- What is Bar Keepers Friend?
- What can I use Bar Keepers Friend on?
- What can't I use Bar Keepers Friend on?
- The best uses for Bar Keepers Friend
- Where can I buy Bar Keepers Friend?
Have you heard about all of the brilliant uses for Bar Keepers Friend? This cleaning product has been around for quite some time, but it's never been more popular!
Today we're sharing 30 brilliant ways that you can use it to transform your home.
Give these useful tips a try today...
What is Bar Keepers Friend?
Bar Keepers Friend (BKF) was established in 1882. The brand began by creating a powdered cleanser and polish, but it has since developed a large range of products that can be used all around the home.
What are the different Bar Keepers Friend products?
You might have heard Bar Keepers Friend mentioned as a miracle cleaning product but, when looking to buy it, it can be quite confusing. BKF makes several cleaners which can be used to achieve different results.
The different products are:
- The Original Cleanser & Polish (powder in a can)
- Soft Cleanser (pre-mixed liquid in a squeeze bottle)
- Cooktop Cleanser
- MORE Spray & Foam
- All-Purpose Power Cream
- Cookware Cleaner & Polish
- Stain Remover
What can I use bar keepers friend on?
Bar Keeper's Friend can be used on the following surfaces:
- Corian
- Brass
- Stainless steel
- Copper alloys
- Bronze
- Aluminium
- Glass
- Porcelain
- Ceramic
For advice on cleaning aluminium, take a look at our other blog post.
What can't I use Bar Keepers Friend on?
Bar Keepers Friend can't be used on:
- Mirrored surfaces
- Granite
- Coloured grout
- Gold
- Painted surfaces
- Lacquered surfaces.
- Silver (sterling silver is okay)
- Fabric
- Wood
- Leather
- Polished stone
- Cast iron
- Marble
The best uses for Bar Keepers Friend
1. Clean your bathtub & shower tray
Whether they're acrylic or porcelain, you can use Bar Keepers Friend to clean your bathtub and shower tray. This handy cleaner will remove soap scum and remedy scuff marks.
2. Does Bar Keepers Friend clean grout?
You don't need to re-do your entire bathroom to achieve amazing results. One of our favourite ways to use BKF is to effortlessly remove staining from tiles and grout. Use the cleaner with a firm, bristle brush for best results.
3. Shine your shower doors
How clean are your shower doors? Hard water spots and mineral deposits will make them look less than perfect. You might have given up trying to remove these difficult stains, but this miracle cleaner will do the trick.
4. Porcelain toilets & sinks
You can even use BKF to give your toilet and sink a new lease of life. Just use a sponge to work the product in. Dark staining will be gone before you know it.
In our other article, we're looking at whether or not you can flush hair down the toilet. Take a look!
5. Remove rust stains
With excess moisture building up in the room, bathroom fixtures can easily begin to rust. Use it to shine up plugs and showerheads in seconds.
6. Shine your towel rails
Heated towel rails are brilliant at keeping your bathroom nice and warm, but they can easily get covered in dust, lose their sparkle and sometimes even begin to rust! Use BKF to clean and shine each rail.
7. Clean chrome taps
You can even use Bar Keepers Friend on chrome. If your taps have seen better days, use the cleaner to remove rust and scum. You won't believe the mirror finish you'll be able to achieve.
8. Restore Lino floor
Do you have dirty lino floor in your bathroom? It can start to look grimy pretty quickly - no matter how much you mop. For particularly stubborn stains, give our new favourite cleaner a try. A bristle brush will help you to get into the nooks and crannies.
9. Remove scratches from dishes
Plates, bowls, mugs, and dishes are all quick to age. Save your dinnerware, vintage pyrex and even your finest Le Creuset dish with this brilliant cleanser.
10. Clean up pots & pans
Are the undersides of your pots and pans looking worse for wear? If you leave your pans to build up with burnt residue, they could damage your stove and take longer to warm up. Bar Keepers Friend will have your pans looking and working as if they were brand new.
For more ways to clean burnt pans, read our other article.
11. Save cutlery from rust
Vintage cutlery might rust, but BKF will easily restore it. You can also use it to remove rust from scissors and tin openers.
12. Scrub your dishwasher
Your dishwasher might do a great job of cleaning your dishes, but it could use some TLC too! Scrub away residue and water spots from the stainless steel to reveal a beautiful shine. A clean dishwasher equals cleaner dishes after all!
13. Shine your kitchen sinks
Whether you have a standard, stainless steel or a beautiful Belfast sink, Bar Keepers Friend is the best cleaner for maintaining a brilliant shine. You'll be able to erase scuffs, scratches, and residues with ease.
14. Make glass stovetops look brand new
Another amazing use for Bar Keepers Friend? Use the Cooktop Cleaner or The Original Cleanser to remove hardened stains from your hob. If you've tried everything else, give it a go. You'll be amazed by how easily those stubborn marks disappear!
Looking for even more ways to clean your hob? Watch our video!
15. Clean stainless steel appliances
Microwaves, fridges, kettles and toasters - if they're made of stainless steel, you need to give them a clean with Bar Keepers Friend. Use a soft sponge to avoid scratching the finish and be careful to avoid any electrical components when rinsing with water.
16. Deep clean oven racks
Use BKF to get your oven and BBQ racks back to their former glory. You might not have seen their true colours for years!
17. Can Bar Keepers Friend be used to clean oven glass?
There's no need for any harsh, dangerous cleaning chemicals when you've got Bar Keepers Friend. It quickly cuts through oven grease. Keep up with regular cleaning so that it never feels like a nightmare task.
18. Fix burnt trays & dishes
Baking trays, pizza pans and glass dishes can all take quite a beating. The burnt-on food is a nightmare to clean off, but not with Bar Keepers Friend. Just use a sponge to work the cleaner into any stains.
19. Use it on glass dining tables
Although Bar Keepers Friend shouldn't be used on wood, it can be used on glass-top dining tables. You'll be amazed by the brilliant, streak-free shine it leaves!
20. Perfect glassware
Giving a house guest a cloudy glass to drink from can be a bit embarrassing. This is where BKF comes in! It easily removes cloudiness and water spots for crystal clear glassware. Why not use it to clean an old vase too?
21. Shine your exhaust pipes
Don't forget to show your car's exhaust pipes some love! They can become covered in a smokey film, but it's easy to remove with Bar Keepers Friend.
22. Make chrome rims sparkle
Leave the chrome rims on your car with a dazzling finish. All you need is this amazing cleanser and a soft sponge.
23. Erase scratches on your car
Use a small amount of Bar Keepers Friend on a magic eraser sponge. Gently buff into the scratches on your car and they will start to vanish before your eyes!
24. Give your golf clubs some love
Golf clubs are expensive so you should do all you can to keep them in top-notch condition. Bar Keepers Friend will help to preserve that shine.
25. Remove sticky labels
Is there anything more annoying than sticky residue left behind by a label? Bar Keepers Friend will remove any stickiness without the need for too much elbow grease.
26. Remove rust from outdoor furniture
Outdoor furniture sees it all. Unless you invest in some proper covers, expect to see rust start to form on your patio furniture, BBQ, and trampoline. Before you take it to the dump, give Bar Keepers Friend a try.
27. Shine drawer handles
You might think your drawer handles are looking okay, but give them a clean with Bar Keepers Friend and you'll be shocked to see the difference.
28. Restore your ice skates
Have you found an old pair of ice skates? They might be rusty, but they aren't beyond repair! Use BKF to carefully clean the blades. You'll be back on the ice in no time.
29. Clean drum cymbals
Looking for an affordable way to make an old drum kit look brand new? Bar Keepers Friend is perfect for cleaning drum cymbals. You won't recognise them after you're finished!
30. Shine your keys
Rusty keys look and feel less than pleasant. Just because your property is older, it doesn't mean that your keys have to reflect that. Give them a clean and polish.
Where can I buy Bar Keepers Friend?
If you're struggling to find this miracle cleaner, we've got you covered. Availability of Bar Keepers Friend will vary depending on your location, but a few of the UK stockists include:
- Amazon
- Tesco
- The Range
- Lakeland
- Wickes
- John Lewis
- Dunelm
- Ocado
- Wilko
Other cleaning products to try
If you're a fan of Mrs Hinch, or just looking for some new cleaning products to try, check these out next:
Q&A
What can I clean with Bar Keepers Friend?
As a general rule of thumb, Bar Keeper's Friend can be used to clean and polish most hard, non-porous surfaces. We list the places that Bar Keepers Friend can be used in our article.
Where can't I use Bar Keepers Friend?
Some people have found success using Bar Keeper's Friend on surfaces like wood and silver, but it's not recommended. You should always give the surface a patch test in an inconspicuous area. For a full list of surfaces to avoid, check our article.
Is Bar Keepers Friend safe?
Bar Keepers Friend will be safe, as long as you follow the directions on the packaging. As Bar Keeper's Friend is a cleaning product, you should never mix it with other chemicals or cleaners.
Bar Keeper's Friend needs to be rinsed thoroughly after use, so don't apply to a surface where this might not be possible.
Which Bar Keepers Friend is best?
If the product is new to you, we'd suggest trying the original or soft cleanser.
Is Bar Keepers Friend environmentally friendly?
Bar Keepers Friend is not completely natural, but it doesn't contain bleach or harmful abrasives like similar products. The cleaner is also biodegradable.
Is Bar Keepers Friend cruelty-free?
At the time of writing this, PETA has recognised BKF as a cruelty-free cleaner.
What are the ingredients in Bar Keepers Friend?
The listed ingredients on our bottle of Bar Keepers Friend Power Cream are citric acid monohydrate, oxalic acid, 5-10% non-ionic surfactant and perfume.
Are there any other cleaning products I should try?
Yes! Check out our other articles on The Pink Stuff, Elbow Grease and Zoflora.
Watch our video to learn more about The Pink Stuff:
It's time to stock your cleaning kits with this cleaning product! Do you have any uses for Bar Keepers Friend to add? Let us know in the comments below.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to the reader, we earn a commission if you click through to one of our recommended products and make a purchase.
I have used Bar keepers Friend all around my home for years. I can’t recommend it enough, it’s a fantastic product
Please don't use it on an enamel bath. I had taken it to the bathroom to clean the taps and my Husband squirted it all over the bath to give it a good clean …. aaaagh … disaster. It must have lifted the top layer off , you can still see every suirt and dribble !!
Thanks for the warning, Pauline! I've heard many stories where this product has been left on too long and left its mark, so it could just be that?
Thanks for the article, it’s answered all my questions about the product including if it’s tested on animals which it isn’t :)
You're welcome, Lisa!
Am new to the product and have ordered the works as a professional cleaner with OCD I feel this product will do me wonders and save alot of time and elbow grease in alot of my jobs am excited to try it :)
We hope you love it, Tanya!
Can barkeepers friend be used to clean pvc windows
Bar Keepers Friend may not be the best choice for cleaning PVC windows, as its harsh or abrasive formula could potentially scratch or damage the surface. Instead, using a cleaner specifically designed for PVC or plastic surfaces or a mixture of warm water and mild dish soap is best.
I have a car that sat up for 2 years and the windows have extensive water spots that won't come off so the windows are hazy. What should I use? HELP!!!!
To remove water spots from your car windows, try using a vinegar solution or a baking soda paste, or purchase a commercial product specifically designed for this. Professional polishing or replacement may be necessary if the water spots have etched the glass.
Will BFF remove coffee stains from kitchen sink
Bar Keeper's Friend is a cleaning product that can effectively remove stains and discolouration, including kitchen sinks. However, there are mixed reviews on its effectiveness on coffee stains; it's recommended to try it on a small area before using it on the entire sink.
I made a mistake last night and used it on laminate floor to get dirty boot marks off but it has left a residue of powder. Does anyone have a recommendation to get this off? Thanks.
Have you tried rinsing thoroughly?
I have stains on my balcony floor surface . They are caused by the resin from the buds of the surrounding tress in the yard of our Condominium. Will BKF remove the stains and if so which one of the products should I use? It is a duralux ( sp? ) surface .
Bar Keepers Friend can effectively remove stains caused by tree resin. We recommend using the Bar Keepers Friend Original Powder formula, as it has a strong abrasive action that can effectively remove stubborn stains. However, it is essential to test a small, inconspicuous area of the floor surface first to ensure that the product won't damage the duralux material. Additionally, follow the label's instructions and rinse thoroughly after use to prevent any damage or residue.
I have a Fiberglas shower in closure and it is coated with what looks like rust . I would like to know if bar keepers friend is safe to use on it.
Bar Keepers Friend is generally safe to use on fibreglass surfaces, but it's best to test it on a small inconspicuous area of the shower enclosure before using it. Also, follow the manufacturer's instructions and use the product by the recommended dilution and application methods.
Can I use your product on a yellowing plastic bath?
It is possible to use Bar Keepers Friend on a yellowing plastic bath. However, testing the product on a small area first and following the manufacturer's instructions is recommended.
Can I use BKF to remove tomato sauce stains from silicone food bags?
Bar Keepers Friend can effectively remove tomato sauce stains from silicone food bags. It's cleaning properties and gentle abrasive action can help lift and remove stains. However, it's essential to conduct a spot test on a small, inconspicuous area of the silicone bag first to ensure the product does not cause any damage or discolouration. Follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer and rinse the bag thoroughly after cleaning.
Will it get rid of mould.
Bar Keeper's Friend is primarily designed for stain and rust removal and may not be specifically formulated to eliminate mould. It is recommended to use dedicated mould removal products or seek professional assistance for effective mould removal.