How to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances Naturally

The Benefits of Natural Cleaning

There are several reasons why you may want to choose a natural cleaning solution over a chemical-based option.

Preserve Your Appliance’s Finish Longer

Stainless steel finishes, especially fingerprint-resistant coatings, need to be well taken care of. Applying harsh chemicals to these finishes can dull their shine or prevent the fingerprint-resistant coating from working properly.

Natural cleaners, however, are less abrasive and unlikely to harm your appliance’s finish and shine.

Safety for Family Members

Utilizing a chemical-based cleaner on your stainless-steel appliances may put your family members at risk, young children and pets in particular.

Even if you keep your cleaning products safely locked up, babies and toddlers are known for putting their hands and even feet in their mouths. They could easily get these harmful chemicals on their hands and then into their bodies.

The same could be said for your pets. If they lick up some food off the floor by the stainless-steel oven you just cleaned, they could ingest these chemicals. Natural cleaning solutions help you avoid this risk.

Environmentally Friendly

Natural cleaning solutions, like the ones we have detailed below, will not only help you avoid harsh chemicals in your household but can also have other benefits to the environment including the following.

• Reduce packaging and plastic usage by cleaning bottles.

• Lessening the impact of chemicals making their way into our water.

• Reducing air pollution leading to harming the ozone layer.

If you would prefer to purchase store-bought cleaners, EPA.gov provides some helpful tips on how to choose an eco-friendly option.

Our Favorite Natural Stainless Steel Cleaning Methods

We have detailed the steps to clean stainless steel appliances with two of our favorite methods below. We love these simple cleaning methods because they utilize items that you likely already have in your home and can easily use for other things as well.

Dish Soap & Baby Oil

Our favorite cleaning method includes just dish soap and baby oil.

You will start by mixing dish soap and warm water. Use this solution to dip your cloth into and wipe down the appliance. When finished, wipe it dry.

After this step is completed, add a small amount of baby oil to a microfiber cloth and rub it into the appliance to add extra shine.

White Vinegar & Olive Oil

This method is similar to the dish soap and baby oil method above. Start by adding white vinegar to a spray bottle along with essential oil if desired. Spray down the stainless-steel face of your appliance and wipe down in the direction of the grain.

Once dried, dip a microfiber cloth into olive oil and gently run the oil into your appliance with the direction of the grain to add a shiny finish.

Shop for Stainless Steel Appliances at Silica for Your Home

If you're ready to upgrade your stainless steel refrigerator, oven, or dishwasher, or just want advice from the experts, stop into one of Silica For Your Home's appliance showrooms in Fond du Lac, Beaver Dam, or Watertown today.