Not every technique is safe to use when cleaning stainless steel appliances. Avoid scouring powders, steel wool, bleach, ammonia, and other non-stainless steel cleaners to prevent damage to the appliance's finish.
Stay away from steel wool and brushes. They will scratch the surface of your stainless steel and make it more susceptible to rusting and staining. Abrasive cleaners will scratch the surface and dull the finish. Bleach and cleaners with chlorine will stain and damage stainless steel.
DON'T use chlorine bleach, chloride, oven cleaner, or other abrasive cleaners. Many different cleaners contain chlorides or chlorine. These chemicals and other abrasive cleaners will cause surface pitting. They can also strip the protective chrome oxide barrier from stainless steel.
Avoid using regular Windex on stainless steel, as the ammonia content can damage the material. Although it is possible to clean stainless steel with ammonia-free Windex, it is best not to take the chance because it is difficult to tell how a cleaner will react with stainless steel.
Avoid cleaners that can damage steel and finishes. Instead, clean your stainless steel appliances with a dish soap like Dawn® Platinum. Its unique formula is tough enough to break up grease and grime while staying gentle on stainless steel surfaces.
For best results, use a concentrated dish liquid like Dawn®. Apply a few drops onto the soft side of a damp sponge. Scrunch it a few times to disperse the soap throughout the sponge and to create suds.
The passive layer on stainless steel can be attacked by certain chemical species. Chloride ion is the most common of these and is found in everyday materials such as salt and bleach. Harsh pitting corrosion is a localized damage that eats pits into stainless steel.
Vinegar can indeed damage your stainless steel surfaces if precautions aren't taken during its use. However, by diluting acidic cleaners like vinegar before application and regularly wiping down surfaces afterwards with warm soapy water, you can keep your stainless steel in pristine condition for years to come!
Dampen a microfiber cloth in warm water and wipe the stainless steel to wet it. We found that starting with a wet surface made it easiest to work with the dish soap. Next, dampen a second microfiber cloth and add a drop or two of dish soap (less is more here). Slowly begin to wipe down the appliance.
You may be tempted to use a paper towel but paper towels may scratch the surface of your stainless steel appliances. A microfiber cloth is softer and will produce a better result.
Stainless steel is naturally corrosion-resistant, but it is not immune to rust. While it is less prone to rusting than conventional steels, exposure to damaging chemicals, saline, grease, moisture, or heat for extended periods of time can cause corrosion.
Use a clean, damp sponge or soft cloth. A mild abrasive cleaner such as *Cameo Stainless Steel Cleaner, or *Soft Scrub (without bleach) can be used, remembering to always wipe with the grain. More stubborn soils can be removed using a damp *Scotch-Brite pad. Be sure to rub evenly with the grain of the stainless steel.
Harsh chemicals: Exposure to harsh chemicals, such as bleach or ammonia, can also cause stainless steel to tarnish or corrode. Fingerprints and oils: The oils and acids in our skin can also cause stainless steel to tarnish over time, particularly if the surface is not cleaned regularly.
There are several ways that stainless steel can become contaminated during fabrication. The three major causes are contamination with carbon, chloride or mild steel. To have proven results, It is important to eliminate all of them. Contamination by mild steels occurs just by contact with the stainless steel.
As consumers learned how to keep the surfaces of stainless steel appliances free of smudges and streaks by using the right cleaners and techniques, they discovered that stainless steel surfaces do get scratches over time from other metals hitting the surface, minerals in hard water, or over-abrasive cleaning.
A simple solution of water and 70% isopropyl alcohol is an effective stainless cleaner, with the added advantage of disinfecting the surface. Rubbing alcohol is the key to shiny stainless steel because it evaporates quickly without leaving a residue.
To make: Start with a clean spray bottle. Pour in white vinegar, Blue Dawn liquid dishwashing detergent and water. Apply the spray top and shake to mix. To use: Shake to mix then spray it liberally on the stainless steel surface you want to clean.
If you have rust on your flatware, place a rag into some regular vinegar and rub the spots vigorously until the spots have disappeared, then put some olive oil on another clean rag and rub it gently into your stainless steel flatware.
Stainless steel leaches nickel and chromium into foods during cooking. Toxicological studies show that oral doses of nickel and chromium can cause cutaneous adverse reactions such as dermatitis.
Nitric acid is a "friendly" acid towards Stainless Steel and is the only mineral acid which should be used to clean stainless steel. Avoid contact of the acid with other metals, particularly the aluminium and copper bases on cookware. A 10% solution (1 part Nitric Acid added to 9 parts water) is usually used.
So, does salt corrode stainless steel? The answer is yes. Salt can corrode stainless steel. However, not all types of stainless steel are equally susceptible to corrosion.
If you're looking for greater natural shine, use olive oil, white vinegar, or a specifically formulated stainless steel cleaner. Always use a gentle microfiber cloth to prevent scuffs, use a light coating of mineral oil to avoid grime, and if any stainless-steel cookware is left in the sink, wash it right away.
Use the olive oil and vinegar technique a couple of times a month, or on heavy cleaning days. For everyday maintenance and cleanup use one part white vinegar to one part water in a spray bottle. Spray down your stainless steel surface and wipe off with a dry cloth. Zip zap zip!
Skip the store-bought products and use distilled white vinegar as a homemade stainless steel cleaner. It's all you need to keep your stainless steel appliances, countertops, and sink looking great.