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Cleaning stainless steel appliances

centralsquare

Ideal_Rock
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Jan 18, 2009
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2,216
We recently replaced our kitchen appliances and now we have all stainless steel. I've been cleaning with regular cleaner (409) and they are starting to look really bad! Yikes! Any suggestions on what to use to clean stainless steel appliances?
 

junebug17

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Jun 17, 2009
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14,127
I have stainless as well, and was upset at how dingy and covered with finger-prints my appliances were - I googled it and furniture polish was recommended. I use the furniture wipes and they work great! Makes the stainless really shiny and gets rid of the prints.
 

NewEnglandLady

Ideal_Rock
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Jul 27, 2007
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6,299
I use the Weiman stainless steel wipes (I get them at WalMart or Target) once a week or so. You have to use the wipes, then use a paper towel to wipe until dry, but it takes all smudges off. I also have the cleaner & polish (I think it's the same stuff as the wipes), but I think the wipes are slighly easier for applying. Even the two-step process (cleaner, then paper towels to wipe clean) is super easy. It takes me about 3 minutes to do the fridge, dishwasher and oven.
 

JewelFreak

Ideal_Rock
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Sep 3, 2009
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7,768
That's the very reason I don't have stainless appliances. Don't want to deal with the hassle of keeping them looking nice. In fact, once someone's had experience with them, I can't see why they get another! JMO. :)
 

Sundial

Ideal_Rock
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Mar 14, 2005
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5,532
My appliance guy suggested regular Pledge furniture polish in the yellow can and it works great.
 

charbie

Ideal_Rock
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JewelFreak|1310931151|2970887 said:
That's the very reason I don't have stainless appliances. Don't want to deal with the hassle of keeping them looking nice. In fact, once someone's had experience with them, I can't see why they get another! JMO. :)
Ditto. We had them in our old house, and I used the cleaners made for stainless steel, the dog nose impressions constantly left on them made me nuts. We knew little kid finger prints would be coming soon as well...they look gorgeous, tho!
 

centralsquare

Ideal_Rock
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Jan 18, 2009
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Thanks for the great suggestions! I agree that having stainless steel is a quite a burden!! They look so good in the stores, but the reality is that they are high maintenance.
 

lyra

Ideal_Rock
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centralsquare|1310932929|2970900 said:
Thanks for the great suggestions! I agree that having stainless steel is a quite a burden!! They look so good in the stores, but the reality is that they are high maintenance.

Dammit! We just bought our first full set of stainless steel appliances this weekend. We're only 10 years behind the trend too. :D Oh well, if they're that much of a bother we'll just sell them with the house when we move. At least our kids are grown and our dogs are small. We do have a spray that is very much like pledge, and it works well on stainless but you have to use it all the time.
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Apr 30, 2005
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33,225
Add me to the list who would not select a finish I have to fuss over.
Life's too short.

If I was stuck with SS appliances I'd keep them as clean/sanitary as I keep everything else in the kitchen and just let them look however they look.
Screw Martha Stewart and Architectural Digest.

I'd call the look a patina.
 

NewEnglandLady

Ideal_Rock
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We have an antique house, so I hate the SS appliances because I find them trendy and I don't like that in a classic house, but the smudges also drive me crazy. I don't mind the cleaning part--I like cleaning, I've always been the type to wipe down my fridge at least 2x per week before we bought this house and had SS appliances. But inevitably my husband (or myself) will smudge the door within 10 minutes of me cleaning it. And that's just us--we don't have kids and the dogs aren't allowed in the kitchen. I know that in a few years I'm going to be more than ready to get rid of these appliances (or the fridge at least).
 

Jennifer W

Brilliant_Rock
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wait.... by appliances, I mean kettle, toaster and coffee maker. Are you talking about cookers, fridges etc? I guess the ecloth would do fine for either, but I only have little ss things.
 

Mayk

Ideal_Rock
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Feb 12, 2011
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Thank you, thank you, thank you... I am so glad someone put this post up.. my appliances make me CRAZY!!! :loopy: These are great ideas!!! I have been doing the polish thing.. it's a ton of work!!! :appl:
 

centralsquare

Ideal_Rock
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I guess I do have buyers remorse over the SS. It's all SS in our house so it's a lot of upkeep. I actually want my husband opening the fridge. I'm always like "i'll get it for you." I think he thinks I'm trying to be very nice but I really just want to control the fingerprints.
 

centralsquare

Ideal_Rock
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lyra|1310933322|2970904 said:
centralsquare|1310932929|2970900 said:
Thanks for the great suggestions! I agree that having stainless steel is a quite a burden!! They look so good in the stores, but the reality is that they are high maintenance.

Dammit! We just bought our first full set of stainless steel appliances this weekend. We're only 10 years behind the trend too. :D Oh well, if they're that much of a bother we'll just sell them with the house when we move. At least our kids are grown and our dogs are small. We do have a spray that is very much like pledge, and it works well on stainless but you have to use it all the time.


I know how you feel! I felt like I was finally getting with the times and seems that increasingly more people are turning away from SS. So I got them just in time to be out of style. Typical.
 

Lulie

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 5, 2009
Messages
342
I spray Weiman SS cleaner & polish lightly then wipe away with the flush side of Vroom microfiber towels [gray] from the Target auto section. Follow the grain of the metal instead of doing cirlces to wipe away all. 3-4 minutes to polish 5 large appliances 1 x week without buffing isn't that bad. The cooktop is another story! :D

BTW, same color also works great on leather & musical instruments. Green ones are fantastic for windows/mirrors.
 

centralsquare

Ideal_Rock
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So I went out and got pledge. The appliances certainly look better, but there are still some smudges and, I think, rust. I'll go out and get the Weiman products tomorrow. Any suggestions for the rust?
 

TristanC

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 6, 2011
Messages
995
Get a Microfiber cloth. Those really help SS things. 3M sells them for cheap, get a good one or a bunch of them.

For rust on stainless, some Flitz or Barkeeper's friend would help deal with it instantly. In fact, barkeeper's friend would deal with Stainless cleaning on a irregular basis.

For day to day cleaning, with a protective coat, you can use Tableau Stainless Steel Cleaning Mousse. Comes in a pressurised can.

After you have done your once over with flitz or barkeeper's friend, just a wipe with a microfiber cloth (very very slightly damp or dry) will retain the SS appliance's luster. Occasionally you can clean and touch up with Tableau. When things degenerate, flitz it again, or BKF it again.

All products should be easy to find in your neighborhood walmart/hardware store.
 

Hudson_Hawk

Super_Ideal_Rock
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barkeepers friend for rust or other stubborn spots. For day to day cleaning, a microfiber cloth and pledge multi-surface spray.

I think I must be the only one who loves SS appliances...
 

lyra

Ideal_Rock
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Hudson_Hawk|1311007507|2971467 said:
barkeepers friend for rust or other stubborn spots. For day to day cleaning, a microfiber cloth and pledge multi-surface spray.

I think I must be the only one who loves SS appliances...

LOL. Read that as "beekeepers friend" and was thinking, oh some kind of beeswax? :razz: Good to know. I'll start looking for that. My DH said no more fridge magnets. Is this also true--he said they'd scratch. :cry: I have some awesome ones. Can I coat them with something (the magnet end)?
 

MerryMary

Rough_Rock
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Hudson_Hawk|1311007507|2971467 said:
barkeepers friend for rust or other stubborn spots. For day to day cleaning, a microfiber cloth and pledge multi-surface spray.

I think I must be the only one who loves SS appliances...

HH - You are not the only one! I have all SS appliances and use the pledge multi-purpose with a micro fiber cloth. Works great and I LOVE my SS applaices and would get them all again tomorrow!
 

centralsquare

Ideal_Rock
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Jan 18, 2009
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Thanks for the great suggestions...I'll go load up on these products tonight!
 

centralsquare

Ideal_Rock
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Jan 18, 2009
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Has anyone tried the Pledge that is for stainless steel? It's in a silver bottle.
 

Hudson_Hawk

Super_Ideal_Rock
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No, because I used the multi-surface for many applications in my house and I'd prefer to have as few bottles kicking around as possible.
 

centralsquare

Ideal_Rock
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Jan 18, 2009
Messages
2,216
I just used barkeepers friend and the Weimann's product and, well, it's a lot better! I still have some rust and smudges but it's at least not embarrassing anymore. It took a lot of elbow grease, though!

We're having a party here this weekend and I just couldn't imagine leaving them as is. Thanks for the help!
 

movie zombie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 20, 2005
Messages
11,879
i still love my stainless steel appliances. i found that putting a very very thin coat of either baby oil or mineral oil on the surface after cleaning keeps the maintenance issue down. and i do mean very very thin layer. but then i don't have kids or dogs. cat hair abound though and i haven't had a problem with that on the appliances despite using the thin layer of oil approach.
 

centralsquare

Ideal_Rock
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Jan 18, 2009
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That's a great idea...I'll give that a try. I'm about to go back and do round 2 of rust removal...
 

rainwood

Brilliant_Rock
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Mar 29, 2005
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I make my own SS cleaner that is 50% rubbing alcohol and 50% water. Mix it in a spray bottle and that's all I need. Good, cheap, simple.
 

TristanC

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 6, 2011
Messages
995
Ahhhh! Two barkeeper's friend posts back to back! The horror!

Haha. I wasn't quoted you see. :cheeky:

No, actually once you've given it some elbow grease and the Barkeeper's friend, just keep it going with a microfiber cloth and just water for daily maintenance. Really, just a microfiber cloth does wonders.

Occasionally a stainless steel specialist cleaner like the pledge, or the tableau mousse (much better if you can find it) will give it all the protective luster it needs.

I have a TON of stainless appliances, stainless & chromed taps, coffee machines, stainless backsplash, stainless knives, cutlery you name it. Always stays fine and I would buy them in a heartbeat over almost any other material. looks great, lasts forever. Except stainless steel cooking pans... now THOSE are a PITA.

Erm, you gotta not let it get too grotty next time before you bring out the cleaners ok?
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Jan 11, 2006
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My maid said never to use furniture polish on stainless steel because it will build up and become a mess over time. She uses (and I use) just a microfiber cloth with a warm water with a little dishwashing liquid to clean it and then wipe with a damp microfiber cloth to remove smudges. I really have few smudges except when dirty hands grab the handles. Grrr! I had black appliances in my last house and I love the stainless in the new one! I think rainwoods idea might be really good, too. There is usually a simple, cheap alternative to all chemical cleaners.

Tristan, barkeepers friend keeps my stainless pots looking like new! I don't find it a problem at all!
 
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