How To Clean Stainless-Steel Appliances
- Turn Off
- Wipe Externally
- Use a microfibre cloth with a cleaning solution and let them dry
For stainless steel cookware, washing them with soapy water and a soft sponge will help, with some also requiring a bit of soaking.
JUMP TO:
How To Clean Stainless-Steel Appliances
Cleaning stainless steel appliances and kitchenware (as well as your stainless steel sink) is a simple procedure, although it is essential to take care while carrying this out. This is because stainless steel is prone to scratches if you are too rough with its handling.
Although there are a few differences in how to wash stainless steel appliances based on their type and function, the general process is as follows.
Turn Off Appliance
The first thing you should do is turn off your appliance completely. For instance, if you need to clean a stainless-steel oven or microwave, turn the switch off and unplug the appliance.
Similarly, if you need to clean a kettle, sink, pressure cooker, rice cooker or even your pots and pans, make sure none of them is in use, even if you only want to clean them externally.
Use Microfibre Cloth
A microfibre cloth is a synthetic cloth that has extremely fine fibres. These help ensure gentleness and softness while cleaning any kind of appliance. Thus, no matter what you use as your cleaning solution, make it a point to wipe it off only with this kind of cloth.
This will help you avoid scratches or sudden peels.
Perform A Basic Wipe
Take a microfibre cloth and dampen it up a bit. Use it to perform a basic wipe of your stainless steel appliance so that you can remove small debris and food particles. Make sure you also use a dry cloth after this, unless you immediately wish to clean it more thoroughly.
Use Soapy Water
In most cases, a bit of soapy water should be enough to clean your stainless steel appliance. A washing liquid should do the trick here, with an easy solution being to put some of this in a spray bottle and spray it around the appliance. You can then wipe it off with the microfibre cloth.
Use Home-Made Solutions
In case your appliances require deeper cleaning even after the aforementioned steps, you can try making some other solutions, some of which include:
- Vinegar and water
- Baking soda and water
- Olive oil or baby oil
Spray either of these solutions on tougher stains or burnt material and wipe them with a microfibre cloth. In either case, make sure you always clean in the same direction as the grain of the appliance to ensure thoroughness.
If these solutions do not work, consider buying a gentle commercial cleaner or calling a professional to help you out.
For appliances like dishwashers, you will need to see if there is a cleaning cycle available that you can run with vinegar, baking soda and water.
Soak Your Cookware
Stainless steel appliances like pots, pans, pressure cookers and slow cookers might require some overnight soaking for easier cleaning. While you can simply place your pots and pans in the sink and soak them with warm water, the cookers will require you to heat up some water and pour it into the inner container.
You can also add some solution to this water, such as vinegar or baking soda. After a few hours, remove the water and clean it with a gentle scrub or microfibre cloth.
FAQ
What Should I Avoid Cleaning Stainless-Steel Appliances With?
Harsh chemicals like bleach and ammonia and rough cleaning tools like wire scrubbers will end up ruining and damaging your stainless-steel appliances, so make sure you avoid cleaning with them
Is It Possible To Remove Scratches From Stainless Steel Appliances?
You can remove scratches from stainless steel appliances by using cleaning solutions like toothpaste, baking soda and vinegar mixed with water. Using oils like olive oil can also do the trick.
However, if you have coated and sealed appliances, you should consult a professional before trying this out.
Summing Up
You can clean stainless steel appliances using a cleaning solution and a microfibre cloth, with some devices requiring a proper soak too. Be gentle during this cleaning process so that you do not end up causing too much damage to the surface of the appliance.
