Stainless steel is one of the most resilient materials which you find in a wider range of household and industrial uses. The main thing which is present in it is its chromium film. It is responsible for the resistance to rush and tarnish in the stainless steel. If you will give proper care to its chromium this can provide protection for many years. The integrity of this film can be damaged by dirt and other contaminants. Stainless steel must be cleaned regularly with safe cleaning products. You can use some mild detergents and a little bit of elbow grease, it will provide your stainless steel shining for years to come. Here are some methods to clean stainless steel.
Methods to Clean Stainless Steel:
1.) Rubbing Alcohol or Other Chemical Solvents
Some of you will have noticed the sticky film on your stove top, hood or grill that appear when the stainless come into the contact with grease from cooking or other contaminants. As everyone known grease or other soils are not corrosive to stainless steel, they compromise the availability of the stainless steel surface to maintain the ability to prevent corrosion.
- To clean stainless steel, simply just pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto a soft cloth and rub until the greasy spots get clean perfectly.
- As with other method be sure to rinse off the alcohol with warm water and dry the stainless steel to make it look like new.
2.) Apply Glass Cleaner to Clean Stainless Steal
Stainless steel appliances need to be cleaned to maintain their shiny luster. Fingerprints can be the most uphill task to remove from the surface of smooth polished or bright stainless steel, such as microwave, oven or a refrigerator.
- Fortunately, you can easily remove fingerprint with a glass cleaner. You just simply need to apply the cleaner with a soft rag and follow with a thorough warm water and then rinse. The fingerprint can be annoying but you can relax knowing that they affect the corrosion-resistant properties of stainless steel.
- Use a paste of sodium carbonate with a soft cloth to clean the stubborn fingerprints on the surface of stainless steel. Be sure to rinse it with warm water.
3.) Vinegar to Clean Stainless Steel
A very effective cleaner for your stainless steel is hiding in your pantry which is a vinegar solution. You just simply need to fill a spray bottle with undiluted white vinegar, spray it all on your stainless steel surface. Then wipe dry it with soft cloth
- The reason behind for the cleaning effect of vinegar is its acetic acid which cut through the oil left behind by fingerprints. Rather than smearing it around like another cleaner some cooks use lemon juice, lemon juice also has a similar effect.
- Vinegar works effectively to remove the stains that result from heat and hard water, even on cutlery. To remove them you need to apply white vinegar with a soft cloth and rub it gently. Dry thoroughly to prevent a film from forming.
4.) Mid Non Scratching Abrasive Cleaner on your Grill
For tougher stains to remove from the pots and pans, and grime build up on your kitchen sink. Mild nonscratching abrasive powders may be in order for thorough cleaning. You can use your typical household cleaner. This method works very effectively if you have a stainless steel grill on your deck, where it may accumulate dirt and grime from exposure to the elements. Panini or waffle irons may also benefit from thorough cleansing.
- You can use cleaning compounds with warm water, soft bristle brushes, or clean clothes for the best result. Don’t use steel wool or carbon brush because they can leave particles embedded on the surface that might lead to rusting.
- After cleaning always rinse with clean hot water and enjoy the shine of your new looking pots, kitchen sink or appliance, pans.
5.) Warm Water to Clean Stainless Steel
Most of the time stainless steel get clean just only with warm water, with or without a gentle detergent. You just need to simply rinse your stainless steel cutlery or pots in the sink and clean them with a gentle cloth. If you want so you can add a little detergent to make your job easier.
- Sometimes water may contain mineral solids that can leave water spots on the surface of stainless steel. Then wipe thoroughly with a dry towel to keep your pots and pans or other appliances look their best.
- Be sure to use cleaning method first before moving towards on the other solutions. You will find that a little warm water and suds will work effectively, you don’t need to bother with harsher cleaning solutions.
Ways to Clean Stainless Steel Objects:
1.) Clean Stainless Steel Appliances
The first step to clean stainless steel appliances is to remove the surface grime. You need a wet towel and a mild detergent like soap. Apple this detergent or soap solution on the surface of appliances. Only use a few drops of the mild detergent so that does not leave behind a soapy residue while cleaning.
- If there is a dried stuck on food on the surface you an try using a nylon scrubbing pad to loosen the foods.
- Don’t use steel wool scrubber of any other kind of cleaning utensil which is not labeled nonscratch.using harsh abrasive cleaning tool could create costly scratches in the stainless steel surface.
2.) Clean Stainless Steel Sink
Sprinkle and evenly distribute about 2 tablespoons of baking soda onto the surface of the sink. Use a sponge to rub spread baking soda evenly around the skin basin surface.
- You may like to use the harsh cleaner to remove the stain from your skin. But harsh cleaner will affect the chromium layer which can actually do more harm than good.
- Or you can use the vinegar solution. You just simply need to pour the vinegar on the sink surface. Vinegar will react with the baking soda and start to foam. This foaming will help to remove the stain on the stainless steel surface. Then leave this solution for about 10 minutes to ensure that they mix properly and thoroughly loosen the surface impurities.
- You can use soft bristled toothbrush to reach the smaller areas of the sink.
- Then rinse the sink with water and wipe it dry with a towel or cleaning cloth. Your sink will be shiny and ready to use for the next use.
3.) Clean Stainless Steel Pan
For general using, you can use a dirty pan with dish-washing soap and water in the sink. Pan should be washed by hand because dishwashers can work away at the handles of your pans.
- Then immediately use a towel to dry your pan. The immediate drying will help to prevent water spots. It they are still forming rinse the, with club soda and dry with a soft rag or cloth.
- If you want to clean stuck on food then fill your pan with about 1 inch of water and put it on a stove burner. Then turn on the stove and wait for the water to boil.
- Once the water is boiling then add one tablespoon of baking soda and two tablespoons of salt.
- Put the stove flame on low and let this mixture lightly boil for approximately 30 minutes.
then scrape off the residue using a plastic wooden spatula to rub the bottom of the pan, continue scraping the bottom of the pan until all the stuck on food is removed. - If your pan only has burn marks then you can sprinkle the baking soda onto the burnt area and scrub them away with a soft sponge, the baking soda will help to dissolve the burn marks.
4.) Clean Stainless Steel Jewelry
Fill a small bowl with water and add some mild detergent like dish soap to the water. Then dip a clean cloth in this solution. Wipe the piece of jewelry with the cloth until the stains of the jewelry get clean.
you can also use toothpaste to clean the jewelry, but only use this method if it is too dirty. Remember that toothpaste is slightly abrasive in nature and could possibly damage the jewelry piece. Rinse the jewelry with water once you are finished the cleaning it with toothpaste.
- If you have decided to use the toothpaste to clean the jewelry then use a cloth to rub the toothpaste on the jewelry surface. Make sure to use the non whitening brand and it does not contains silica. The whitening toothpaste and silica can damage the stainless steel.
- Use a clean cloth to wipe down the piece of jewelry and then leave it to the air dry completly.
5.) Polish to Clean Stainless Steel
After you clean stainless steel object, then give them a shine with a polish designed especially for stainless steel. You can find stainless steel polish at most of the hardware stores and grocery stores. Be sure not use industrial strength stainless steel polish on your objects as they contain much harsher chemicals.