- 10-May-2024
Stainless steel is preferred in many kitchen utensils and installations due to its hardness, ease of cleaning, and resistance to stains. However, stainless steel is not without drawbacks; primarily, it is vulnerable to stains from dirt, grease, fingerprints, water spots, and other residues after constant usage. Even though available from the store, there are cleaners that are specially formulated to clean stainless steel. You can also make your own at home using readily available compounds.
Vinegar is one of the most effective homemade cleaners that can be used to clean stainless steel at home. White vinegar is an acidic solution that effectively removes grease, hard water stains, and lime deposits on stainless steel.
Ways to Remove Rust Stains on Stainless Steel Using Vinegar
– Fill a spray bottle with equal parts of white vinegar and warm water. To enhance cleaning abilities, you may use white vinegar without dilution.
– You should then pour the vinegar on the stainless steel surface. It is also important not to spray the solution on any part of the body that is in contact with electricity.
– Wipe the surface with a microfiber cloth. Wipe using circular motions until all the stains and speckles have been wiped clean.
– Wash gently with warm water and pat dry with a clean and soft fabric. The smell of vinegar will fade once the mixture has dried up.
Sodium bicarbonate is also a cleaner that can be used alone or in combination with vinegar when cleaning stainless steel. It serves as a soft abrasive to help remove dirt from surfaces. Baking soda also helps to eliminate smells.
– Take a sponge or soft cloth and wet it with warm water. Dip it into baking soda to form an abrasive paste.
– Using circular motions with the baking soda paste, scrub the surface of the stainless steel, especially where it appears dirty or stained.
-Then rinse it thoroughly after some time.
Lemon juice contains citric acid that acts as an excellent cleaner on stainless steel and leaves a shiny and non-streaky surface. Lemon juice also helps remove smells.
– Place fresh lemon juice in a clean spray bottle. Finally, pour warm water on it.
– The process of cleaning stainless steel is straightforward: spray the lemon juice solution on the surface and let it stand for 5 minutes. This enables the citric acid to act on the dirt and stains and get neutralized when it comes into contact with the second layer.
– Clean with a soft, clean cloth. It is appropriate to use a sponge soaked in water to clean the surface.
– Wash gently and adequately pat with a microfiber cloth to avoid water stains.
For light cleaning of stainless steel, warm water mixed with dish washing soap can help in removing Fingerprints and dusts.
– Dilute a small quantity of dish soap such as Dawn or Palmolive in a pail of warm water.
– Submerge a soft sponge or a microfiber cloth gently into the soapy water and squeeze out the water.
– Cleaning of stainless steel fixtures should be done with soft and circular motions to help lift up the grime.
– Continue by wiping the surface with a dry towel to ensure that the soap is washed off and there are no streaks left behind.
Do not use powdered dishwasher detergent or hand soap with moisturizers or lotions since these make residue worse.
– Always works from the base up and from the center outwards – avoid scrubbing hard as this could ruin some of the stainless steel finishes.
– Appliances should be off and electrical elements should not be in use during cleaning.
– It is recommended that the area be washed with clean water and all the cleaning solution residues be washed off after cleaning.
As stated above, stainless steel appliances, sinks, and surfaces can look as good as new if they are well taken care of and cleaned regularly. Vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice which are all natural products are effective in removing dirt while ensuring the surface gains a natural shine without any streaks.