Nearly 40% Of People Say Don't Use This To Clean Stainless Steel

Soon after owning stainless steel appliances or hardware, you'll find that these surfaces need to be cleaned in a specific way. Fingerprints, grease, oil, and other stains can all cause your kitchen to look dirty. But stainless steel cannot be cleaned with just any multipurpose cleaner. For example, using the wrong product could cause streaks or damage to appear on your fridge doors or your sink faucet.  

Best Products says that the best cleaner to use on stainless steel is one that's specifically designed for this material. However, there are a number of different options you could choose from, and some work better than others. To discover which products to avoid, House Digest asked 596 people what they thought the worst stainless steel cleaner was. The choices included Pledge, Libman, 3M, The Pink Stuff, and Bar Keeper's Friend. Almost 40% of people chose one of these cleaning agents, and the answer may shock you.

According to the survey, the worst stainless steel cleaner is Pledge. This may surprise those that love this popular cleaning product with its iconic citrus scent. Pledge has quite a few different types of cleaners. Perhaps their most popular is the multi-surface product, typically used to remove dust from furniture. However, they also have a specific cleaner that's made for stainless steel. It claims to create a beautiful shine without leaving a waxy feeling. Fingerprints, grease, and smudges should be gone after using this product.

Some agree with Pledge's claims, including The DIY Girl. In fact, they use Pledge's generic multi-surface cleaner to shine their stainless steel refrigerator, and they say it works like a charm. However, those who participated in the survey clearly didn't agree. Perhaps they've experienced streaking or a less than perfectly clean surface. No matter what the reason was, if you trust the masses, you may want to try a different cleaning product.

The next worst stainless steel cleaner was The Pink Stuff, which received almost 25% of the vote. This makes sense, as this non-toxic cleaning agent isn't specifically made for stainless steel. In fact, My Home Dwelling doesn't recommend using this product on highly polished surfaces because it's slightly abrasive. Next was Libman's stainless steel cleaner, which gained over 13% of the vote. 3M got over 12% of the vote, and Bar Keeper's Friend received over 10%. Perhaps Bar Keeper's Friend is the best product to use, as it claims to protect the stainless steel coating while also removing fingerprints and stains.

If you'd rather not use a commercial cleaner, there is another more natural option. Prudent Reviews recommends simply spraying a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water onto the surface. Then, wipe with a microfiber cloth in the direction of the faint lines seen on the surface, otherwise known as the grain. Finally, wipe a cloth with a small amount of olive oil in the direction of the grain as well. This will give your appliances a clean and shiny finish.