Black stainless steel refrigerators and ovens bring elegance and class into the kitchen, but only if they look nice. Keeping black stainless steel clean is easy, but there are some major pitfalls to avoid if you don’t want to ruin the finish. For regular, everyday maintenance, your list of cleaning items includes one thing: a microfiber towel. Don’t use Windex or any kind of cleaning spray and don’t use paper towels. Simply soak the microfiber towel in hot water and gently rub the surface clean. For most bits of grit and grime, this will be enough.
If you have an extra dirty surface, and the wet microfiber isn’t cutting it, try soaking the towel in water with dish soap. The next step up would be to add baking soda to the mix. If you’re still having trouble getting whatever is stuck onto your appliance off, you’ll need to get creative. But, whatever you do, don’t use abrasive cleaners. Stainless steel may be stainless, but it isn’t scratchless. Avoid heavy-duty sponges or anything metal, such as steel wool, unless you’re willing to risk trading the dirt for a scratch. You should also avoid using window cleaners, tough cleaners like Comet, and bleach. The gentler, the better.
Tips and tricks for black stainless steel
Let’s say you got a little aggressive with your black stainless steel fridge before you read this article and now you’ve got some unpleasant marks messing up its nice surface. Find a Sharpie that matches colors with your appliance and draw over the scratch. Then, take your microfiber towel and go over the area in circular motions while the Sharpie is still wet. This should fill in the scratch and camouflage any trace of it.
It’s important to note that black stainless steel is different from regular stainless steel, even if they share similar names. If you’re planning on using stainless steel cleaning products on your black stainless steel, think again. For example, stainless steel polish should only be used on regular stainless steel. You won’t like what it does to your black stainless steel oven. The same goes for anything else designed for regular stainless steel appliances, such as cleaners. It’s a bit confusing, but just remember that they are two very different materials.
