How To Clean Stainless Steel Sinks, Counters, Appliances & More!

How To Clean Stainless Steel Sinks, Counters, Appliances & More!

We all want the kind of stainless steel you can see your reflection in. Getting it? Well, that's a different story. Grime, fingerprints and dust mean our stainless steel is often a far-cry from the shining silver surfaces pictured in the interior design magazines - sigh.

All is not lost, however. Today we're going to be showing you how to clean stainless steel - including your kitchen sink, appliances and more! Once you have a few stainless steel cleaning tips under your belt, keeping surfaces spotless will be surprisingly easy.

Are you ready to get the kind of stainless steel you've always dreamed of? Then get ready to learn how to clean stainless steel sinks, counters, kettlesmicrowaves and more.

How to clean stainless steel

1. Find the direction of the grain

stainless steel grain
Here, the grain is horizontal.

In order to clean your stainless steel effectively, you should first find the direction of the grain. Get a little closer to your stainless steel, and try and find faint lines on the surfaces that all run in the same direction - this is the direction of grain.

By cleaning along the grain rather than against it, you'll achieve much better results.

2. How to remove limescale & tannin stains from stainless steel

scrubbing sink
The natural method is a miracle!

If you live in a hard-water area and have a stainless steel kitchen sink, chances are the solutions above will do very little. Unsightly tannin stains can also pose a problem.

There are many products on the market that are extremely effective at removing limescale, but there's also a homemade solution that works wonders.

Make a natural & easy stainless steel cleaner for your dirty sink today to blast away limescale the natural way.

3. How to remove fingerprints from stainless steel

Whether it's fingerprints from the kids or paw prints from pets, there's nothing that ruins the look of clean stainless steel like greasy marks.

The best solution for removing fingerprints from stainless steel is a household glass cleaner. Spray the chosen product onto a microfibre cloth, then wipe in a circular motion to remove marks.

4. How to shine stainless steel

shining stainless steel
Look at the difference!

If you've got family or friends coming round and want to get the house looking more spotless than ever, shining stainless steel will add the final flourish.

The secret ingredient for our stainless steel polish is olive oil. You don't need much - just a drop on a soft cleaning cloth. Massage into the surface in a circular motion, then lightly wipe off any excess with kitchen roll.

The best stainless steel cleaners

1. Water & cloth

stainless steel sink
So shiny!

If you give your stainless steel regular attention, it won't need much cleaning at all. In fact, providing you don't live in a hard-water area, often all you need is some warm water and a cloth.

This method is particularly effective for stainless steel surfaces that don't come into contact with much dirt - drawer handles for example. For best results, use a microfiber cloth.

2. Dish soap & water

To clean stainless steel appliances, something more powerful may be needed. Again, there's no need to reach straight for a cleaning product - a diluted solution of washing up liquid and hot water will do wonders on greasy surfaces.

3. White Vinegar

white vinegar
Try the natural method.

For fans of natural cleaning, distilled white vinegar is a very effective method for cleaning stainless steel.

Just pour it into a spray bottle, spray all over the appliance or surface and wipe clean with kitchen roll or a dry cloth.

4. Stainless steel cleaning products

If you'd rather not mess about, there are many products on the market that are specifically designed for cleaning stainless steel.

They can be very effective and powerful, but they're full of chemicals so be sure to read the instructions before you start.

Never use bleach on stainless steel or chrome, as it could damage the finish. 

I can't wait to get me stainless steel sparkling. Do you have any of your own helpful cleaning tips to share?

 

Stephanie C

Editor

Lover of all things fashion & foodie...I look to satisfy my tastes without obliterating my budget. Wannabe interior designer, I'm an avid cushion cover maker and charity shop hunter.

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  1. Author SJ Marshall on August 1, 2017 at 10:49 am

    That olive oil REALLY works. I would never have guessed at that.

    1. Author Stephanie C on August 2, 2017 at 10:16 am

      Hi there. I love the olive oil tip too, it always gets amazing results! Glad you enjoyed the tips :)

    Reply
  2. Author roger Merchant on August 2, 2017 at 8:30 am

    fill the sink with boiling water. Put in 2 measures of Oxi Fabric Stain remover . It will bubble up. leave for 4-6 hrs. Drain sink and rinse. Your sink will be grease and stain free without having to rub or scrub.

    1. Author Stephanie C on August 2, 2017 at 10:16 am

      Hi Roger. What an interesting idea - will have to give it a try. Thanks for stopping by :)

    Reply
  3. Author Stephanie Webb-Morris on August 2, 2017 at 9:20 am

    Use a used toothbrush to clean around the taps.

    1. Author Stephanie C on August 2, 2017 at 10:16 am

      Top tip Stephanie! Thanks for sharing :)

    Reply
  4. Author Sabs on August 2, 2017 at 10:26 am

    I will try olive oil is good idea.. most of the time I use baby oil.... but I try with olive oil aswell...

    1. Author Stephanie C on August 2, 2017 at 5:21 pm

      Hi Sabera. Baby oil works well for us too - will be interesting to see which you prefer! :)

    Reply
  5. Author Annette on August 2, 2017 at 11:29 am

    instead of olive oil I use Baby Oil it smells Great too you only need very little just like olive oil i even use The Baby oil on my stainless steel BBQ !!!

    1. Author Stephanie C on August 2, 2017 at 5:21 pm

      Hi Annette. Sometimes we use baby oil too. Great suggestion! :)

    Reply
  6. Author Stephen Cavanagh on August 2, 2017 at 3:35 pm

    After cleaning your stainless steel surfaces, sinks or oven tops, use a small amount of baby oil. Rub in liberally and then buffs to a shine. This protects the surface and makes it easy to remove spills or stains.

    Reply
  7. Author Karen Andrews on August 2, 2017 at 11:27 pm

    Well I just use washing up liquid rubbed well in,,,then rinse down with boilin/hot water,,,the dry off with microfiber cloth,,, then put domestos bleach down the plug hole and in and around the overflow point,,and then sit down,,job done.

    1. Author Stephanie C on August 3, 2017 at 9:53 am

      Hi Karen. Interesting to hear about your method - it certainly sounds very thorough! :)

    Reply
  8. Author Coach Furniture on August 12, 2017 at 8:54 am

    Amazing post. Thanks for sharing these wonderful tips for cleaning stainless steel sinks, counters and appliances.

    Reply
  9. Author Brushless Drill on October 3, 2017 at 10:08 am

    Almost all the appliances that we use in our homes are made up of the stainless still. The procedure shared above for cleaning the stainless steel is very simple and very effective. I followed the same procedure and it worked for me. Thanks for sharing this important article with us.

    1. Author Stephanie C on October 4, 2017 at 9:21 am

      Hi there. Thank you so much for your kind comments. I'm glad you liked the article :)

    Reply
  10. Author Marcus on October 5, 2017 at 1:11 am

    Thank you for mentioning how you should use warm water and cloth to clean stainless steel. I can understand that doing this can help you avoid damaging it and helpful look lean and beautiful. A friend of mine was talking about how he needed to get stainless steel bench tops, so I wanted to know how to take care of this metal.

    1. Author Stephanie C on October 5, 2017 at 9:03 am

      Hi Marcus. I'm glad you found the article useful. I hope your friends gets on well with the tips! :)

    Reply
  11. Author Theresa craig on October 11, 2017 at 10:32 am

    My sister has spilled cilit bang on her new stainless steel hob how can we get marks off

    1. Author Stephanie C on November 15, 2017 at 5:26 pm

      Hi Theresa. I'd recommend contacting Cilit Bang directly for an answer to this. Thanks.

    Reply
  12. Author Izzy on February 8, 2020 at 1:00 pm

    I use Baby Oil to clean stainless steel. :)

    1. Author Joanne A on February 10, 2020 at 2:35 pm

      Great idea!

    Reply
  13. Author Susan Tabbitt on February 22, 2020 at 10:01 am

    Spraying Baby Oil also works. A Chef told me.

    1. Author Joanne A on February 24, 2020 at 10:19 am

      Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  14. Author Lynne Densham on March 2, 2020 at 1:08 pm

    Hi Joanne, Could you please tell me how to remove little rust marks off the front of my stainless steel oven. They just appeared one day after I’d wiped it down and they look unsightly. Kind regards Lynne

    Reply
  15. Author Anne Bunney on November 21, 2020 at 8:23 am

    I read your home tips every day & find them so so helpful. I try not to use too many products but find the sensible everyday uses of items I have at home very useful. Thank you to all the contributers

    1. Author Joanne A on March 30, 2021 at 4:41 pm

      I'm so glad to hear it, Anne!

    Reply
  16. Author Louise on March 27, 2021 at 9:14 am

    Hi, I have a brushed steel funnel type hob extractor which has a build at the top any tips on how to clean?

    1. Author Joanne A on February 3, 2023 at 11:38 am

      Clean a brushed steel funnel-type hob extractor by wiping it down with a cloth dampened with warm water and mild detergent and then drying it with a clean, dry cloth. Clean the filters separately according to the manufacturer's instructions.

    Reply
  17. Author Janet Saul on May 4, 2022 at 10:58 am

    Quite by accident, spillage, I discovered laundry soap, I use non bio, cleans a stainless steel really well. A small amount on a damp cloth works wonders on mine.

    1. Author Joanne A on May 31, 2022 at 12:41 pm

      Sounds great!

    Reply

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