Best way to clean stainless steel refrigerator?

Cathy Kurpil
by Cathy Kurpil
I clean houses and one of my biggest problems is cleaning the stainless steel appliances, they always come out looking blotchy and streaked. Anyone have an idea for me? Thanks!
  28 answers
  • Debs Debs on Dec 11, 2014
    I agree with furniture polish, it is what I use as well..
  • Anita Paulo Anita Paulo on Dec 11, 2014
    To get oily fingerprints off, use bar keepers friend, liquid works as well, clean off with hot water, soapy ,if you like. Then use furniture polish. .
  • Marty Coffield Marty Coffield on Dec 11, 2014
    I used to have an old fifties kitchen set with all the chrome and steel, my old hint from help use book said to polish with aluminum foil. Might want to experiment on some hidden steel
  • Marty Coffield Marty Coffield on Dec 11, 2014
    Hint from heloise
  • Billie Edwards Billie Edwards on Dec 11, 2014
    put a small amount of oil on a cloth and wipe it on the refrigerator......
  • Jan O'Bryan Jan O'Bryan on Dec 11, 2014
    I have used oil also. My gas cooktop just glows!
  • Sherrie Sherrie on Dec 11, 2014
    Follow your refrigerator's guidelines. Because there are different threads of stainless steel and using some of this stuff will arc it, rust it, and mess up the finish. There is a generic answer, stainless is a pain in the behind but use a little dish soap and water and clean it, rinse it then buff it dry. Sparkling water removes stains on stainless. Never spray a cleaner directly on stainless either. Always on the cloth. But use the stainless steel cleaner your manufactory ter commends. Using cleaning products can leave a FIL in it.
  • Irish53 Irish53 on Dec 12, 2014
    I used to polish over 100 washing machines each night. Club soda cleans almost any stain. Elbow grease will give it a good shine with a few drops of mineral oil.
    • See 2 previous
    • Sherrie Sherrie on Dec 19, 2014
      I also know your right about this and honestly I had forgotten this stuff, but believe it or not you have made my life a whole lot easier! Thank you!
  • Sara S Sara S on Dec 12, 2014
    Swiffer Dust n Shine is awesome! Easy to use and it works!
  • Mary Beth Carrier Mary Beth Carrier on Dec 12, 2014
    I use baby oil on my fridge, as well as my other appliances. Baby oil cleans great & smells good too!
  • Becky Martinson Becky Martinson on Dec 12, 2014
    Buy a Swedish dishcloth (about 5 x6 inches). You only use water and it works fantastically. Costs about $7 here in Minnesota at a kitchen or gift store. The tag says Bergquist Imports, Cloquet, MN.
  • Barbara Burnham Barbara Burnham on Dec 12, 2014
    Baby oil in the direction of the grain of the steel
  • Jean McCormick Jean McCormick on Dec 12, 2014
    I have always used baby oil, a trick my mom taught me in 1968!
  • Lisa Kaplan Gordon Lisa Kaplan Gordon on Dec 12, 2014
    Instead of cleaning stainless, I try to get a stainless look without buying stainless. I wrote this article about it for HouseLogic. http://www.houselogic.com/blog/home-improvement/faux-stainless-steel/?search_link_clicked=Deceptively%20Easy%20Ways%20to%20Get%20the%20Stainless%20Steel%20Lookcfa?eo_sm_sa_lkg
  • Craig Babcock Craig Babcock on Dec 12, 2014
    Bar b q cleaner :-)
  • 9530106 9530106 on Dec 12, 2014
    A damp microfiber cloth or towel will clean and shine, and not leave any residue to compound the problem. I love microfiber cloths for cleaning everything! You can find really nice ones at the dollar store in the auto dept.
  • Phyllis Phyllis on Dec 12, 2014
    WD 40 - crazy, but it works - AND I love the smell!
  • Lori Lori on Dec 12, 2014
    Olive oil.
  • Denise B Denise B on Dec 12, 2014
    Windex
  • Cathy Kurpil Cathy Kurpil on Dec 12, 2014
    Thank you for all for all the great suggestions!
  • Crystal Crystal on Dec 12, 2014
    As far as cleaning the stainless steel appliances...I use "Scrubbing Bubbles" Kitchen and/or bathroom spray cleaner. I then follow up with a strong vinegar and water spray to make it nice and shiny. The only reason I use the "strong stuff" to begin with is because it usually gets pretty bad; real fast, before I do it (have 3 kids...youngest going through chemo for leukemia right now...past 3 years). But, that being said, it works great. Good luck. (I believe any type of strong cleaner would work fine because I've used others in the past). Cheers!!
  • Ann Daley Ann Daley on Dec 12, 2014
    I like Weiman's Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish. It cleans well and doesn't streak.
  • Pat Zagami Pat Zagami on Dec 13, 2014
    To clean Stainless Steel Sinks up plain old bleach. It takes out all the stains and leaves a great shine plus disinfects. I use cheap glass cleaner from Wal Mart it works great.
  • Judy Ford Judy Ford on Dec 13, 2014
    Many years ago I worked in a bar...lots of stainless steel coolers. My boss had me spray with vinegar wipe with soft cloth then with a dry soft cloth. No oily residue or oil for the dust to cling to.
  • Connie Connie on Dec 13, 2014
    I have tried many things. Some worked and some didn't. Some left a residue on the stainless that seemed to figure print easily. I have tried just vinegar, baby oil, Wieman's Stainless Cleaner, Windex and so on. The best I have found is Oxi-Clean Stainless Cleaner. It really does clean and doesn't leave anything behind. It did take me several applications to get the polish off that I had been using, after that I was streak free. I can only find it in a couple of stores and I have stocked up. Usually about the time I find a product I really it they quit making it. LOL
  • Paula Paula on Dec 13, 2014
    WD 40 works great and it resists finger marks for quite awhile.The smell does not last long and the shine is amazing. I also have a stainless steel spray from Weimans, works pretty good too.
  • Judy Judy on Jul 19, 2015
    I use small amount of olive oil on a soft cloth. Wipe down, and no finger prints.