steel will become marked with smudges, water spots, fingerprints, or streaks. It is important to set a regular routine and habit of maintaining stainless steel appliances to avoid each of these frustrations.
But this doesn’t have to be as much of a hassle as it sounds. There are some fast and easy tips for cleaning stainless steel that will dramatically reduce the amount of time you have to spend cleaning.
How to Get the Job Done
At the end of the day, stainless steel is quite easy to clean. It just needs to be done regularly. But using a little bit of elbow grease and very basic cleaning solutions for the home, you’ll have your stainless steel appliance looking brand-new in no time.
First, take a look at the appliance’s user manual to see if there are any specific suggestions for cleaning products for stainless steel based on the styling and shape of your stainless steel product.
The manufacturer may have stated that there are particular chemicals that should be avoided for your product. Some of these products might include glass cleaners, for example, because if applied incorrectly it can leave a stand behind.
No matter what type of solution you are using, ensure that it is a stainless steel safe cleaner. This goes for both cleaning solutions bought in-store, and cleaning solutions that you have made yourself at home.
You won’t want to use things like steel wool, ammonia or bleach, or scouring powders. Each of these can damage the stainless steel finish and alter its texture.
There is no reason that you can’t use a quick cleaning solution that you have put together in a few minutes at home. When it comes to cleaning stainless steel, there are many ways to skin the cat, so to speak. Here are just a few of the most popular methods:
Dishwasher Detergent
The first option is to mix dishwasher detergent into a ball or bucket of warm water. You can place a soft microfiber cloth inside the mixture, and wipe down the surface of the stainless steel going with the grain of the metal.
That means if the metal looks like it’s shaped longitudinally, make longitudinal strokes.
Make sure that you are using detergents that have strong degreasing abilities. When you are finished, wipe the metal dry using a separate washcloth.
Baking Soda Paste
The second method helps remove food-related stains or smudges. If you want to remove this type of stain, put some baking soda into warm water until it forms a paste. Wipe the paste onto a small microfiber cloth and begin to rub it into the grain of the stainless steel appliance.
This will allow for a small degree of abrasion that should be able to pick up and dislodge any leftover food stains.
Distilled White Vinegar and Olive Oil
Another great option is to directly spray distilled white vinegar onto the surface of the appliance. Use a cloth to rub the vinegar gently into the metal.
Once again make sure that you are wiping using the direction of the grain of the stainless steel.
You should follow the vinegar for cleaning application with an application of olive oil. Once more, work in the direction of the grain, and the olive oil will leave a shiny finish that complements the work of the vinegar.
Clean Your Stainless Steel Today
Keeping your stainless steel products clean is not as hard as you’d think. In fact, if you use one of the above methods on a regular basis, guests are likely to marvel at your kitchen’s impeccable style and modern finish.
If you enjoyed this article about how to clean stainless steel, be sure to check out our other articles on keeping your home clean, or contact us today!
