Protect your stainless steel by avoiding these common cleaning missteps.
By Savannah Sher
Maintain Shining Stainless Steel
Stainless steel appliances provide a contemporary polish to your kitchen with their gleaming finish and low-maintenance care requirements. Stainless steel has a naturally occurring film which helps it look great for years. In order to keep your stainless steel appliances in top shape, it’s crucial to maintain this protective layer with regular cleaning. If treated improperly, however, the surface can be scratched, dulled, and worn away. Read on to learn about the mistakes to avoid when cleaning stainless steel.
Cleaning with Abrasive Cleaners
Stainless steel contains iron, chromium, manganese, silicon, and carbon. When these elements interact with the oxygen in the air, they form a thin film that protects the steel from rust and corrosion. Abrasive cleaners wear away at this layer by scratching it and damaging the steel’s natural grain, causing rust over time. Avoid cleaning powders and liquids containing abrasive ingredients like calcite, feldspar, quartz, and silica.
Scrubbing Against the Grain
Look closely at stainless steel and you’ll notice fine lines in the material. When cleaning, always scrub, wipe, or polish the surface in the same direction as the grain rather than against it. This helps to clean inside those tiny cracks to remove dirt and dust. Avoid scrubbing against the grain because it can cause the surface to be scratched.
Using Hard Water
Even if you’ve followed all of the rules, you may still notice spotting and staining on stainless steel appliances. If this happens, the culprit may be your tap water. Hard water can leave streaks and stains on stainless steel. To prevent this, be sure to dry the appliances’ surfaces thoroughly using a soft towel after washing. Remove hard water stains with a damp cloth and a little white vinegar.
Using Bleach
Bleach is a cleaning staple in many households, but it doesn’t pair well with stainless steel. The chemical reaction between bleach and stainless steel can cause dulling and can even eat away at the metal. Be sure to confirm that cleaning products are free of bleach before using them on your stainless steel sink or appliances.
Letting Dirt Sit
Always clean stainless steel appliances as soon as you notice dirt or grime settling on the surface. If allowed to dry, dirt will be harder to remove and may require harsher cleaning tools or harder scrubbing, which can dull the surface. Use a damp paper towel or microfiber cloth to clean up spills shortly after they occur.
Skipping Rinsing
Cleaning products may leave a residue behind, which can stain the finish. After washing stainless steel appliances with either a commercial or DIY cleaning solution, always rinse the surface with clean water. Simply dampen a microfiber cloth and run it over the surface to ensure no cleaning solution remains.
Ignoring the User Manual
While there are a number of universally applicable rules to apply when cleaning stainless steel appliances, manufacturers may also provide specific care instructions for their products. Some appliances feature a clear-coat finish, and there may be specific guidelines for how to care for it properly. Always check the user manual to ensure your appliance doesn’t have any additional restrictions when it comes to cleaning.
Using Steel Wool, Steel Brushes or Highly Abrasive Cleaning Pads
Never scrub your appliances with an abrasive sponge. These kinds of abrasive agents will scratch the grain of the steel and make your beautiful appliances appear dull. Steel wool may be ideal to clean other items in your kitchen, but it is too abrasive for your stainless steel. You should also avoid conventional steel brushes as their bristles can break apart and deposit small carbon remnants that become embedded in the steel. The particles will rust and create the appearance that the appliance is rusting.
When you clean, use non-abrasive tools such as paper towels or soft microfiber cloths. Mesh and soft sponges work well if you need extra scrubbing power. Make sure to follow the cleaning by buffing with a soft, clean and dry cloth to remove any residue remaining on the surface.
Leaving Items in the Sink
Although it is usually tempting to leave your pots, pans, and dirty dishwater in your stainless steel sink, this is a costly mistake. The grime on your cookware can leave stains and streaks that are difficult to remove, and the longer the mess sits, the more difficult the cleaning becomes. Filthy, sitting water has the same effect.
After you clean your cookware, it is also important that you thoroughly remove all traces of any cleaning products that you used and wipe down the sink to remove any leftover food and grime.
Failing to properly rinse
Gritty water can leave a visible residue on the steel’s finish. Make sure you always rinse completely in order to wash off any kind of cleaning product that could stick.