Maintaining Stainless Steel

It seems like stainless steel is in every kitchen in America. When it comes to industrial kitchens, stainless steel sets the standard. Anyone who runs a professional kitchen knows just how important it is to maintain the look and the cleanliness of your stainless steel appliances and surfaces. There are a plethora of products available on the market that claim to keep your stainless steel looking shiny and new, but a little bit of elbow grease and domestic savvy can help you keep your stainless steel looking fresh and new.

Stainless steel can be a challenge to clean because it tends to streak and shows fingerprints with extreme ease. Grime shows up better, and grease and fingertips show better on stainless steel than they do on windows. To ensure that your stainless steel countertops, appliances, and utensils stay spotless follow these helpful tips and tricks. Nothing says I can’t run a professional kitchen like dirty unkempt equipment and surfaces!

Clean stainless steel with the grain.

Look closely at the grain of your stainless steel. Make sure not to rub against it or it can lead to your surfaces becoming permanently scratched and ruined.

Avoid abrasive substances.

Abrasive materials or cleaning substances will cause your stainless steel to become permanently scratched.

Have your stainless steel industrial appliances serviced.

Regular maintenance of your stainless industrial appliances will keep your kitchen running efficiently. The top specialists in refrigeration in Las Vegas encourage routine checks to ensure your appliances are running safely and soundly.

Cleaners are important.

When it comes to the type of cleaners you should use on your stainless steel, you don’t have to spend money on the commercial stainless steel cleaning products. There are great cleaning solutions you can make with common household products that can help you get your stainless steel sparkling and shiny clean.

Water and Terry Cloth

For simple fixes like water spots or finger smudges you can always go over the area with a clean terry cloth and plain water. Make sure you follow up with a clean dry paper towel to get a streak free shine.

Glass Cleaner

Glass cleaner is great for removing fingerprints. Stainless steel appliances and surfaces are great candidates for glass cleaners. Make sure that you rinse the surfaces thoroughly and shine with a dry and clean paper towel.

Mild Detergents

Regular, household liquid dishwashing detergent works great for removing grease stains and fingerprints. Rinse the surfaces and other stainless steel areas well with warm water and shine.

Vegetable or Baby Oils

Many professional cleaning surfaces use vegetable or baby oils to clean and shine stainless steel. If you opt for oils make sure you wipe the area very very well with a paper towel. This will leave you with impeccable high shine. Baby oil also helps remove tough streaks and helps to mask pesky scratches.

There are also stainless steel cleaners on the market that you can use. These help mask scratches and may help with staining. You can use them to polish the area as well. Follow the directions provided with the product to get the best results.

Club Soda

Club soda can be used anywhere on stainless steel there are streaks or stains.

Vinegar

White vinegar has been used in kitchens and households for years. You can apply white vinegar with a clean terry cloth. Undiluted, white vinegar removes stains on stainless steel extremely well.

Tips For Cleaning Your Stainless Steel Utensils

• Wash stainless steel flatware like any other flatware, but rinse it before you place it in the dishwasher.
• Avoid using abrasive cleaning products on stainless steel utensils and flatware. This will lead to scratching and signs of wear.
• Pots and pans should not be allowed to burn. This will permanently mark them.
• Baking soda works great for removing stuck or burned on foods from utensils and pots and pans.