Nothing makes a kitchen glow like the sparkle of well-polished stainless steel appliances and cookware. But although stainless steel is rustproof and holds up well to everyday use, wear and stains can make it lose some of its shine.
Fortunately, its easy to keep stainless steel looking clean and bright. And best of all, you don’t need harsh chemicals or fancy cleaners to do it! Just a few simple products you probably have in your cupboard – baking soda, vinegar and peroxide – and a few minutes of your time, will keep your stainless appliances, pans, utensils and servingware clean, polished and looking like new.
How to Spot Clean Stainless Steel
Just have a few problem spots to touch up? Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with some hot water and use a plastic scrub pad to clean and polish the area.
How to Remove Stains from Stainless Steel
(Yes, sometimes stainless steel gets stains.)
For small items mix 1/4C baking soda and 1 quart (4 C) of water and let them soak for about 20-30 minutes. Remove, scrub the stained area with a plastic pad if necessary, rinse and dry.
Have a really stubborn stain? Peroxide to the rescue. Make a paste out of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Rub it into the stained area and let it site for 30 minutes before wiping and rinsing. Or, you can soak the item for an hour in a mixture of 2Tbsp baking soda to 1 C hydrogen peroxide.
How to Clean and Polish Stainless Steel Appliances
Baking soda is a great cleaner for servingware, pots, pans and utensils, but it is slightly abrasive. For that reason, we prefer using cream of tartar (aka potassium hydrogen tartrate or tartaric acid – you can find it in the spice aisle) to clean appliances. Mix 1 part cream of tartar to 2 parts white vinegar, wipe onto the surface and wipe dry.
Trivia note: Cream of tartar is actually a byproduct of winemaking!
At NY Brite we’ve been advocates of natural and effective “green” cleaning methods from the beginning. See our list of recommended cleaning products for your home, including our favorite environmentally-friendly commercial cleaners, or contact us for a free estimate on Office Cleaning Service NYC