Can You Use Baking Soda to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances?
If you’re interested in finding out how to clean stainless steel appliances with baking soda, you’ll be glad to hear that it’s super easy.
All you have to do is make a thick paste of baking soda and water, spread it onto your appliance or surface, and gently scrub before rinsing away.
We’ll explain in more detail later on.
Stainless steel is one of the few materials that combine looking good with hard-wearing practicality.
However, there is a downside.
Even if you clean it so well that you can see your reflection, those pesky marks and fingerprints always come back soon enough.
But, a lot of stainless steel is used in or around food preparation.
So using harsh chemicals to clean fridge doors, toasters, ovens or kettles might lead to some cross-contamination that’s easily avoided.
Or maybe you just prefer natural products when cleaning your home.
Either way, using baking soda to clean the home isn’t a compromise.
In fact, it’s favored by many as a more effective cleaner than chemical-based commercial products.
It’s also one of the most popular home remedies for cleaning stainless steel appliances.
In this post, we’ll explain exactly how to clean stainless steel appliances with baking soda, as well as some stainless steel and baking soda FAQs.
How to Clean Stainless Steel With Baking Soda
- Brush away any loose dirt and grime with a wet sponge and leave the surface mostly dry
- Make a paste by adding small amounts of water to a bowl of baking soda until it reaches a thick consistency
- Apply your paste to the stainless steel and use a slightly damp cloth to gently scrub away any grime or debris
- Wipe away any fall-out of baking soda with a paper towel and continue to scrub until the dirt or grease has all gone
- Wipe away the baking soda paste with a wet cloth to remove all traces of the baking soda
- Use a dry paper towel or rag to dry and polish the stainless steel
In summary:
To clean stainless steel appliances with baking soda simply make a thick paste, scrub your appliance until clean and thoroughly rinse away, and finish by polishing with a dry rag or paper towel.
Baking soda is such a good cleaning product because its tough enough to scrub away dirt and grime, but gentle enough to not scratch surfaces.
Stainless steel is very well known for scratches showing up easily.
So baking soda makes a great cleaning product for thoroughly cleaning our appliances, without doing any lasting damage.
For an extra powerful clean, you can combine the baking soda clean with a spray of lemon juice or vinegar.
This will cause a foaming reaction, which is cool to see and really gets into any grooves or crevices.
If you are using an acid like white vinegar or lemon juice, be sure to thoroughly rinse away any leftover residue.
Leaving acid to linger on stainless steel can damage the surface permanently.
For more baking soda cleaning tips from Clean and Tidy Living, take a look at our post How To Use Bicarbonate Of Soda For Cleaning.
Baking Soda Stainless Steel FAQs
Baking soda is safe for stainless steel, natural, and safe for human consumption.
It’s a non-abrasive and non-toxic powder that gently breaks down grease and scrubs away tough grime.
The result is a scratch-free, streak-free stainless steel surface that shines.
Residue from cleaning products
Steel scrubbers
Use bleach, vinegar, or acids
Extremely hard water
Abrasive cleaners
Avoiding the above items will prevent scratching, loss of shine, or chemical reactions occurring on your stainless steel.
It’s also worth noting that your oven might be stainless steel on the outside, but that doesn’t mean oven cleaners should be used.
Oven cleaning products are designed for the inside of the oven, and it can damage the outside of your lovely, shiny oven.
A similar thing goes with any other cleaning product.
Before causing irreversible damage, check that your cleaning products are suitable for stainless steel.
If it’s not on the bottle, you should be able to find out from the manufacturer’s website.
As long as vinegar is properly removed, it won’t cause any harm to stainless steel surfaces or appliances.
If vinegar isn’t rinsed away thoroughly, the leftover residue can cause damage or dull the shine.
To clean stainless steel with vinegar, spray white vinegar in a thin layer across your appliance, leave for a few minutes and thoroughly rinse and wipe dry with water.
The acid in the vinegar breaks down grease and oil residue, leaving a streak-free finish behind.
Final Thoughts on How to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances With Baking Soda
When stainless steel is shining, it looks great in both modern and traditional homes.
It’s such a versatile and tough material so it’s no wonder it’s everywhere.
The downside to our favorite metal is that any marks or sticky fingerprints show up very easily.
And it’s hard to ignore.
Luckily, it’s easy to clean and maintain once you know how to do it.
We hope this article has explained how to clean stainless steel appliances with baking soda.
And it’s good to know that it is possible to get your refrigerator looking perfect once again, without using any harsh chemicals.
Stainless steel is mostly found in the kitchen, so using harmful products to clean our appliances is best avoided.
Baking soda does just as good of a job as commercial cleaners, if not better.
The gentle abrasive nature of bicarbonate of soda scrubs away grime and grease without scratching the metal surface.
And for an extra heavy-duty clean, you can add vinegar or lemon juice to your routine.
Just make sure you rinse it properly!
Related Natural Cleaning Tips:
- What Is The Best Oven Cleaner UK
- How To Use Bicarbonate Of Soda For Cleaning
- Best Eco Friendly Cleaning Products In The UK
- How To Clean A TV Screen Without Streaks Like A Pro
- How To Clean Gas Hob Burner Caps
