One of the most frustrating things about home life is when you buy a fancy new appliance and admire it for days only to take your eyes off it for a weekend or two and see that it has lost its shine. Stainless steel appliances, in particular, are a little tricky to get to keep that pristine appearance. Here we have some top tips to make your stainless steel items look like they are brand new, whatever the age.
As a basic rule always avoid use any steel wool scouring pads or harsh scrubbing items. They will leave permanent scratches on your appliances. There are specialty wipes that you can buy at any supermarket that will do the job quickly and easily but you don’t need to buy these items. There are a number of home remedies that can work with standard cloths as well.
Mix 1 teaspoon of detergent with four cups of hot water. Take a microfibre cloth and rub gently on any stains on your stainless steel. Rinse with hot water and then dry with a clean cloth.
If you have any stronger blemishes or deep scratches you will need mineral oil. Apply a light coating to the surface and ensure you rub it in well to avoid it clumping. Ensure you do not use any oils that are derived from foods as they may go off over time.
While many people say that you should not scrub stainless steel in a circular motion, that is a myth. The key importance is that you always go with the grain. If you go against the grain you are likely to cause streaks in your steel.
Using the methods above will ensure that your stainless steel products look great again. To help keep them in this condition and to avoid having to work so hard, clean them regularly. Although the supermarket is full of purpose-built solutions to clean your steel products, we don’t think they are really required. If you do want to make life easier than these products are really excellent at their job and will clean any steel surface easily and harmlessly but if you fancy doing a DIY job, follow our steps above. With stainless steel sorted the last great mystery of the home is how to clean windows without leaving massive smudges. Worry not, we will have an article on just that topic very soon.
