Polishing a Stainless Steel Stove

Having stainless steel appliances in your kitchen makes your kitchen look amazing and as well as very contemporary. If you have anything stainless steel, then you know how fast the surface can pick up fingerprints and other dirt and soil. Imagine cooking spaghetti on your stove and having it splash outside of the pot or spraying olive oil in a cooking pan and having it coat the stove top.

I've found that having a stainless steel stove requires a bit more cleaning than a traditional stove. However, the cleaning itself is very easy and can be quickly added as a simple chore after cooking a meal. Always remember that your stainless steel stove needs to be cleaned with a non-abrasive cleaner. Typically, when you purchase the machine at the store, the manufacturer will include a sample cleanser for you to use. If you didn't buy the stove new or you have used all of the cleaner, then simple home remedies can easily clean the steel.

• Day-to-day maintenance. Splash over from cooked meals is about the most common concern with a stove. After every meal, simply take a sponge and wipe off the dirt with warm water and mild soap. Never use the abrasive side as this will cause scratching. Although scratching can be buffed out, it's best to not have to clean that, too.
• Monthly maintenance. I try to clean my stainless steel appliances thoroughly about one to two times per month depending on how soiled they are and how much use they get. For my stove, I clean it about two times as it is exposed to far more grime than my refrigerator and microwave. After cleaning it with warm water and a soft sponge, the best thing to do is use some form of antibacterial soap on the surface. Since old food can still be on the stove, you want clean it off and remove any germs it left behind. You can then polish your stainless steel with Windex or WD40. I prefer WD40 on my stove just because it leaves a protective coating on top that makes food removal much easier come clean up time.

Routine maintenance on your stainless steel stove is the best way to keep the surface steel clean as well as scratch free. Remember that the longer food stays stuck on the surface, the harder it is to remove and, hence, the more abrasion is needed to remove it. This can cause scratching. For day to day cleaning, a simple wipe down is best but always "spring clean" your appliances about one to two times per month.