You clean out the coffee pot every day, and yet, the bottom of your carafe still has a buildup of grime and dirt. What gives? You want to clean it to keep the buildup to a minimum and minerals out of your coffee, but mainly, to keep the taste of your coffee consistent.
Read moreHive Tip: Clean Stainless-Steel Appliances and Kitchen Items the Right Way
If you spend any time in the kitchen, you should probably know how to clean stainless steel. Trust us, just because a material is called “stainless” doesn’t mean it can’t get dirty, and nothing makes a kitchen more unappetizing than appliances covered in smudges, grime, and other buildup.
1. Assess the damage
When it comes to stainless steel, not all messes are the same, meaning not all cleaning methods will be the same either. Smudges and hard water stains may come off pretty easily with a simple wipe down, whereas caked-on food or other more intense buildup may require a more serious product—and more elbow grease on your part. So make sure you know what you’re up against before grabbing all of your supplies.
2. Prep your supplies
For a simple DIY cleaning solution, you’ll need white vinegar, lemon juice, and tap water. Fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and white vinegar. You can add a few drops of lemon juice to make the mixture smell better. After you’ve made your solution, be sure to grab some olive oil, dish liquid, and microfiber cloths because you’ll be using those too. For really tough grime, like caked-on grease, you may need to explore different methods. Stock up on either a store-bought stainless-steel cleaner or some baking soda.
No matter what cleaning solution you choose, there are a few things you should always avoid. Never use steel wool, scouring powders, ammonia, or bleach on your kitchen appliances—they can all be just a little too intense and damage the finish. The same goes if you’re wondering how to clean a stainless-steel sink.
3. Go with the grain
When cleaning stainless steel, there is one general rule: wipe along the direction of the grain. You’ll want to spray your vinegar and water solution onto the surface then wipe following the material’s grain. This should take care of most of your daily messes, things like water spots and finger smudges. For that residue that just won’t come off, try sprinkling a bit of baking soda on the surface, then applying white vinegar (whether with a spray bottle or kitchen towel). Once you’ve done this, wipe with a soft cloth or paper towel and rinse with warm water.
4. Touch up with some dish soap
Once all fingerprints and grime have been removed, wet a second microfiber cloth with water and apply a few drops of dish soap. You’ll want to gently wipe this dishwashing liquid solution across the surface. After, rinse out the soapy cloth and wipe the surface once more to remove any lingering soap.
5. Seal with olive oil
Now that you’ve put in all that effort to get your stainless-steel surfaces clean, you’ll likely want to keep them that way. Luckily, something as simple as olive oil can help you do that. Olive oil acts as a protective coating that can help to protect in between deep cleaning sessions, it can also help repel smudges and mask previous scratches. You’ll want to put a small amount of olive oil on a microfiber cloth and wipe it gently back and forth along the grain.
6. Buff and polish
There are two parts to managing stainless steel: the actual cleaning stage, and the polishing stage. Polishing will make sure the surface isn’t just clean, but also shining. This step can also be accomplished with a microfiber cloth and some olive oil, but the technique will be a little different. Polishing is best done in a circular motion, but there is rarely an issue with going with or against the grain in the polishing stage. Take a small amount of olive oil on a microfiber cloth and buff it into the appliance, working in small circular motions. Your appliance will be sparkling in no time!
Hive Tip: Deep Clean Shower & Tub
If you have shower curtains: Before you get started on the scrubbing, throw your towels, shower curtain and liner (this is our favorite washable one) in the washing machine. Yes, you can wash your liners! Just hang your liners back up in the bath to dry.
If you have shower doors: Make a paste with a few drops of distilled white vinegar and a cup of baking soda. Apply it to the door, and let it sit for 30 minute to an hour.
Honey, Do: Pre-spray your shower and bath and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to help cut the grime.
After spraying your bath and shower with your favorite cleaner and scrub the walls and basin from top to bottom. Rinse with water. Wipe up the water drops from all surfaces and your shower will shine!
non-toxic soap scum spray:
Combine equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle
Add one to two tablespoons of dish soap
Seal and shake the spray bottle to mix the components together
Spray the mixture on soap scum and allow to sit for 15 minutes
Wipe down the surface with a damp washcloth
Squeegee to remove lines then dry with clean microfiber cloth for a spot-free finish
Hive Tip: Clean Your Rug
There comes a time, as with every surface or space in your home, for a more thorough clean that gets beneath the surface of what you can see or smell. Your rug would benefit from a deep clean once or twice a year—unless your rug is subject to excessively high traffic or it has noticeable spots or stains, in which case you’d want to clean sooner.
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