How to clean stainless steel sinks, cookware, and appliances

Walk into any kitchen and you’re bound to find stainless steel surfaces gleaming back at you. Why? Well, as the name suggests – ‘stainless’ steel is designed to be durable, rust-resistant, and mark-free. It’s an excellent conductor of heat too, which is why we use it for cookers, saucepans, and cutlery.

Stainless steel surfaces do still get dirty, of course, and that grime can actually compromise their stain-resistant super powers. Don’t have any idea how to clean a stainless steel fridge? Well, we’ve put together the guide below to help you keep your kitchen clean and your stainless steel surfaces gleaming too.

When you don’t know how to clean your stainless steel sinks, cookware, and appliances the best solution to turn to is a specially formulated stainless steel cleaner. These are designed to restore a gleaming shine with ease!

How to Clean a Stainless Steel Sink

Always wear rubber gloves, protect your clothes, and read manufacturers’ instruction manuals before you start cleaning. Avoid using harsh chemicals like bleach or abrasive scrubbing sponges and wire wool, as these can damage and scratch stainless steel. Always test a product on an inconspicuous area before widespread use. 

The white marks on stainless steel sinks, otherwise known as limescale, are calcium deposits left behind by hard water. These can be quickly removed by using a commercial limescale remover, or often with a solution of white vinegar and water (one part vinegar to five parts water) and a microfibre cloth. Rinse the area with clean water afterwards to restore the sparkle to your sink.

How to Clean a Stainless Steel Hob

Spilt sauces or burnt-on food can easily get stuck on to steel hobs. The best solution is to:

• Ensure that all components of the oven are switched off before removing the pan stands and soaking in a bowl of hot soapy water.

• Apply a cream kitchen cleanser (like Cif) to the stainless steel surface with a sponge and wipe any dirt away, remembering to wear rubber gloves for protection.

• Rinse both the pan stands and the hob surface with clean water.

• Buff the metal to a shine with a dry clean cloth.

How to a Clean Stainless Steel Cooker Hood

The nasty buildup of oil and grease that you get on stainless steel cooker hoods can be tricky to remove. We suggest you:

• Protect the hob by laying down newspaper or old towels under the cooker hood to catch drips.

• Use a specialist stainless steel cleaner (or make a solution of bicarbonate of soda, lemon juice, and water), ensuring that you test an inconspicuous area before widespread use, and gently rub this into the surface of the cooker hood. Leave it for a few minutes to cut through the grease.

• Use a sponge and clean water to rinse the solution off.

• Buff the metal to a shine with a dry clean cloth.

How to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances

These days, so many appliances come in an attractive brushed steel finish, but how to you keep them gleaming and in tip top condition? You might be wondering how to clean a stainless steel fridge door, or the front of a dishwasher, for example. Just:

• Ensure that the appliance is switched off and has sufficiently cooled down. Then wipe the appliance with a microfibre cloth and a hot water solution of washing up liquid.

• Rub the surface in the direction of the grain of the metal.

• Buff to a shine with a dry cloth.