What can you use to clean stainless steel refrigerator

Q: Can I use Windex on my stainless steel appliances?

If all youre dealing with are those smudgy fingerprints, you can give your stainless steel appliances a quick touch-up using glass cleaner. Brands like Windex will do just fine, here. Once again, spray the solution onto your cleaning rag and apply it to the smudgy areas on your appliances using a circular motion.

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Table of Contents Show

Thing’s You’ll Need
References
About This Article
Reader Success Stories
Did this article help you?
Can I use Windex on my stainless steel appliances?
How do you clean the outside of a stainless steel fridge?
What cleaners should not be used on stainless steel?
How do you make stainless steel look new again?

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A stainless steel fridge can turn your kitchen into a modern heaven, but cleaning it can sometimes get tricky. Follow this advice as you attempt to get rid of streaks, spots, hand prints, and the like, and you’ll figure out how to clean a stainless steel fridge in no time.

1
Choose a nonabrasive cleaning cloth. Stainless steel scratches easily, and even a mild kitchen scrubbing pad will mar the surface.[1]
- Use a microfiber cloth. They work better than lint-free cotton because they leave less fibrous material on the surface of the stainless steel
- Clean and shine your refrigerator with paper towels. If you want a super, non- streak shine, first clean the surface with the microfiber cloth and your favorite cleaning agent, and then wipe down the refrigerator with paper towels.
2
Clean with the grain. You may have to look closely to see the grain, but you will be able to detect which way the grain is going. Rubbing against the grain, even with a microfiber cloth, will leave permanent scratches on the surface of your appliance.[2]

1
Use plain water. This is the cheapest method for cleaning your refrigerator, but stubborn stains and fingerprints will require extra rubbing or the addition of a few drops of dishwashing liquid soap. If you use soap, you will have to rinse off the surface with clear, hot water before you dry it with a paper towel. (Dry it quickly so that it doesn’t streak.)[3]
2
Clean with oil. Any vegetable oil, including olive oil, will clean stainless steel. You can also use baby oil; cleaning with oil does require extra drying to soak up the oil, this cleaning method leaves a very glossy shine but a darker shade.[4]
3
Try white vinegar and water on your appliance. Mix the two together in a spray bottle, using 3 parts white vinegar and 1 part water. Spray on your refrigerator and wipe it down with paper towels. Vinegar is excellent at cutting through greasy fingerprints.[5]
4
Use commercial cleaners. Some people prefer the convenience of glass cleaning products and products that are sold specifically for cleaning stainless steel appliances.

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Question
I cleaned my stainless steel refrigerator with Cerma Bryte Brightener, thinking it was the polish, and it is streaky now. What can I do?

Use Weiman stainless steel wipes or spray. Follow up with a dry, microfiber cloth.
Question
What's the best cloth to use when cleaning stainless steel appliances?

Use a microfiber cloth, something very soft. In a pinch, use an old t-shirt or underwear.
Question
I cleaned my stainless steel refrigerator with stainless steel cleaner. How do I get rid of the smears?

I use apple cider vinegar and my fridge is totally spotless. Spray a clean cloth with the vinegar, wipe the fridge, then use another clean cloth to wipe it again. The results are amazing.

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Club soda works quite well on stainless steel, but many people don’t like to use it because it is messy.
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Vinegar can also be used undiluted; splash some on your microfiber cloth and rub with the grain. The smell is much stronger when used full strength, but the odor dissipates quickly.
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Vegetable oil, baby oil or any commercial cleaner containing oil will give the best shine, but the surface of the refrigerator will attract dust and dirt faster than if you use a non-oily product.
As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

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Some commercial cleaners can harm your floors. As a precaution, cover the floor surrounding the refrigerator with towels or an old rug before you spray a cleaner on the refrigerator.
As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!
Use gloves to protect your hands from chemicals in commercial cleaners.
As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

Thing’s You’ll Need

Microfiber cloth
Paper towels
Commercial cleaners (optional)

References

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To clean a stainless steel refrigerator, start by spraying it with a mixture of white vinegar and water, and wiping it down with paper towels. Then, rinse the surface with clean, hot water before drying it off. Make sure to use a microfiber cloth for cleaning, and rub with the grain of the steel so you don’t scratch the surface. Additionally, dry your refrigerator with paper towels to give it a nice shine. For tips on how to use olive oil or baby oil to clean your refrigerator, scroll down!

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Reader Success Stories

"Cool video, this has made up my mind in buying a stainless steel fridge/freezer. It's worth the effort to clean,..." more

Did this article help you?

Can I use Windex on my stainless steel appliances?

If all you're dealing with are those smudgy fingerprints, you can give your stainless steel appliances a quick touch-up using glass cleaner. Brands like Windex will do just fine, here. Once again, spray the solution onto your cleaning rag and apply it to the smudgy areas on your appliances using a circular motion.

How do you clean the outside of a stainless steel fridge?

Stainless Steel Cleaning Tips Step 1: Dip a soft cloth in warm water mixed with a mild dish detergent. Wipe the surface, rinse the cloth and wipe again, then dry with a towel to prevent water spots. Step 2: If you still see fingerprints, spray a glass cleaner onto a soft cloth and wipe fingerprints away.

What cleaners should not be used on stainless steel?

7 Cleaning Products You Should Never Use on Stainless Steel.

Harsh abrasives..

Scouring powders..

Steel wool..

Bleach and other chlorine products..

Glass cleaners that contain ammonia, such as Windex..

Tap water, especially if yours tends to be hard water (use clean distilled or filtered H2O instead).

Oven cleaners..

How do you make stainless steel look new again?

Olive oil or any mineral oil can refurbish your stainless steel appliances to look as good as new. So grab some olive oil from your pantry, and start buffing a small amount in the direction of the grain of the stainless steel. After this easy hack, your kitchen appliances will shine like new.

clean stainless steel refrigerator