Cleaning and Maintaining Stainless Steel

Most of your kitchen equipment is probably comprised of mostly stainless steel. Known for its durability and quality, stainless steel is the choice material for many pieces of equipment ranging from sinks to ovens to refrigeration units. To extend its life, routine cleaning and maintenance is the key. Stainless steel is a unique material, so here are some tips to keeping it clean and free of debris. 

One of the qualities that makes stainless steel a choice kitchen equipment material is it’s ability to resist corrosion to a point. This natural corrosion resistance can be compromised by dirt and grime buildup. Thus, cleaning your stainless steel is more than just for cosmetics; in fact, it’s a necessary maintenance technique to extend the life of your equipment. Aside from that, the routine cleaning of smudges and fingerprints can also improve the aesthetics of your kitchen and help to enhance the appearance of cleanliness.

When starting to clean your stainless steel equipment, wipe of any large bits of debris, as this can become cumbersome in the scrubbing process. It is important to make sure you always rub along with the grain (those fine polishing lines in the stainless). You’ll need water and a mild detergent to clean most of the stainless steel, but you can use a glass cleaner or professional stainless steel cleaner for more stubborn bits like fingerprints. The stainless steel cleaner will require a bit more polishing, but it cleans the surface better.  Stay away from anything that is abrasive such as Comet, abrasive scrubbing pads and anything that has chlorine in it, like bleach. These can damage the surface of the stainless steel.

First, wipe the stainless steel cleaner down and then change rags or change sides of your rag, and polish it until the strikes and hazy look are gone. This is particularly important because if you don't polish the stainless steel cleaner enough, you will leave streaks. Take your time with polishing and you will see great results.