Asked on Jan 07, 2016

Best way to clean black shiny appliances.

Jann Brooks
by Jann Brooks
I have tried vinegar, windex, stove top cleaner, newspaper, paper towels, micrfiber cloth, dish soap...Nothing seems to work to get the streaks gone. Everything is covered in streaks and finger prints...YUCK!!!!!
  43 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Jan 07, 2016
    I hate those ugly spots. I have the same thing. I tried bar keepers friend last night and that seemed to help. Today however there were the best cleaning ideas posted fro 2015.See what you think about this. www.hometalk.com/diy/clean/ovens/the-trick-to-cleaning-stubborn-grease-off-kitchen-appliances-3013162. From the photo it appears that is a grease build-up so hopefully this is the trick. I am going to try this as well.
  • Ann Hotchkiss Ann Hotchkiss on Jan 07, 2016
    I know what you mean, Jannie, and I have tried all the homemade concoctions I've ever known. Truthfully, the only product that excellently cleaned and polished was Pledge Multi-surface cleaner. One must weigh the pros and cons, though. My husband thinks surface smears like this are results of continuous outgassing and seepage of chemicals.
  • Jcfish2 Jcfish2 on Jan 07, 2016
    Have you tried Mr. Clean erasure? I have had luck with that. Also some old tee shirts help with the shine. Black shows every spot but I love the color in my kitchen
  • 56294920 56294920 on Jan 07, 2016
    I have black stove and microwave and I hate those streaks! I'm not sure but I'm thinking the streaks are the result of greasy residue that doesn't entirely come off with usual cleaning methods. Tonight I just cleaned some cupboards with a 50/50 mix of vegetable oil (I used olive oil but you can any oil) and baking soda. Blend them completely then wipe/polish the stove. Wipe with warm slightly soapy water and follow with clear water. Made my cupboards squeaky clean and I'm thinking it might work on the appliances. If there's any greasy residue from cooking, you need oil to dissolve it.
  • Leslie Cuffe Deeds Leslie Cuffe Deeds on Jan 07, 2016
    Try low suds cleaner, rinse ,dry and then Pledge, it used to work great on black formica Lol
  • Wei3035593 Wei3035593 on Jan 08, 2016
    Recently read...take a slice of lemon, rub over spots, and WOW.....they are gone. I find this needs repeating about once per week, but looks just like new.
  • Cindi Cindi on Jan 08, 2016
    I have a black stovetop, and use Dawn dishsoap on a sponge to get off the grease, then go over it with Windex, it looks great.
  • Alaina Alaina on Jan 08, 2016
    A Norwex cloth and water works easy everytime
  • Tracy Floer Tracy Floer on Jan 08, 2016
    Yes norwex!!! best clothes ever!! safe for enviroment and saves money in the end!! We have a Bed and Breakfast would not clean without norwex products!!!
  • Merri jo Merri jo on Jan 08, 2016
    I use rubbing alcohol mixed with a little water in a spray bottle. Rub with a soft cloth. Takes a little time , but works for me.
  • Pat Pat on Jan 08, 2016
    Borax! I have black tile countertops too and I mix about a 1/2 of tablespoon of borax in about 5-6 cups of boiling water so it's serial and then put in Clean spray bottle and use it on my countertops. Man does it do great! Borax naturally serializes everything too. But best of all, it leaves no streaks.
  • Rae Rae on Jan 08, 2016
    I do the same as Cindi. I use the all purpose Windex and one of the new norwex or a cloth like it. Sometimes you have to just keep rubbing to get the shine and all the smears gone. I do this after every use and my stove still looks brand new.
  • Marge Ellis Marge Ellis on Jan 08, 2016
    I use Scrubbing Bubbles to clean and polish. If you use paper towels all the paper lint will show. Try using a microfiber towel. The dust shows in the sunlight but the streaks are gone. I would never buy black appliances again!
  • Kathy Kathy on Jan 08, 2016
    For greasy messes, I use a wet cloth and dish washing liquid. Then I dry it with a clean cloth.
  • Dale Dale on Jan 08, 2016
    Hydrogen peroxide on a very soft cloth working in a circular motion; then wipe off & buff with another dry, soft cloth likewise in a circular pattern. Works beautifully!
  • Johnchip Johnchip on Jan 08, 2016
    I put in all black counter tops in one kitchen and just loved how they showed nothing, not even crumbs.. but it had a slight texture to it. Nothing black glossy will ever not show all your sins.
  • Adrian Adrian on Jan 08, 2016
    E-Cloth.com has a set of two cloths called "Window Pack" that will amaze you. Just wet one and keep the other dry, wipe the appliance then buff with the dry cloth. I use them for everything around the house and my car - windows, appliances, counters, mirrors, anything that attracts fingerprints. I hope this helps.
  • Karenk Karenk on Jan 08, 2016
    My entire kitchen has black appliances from the microwave to the trash compactor and I have found that the easiest way to clean grease and fingerprints, and still leave a streak free shine, is to spray on your cleaner (I just use windex) wipe away the grime and while it is still semi-wet squeegee off with a window squeegee (if it dries before you squeegee just spritz on a little more cleaner). Streak free shine every time!
  • Susan Dye Susan Dye on Jan 08, 2016
    I have not had good results with Windex, which was my go to product before the purchase of black appliances. What has worked for me is Pledge on a clean surface. I also make sure to use a clean dust rag. Since my stove is gas, I spray a little Pledge on the dust rag instead of directly on the stove surface. It's the only thing I've found that leaves no streaks.
  • Judy Judy on Jan 08, 2016
    How do you squeege a range top???
  • Mar2067780 Mar2067780 on Jan 08, 2016
    I make a paste of soda and vinegar works well, but you cant let the grease build up, you have to do it after every use , also good for the glass top.
    • DORLIS DORLIS on Jan 08, 2016
      @Margaretbrown71 That is what I was afraid of. black looks pretty when you first geet it, but needs constant cleaning.
  • LIDuck LIDuck on Jan 08, 2016
    Reminds me of getting my eyeglasses clean when they have antiscratch film on the lens. You might try regular, non-sudsy ammonia in water, use a clean sponge to wash everything with it, and a new microfiber cloth to dry it. Microfiber cannot have been dryer dried with fabric softener, nor washed and dried with non microfiber items. Microfiber can go into a regular wash by itself, or with others of like kind, then dryer dried alone or with silicone dryer balls. Hope this helps.
  • Dot Dot on Jan 08, 2016
    You might try Clorox wipes. I use these on my white electric range and it shines with no streaks. My range is old too. It' worth a try.
  • Sherri Sherri on Jan 08, 2016
    Glass cleaner works very well if you use it with a glass cloth
  • Kathi Keenan Kathi Keenan on Jan 08, 2016
    What a nightmare Black appliances are! I spray on Simple Green full strength, then after wiping away the grease and spatters, I wipe once with plain water. That's seems to work well, but we've got very low mineral content in the tap water here in Boston. If you have hard water, you may need to use distilled water.
  • Trish Lally Trish Lally on Jan 08, 2016
    Try alcohol in a spray bottle.
  • Jessica Jessica on Jan 08, 2016
    I clean mine with Clorox wipes or sometimes just hot soapy water and then I dry then with one of the micro cleaning clothes. they shine up and look nice afterwards.
  • Cindy L Cindy L on Jan 08, 2016
    I read a tip site that says to spray furniture spray (like pledge) on a cloth to shine black appliances with, I haven't tried it yet, but plan on trying it soon.
  • Pam Pam on Jan 08, 2016
    You may try a 1:1 rubbing alcohol and water (I put in a sprayer). Wipe clean, then another light spray and buff. Hope that helps. Black shows everything!
  • Jill Jill on Jan 09, 2016
    You're problem is that you are only smearing he grease spatter on the stove around. You need to use something like 409, Fantastic or Simple Green to degrease the stove first. Then you can use window cleaner to make it shine.
    • See 1 previous
    • Jill Jill on Oct 11, 2018

      Thanks! I'll have to try wiping them down with alcohol.


  • Cindi Cindi on Jan 09, 2016
    I just found the best product ever for this, NORWEX Cleaning Cloths. They're not cheap, $30 plus, but you get two cloths and it cleans anything glass, shiny, etc. with just water. They use them at the antique mall where I go, and it's real quick and easy and takes off all smudges, fingerprints, streaks, etc. Amazon carries them. I'm getting them payday, for sure.
  • Bosshogg Bosshogg on Jan 09, 2016
    I use toothpaste, doesn't matter which kind, cheaper the better. A small amount on a sufficiently wet sponge (not dripping) rub this in with your hand and softly squeeze the sponge to make a lather of sorts, now apply all over the area you want to clean, squeeze more water through the sponge to keep the lather up and buff dry. This also works for removing those impossible stains/blemishes, but in this case less water in the sponge makes for a more efficient stain remover. Finish these latter areas as above. Also works on windscreens to remove that white film, flies etc. in fact works on any surface and no scratching, remember what its use is i.e. no enamel scratching. P.S. I'm from Scotland NOT Saratoga CA but cannot seem to change it in my profile page?
    • See 2 previous
    • Marie Marie on Jan 10, 2016
      @Bosshogg tried on my flat screen tv. works perfect. no more finger prints, marks or streaks. thanks a lot.
  • P Proeschel P Proeschel on Jan 09, 2016
    I use Lemon Ammonia straight
  • B B on Jan 09, 2016
    I use baking soda and vinegar make into paste. Put on towel place towel on stove top and let it sit for ten minutes. Wipe any remaining up with soft cloth.
  • Carol Boothe Carol Boothe on Jan 09, 2016
    I use the same cream cleaner that is for the smooth top stoves. As I am cleaning the stove top, I wipe a light coat onto the area where the controls are. I wipe off with a damp, clean, soft cloth. After wiping most of the residue off, I use another clean dry I use the same cream cleanser that I use on my smoothe top stove. I just wipe a light coat on the area around the controls. I clean residue off with a clean, damp cloth. I then buff with dry cloth that has just a spritz of window cleaner. It shines like new. I also use it to clean the front of my microwave that is over my stovetop. It really cuts the gunk and grease buildup from these and makes them shine like new.
  • Jann Brooks Jann Brooks on Jan 09, 2016
    Although there were a lot of good suggestions, I went with the toothpaste and a microfiber cloth. Worked great. Thanks for all the great help
  • Meem Kaplan Meem Kaplan on Jan 09, 2016
    Jubilee kitchen wax. I was really hard to find but I see it's more available again.
  • Linda Linda on Jan 09, 2016
    I use rubbing alcohol on my stove -- not only cleans up the grease but leaves a brilliant shine
    • Dgreen Dgreen on Jan 12, 2016
      @Linda I read your post re: rubbing alcohol on a black stove top. So I hurried into my kitchen to try it. Yes! It works beautifully! My range looks brand new with just a little bit of effort. I have tried several different products which proved unsatisfactory. Thank you so much for your advice!
  • Darlene Darlene on Jan 10, 2016
    One really good tip is to towel dry it right away.
  • Julie Julie on Apr 06, 2023

    Clean any way you want and after the stove is completely dry use Weiman’s stainless steel wipes and voila! Your black stove will have an incredible shine! U will not be disappointed I promise.