You love your stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, but during the summer months when your home is filled with a little more activity than usual, you may not be so fond of how those appliances are looking. While stainless steel tends to attract fingerprints, there are a few tips that will help you keep those appliances polished and clean.
Jessica of mom4real.com recommends starting the process with vinegar (doesn’t all good cleaning begin with vinegar–see our suggestion for fluffier towels here). Spray down your stainless steel with vinegar and then wipe it clean. Soda water also works well in cleaning stainless steel.
Next, apply a very light coating of mineral oil and polish off the fingerprints, suggests Carolyn Forte, director of the Cleaning Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. Make sure the coating is light–avoid any buildup that will make the appliance “tacky and attract more dirt.” Also, avoid using food-based oils such as vegetable or olive which can turn rancid.
If you don’t have any mineral oil in the house, head to your garage for an alternative solution. Melissa from Theappierhomemaker.com has a secret “smudge-free” weapon: Turtle Wax. Using a clean cloth or paper towel apply the Turtle Wax in a light coat and buff to shine with a microfiber cloth.
You should repeat the cleaning and buffing process as part of your normal weekly or biweekly cleaning routine, adds Stephanie Mitchell from Demand Media. This keeps the “buffer layer intact” and prevents new fingerprints and smudges from accumulating.
Talk to us: What is your trick for keeping stainless steel appliances smudge-free?
image courtesy of flickr CC/leigh wolf