I confess that I like the look of my stainless steel kitchenware. It’s bright, it’s shiny, it sparkles! And it stays bright, shiny and sparkly until I decide to cook something in a stainless steel pot or pan.
I have a simple choice here. . Luckily, stainless steel is simple to clean and ridiculously easy to maintain.
You will need warm water and a soft cloth, a clean towel, detergent, glass cleaner.
- Start by cleaning with warm water and soft cloth
- Spray with glass cleaner to clean off fingerprints
- Use detergent and warm water for tougher stains and dirt
- Wipe in the direction of the grain to avoid leaving streaks
- Dry with a towel. This not only prevents water spotting but gives you a shiny, polished result
Never clean stainless steel with ..
- Steel wool or, quelle horreur, steel brushes. They will scratch the surface of your stainless steel and make it more susceptible to rusting and staining.
- Abrasive cleaners. They will scratch the surface too
- Bleach. It will stain and damage stainless steel. Don’t use cleaning sprays or solutions that contain bleach.
- Remember that dirty water and cleaning solutions can leave a residue that will stain and damage the surface, so don’t forget to rinse and dry
Don’t forget the sink while we’re talking about stainless steel. The detergent and water that flows through the sink isn’t cleaning it. Soap deposits, food stains, rust, and water spots all build up if you don’t stay on top of them. Here’s a reminder in an earlier post How to clean your sink