Consumer Reports Tests Stainless Steel Cleaners
Consumer Reports noticed, as so many of us have, that stainless steel is awesome until you have to clean it. With that in mind, they've tested a bunch of stainless steel cleaners and found that they all work just about the same.
The main difference? Cost. The easy-to-use one-step products from Method and Pledge cost more, but save you the trouble of buffing.
Stainless-steel cleaners [Consumer Reports]
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i usually just use a Guatemalan
I used to work fast food, the place I worked at had stainless steel everything. We used something called "Satin Shine" (no idea who made it, it was a commercial type thing, though), and it worked great.
I saw on the back of a Windex bottle that it claimed to be great for stainless steel. Sure enough, it is. Been using it for months.
I use a product called Twinkle. Works like a charm. I've tried a bunch of stuff from the grocery store and Homo Depot and never found anything that works as well.
Can't beat Barkeeper's Friend for cleaning stainless steel
Haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I heard that "Bar Keepers Friend Powdered Cleanser & Polish" is a wonderful product that's both inexpensive and biodegradable. Hate to admit it, but I was only able to find it at Wal-Mart, though it is available elsewhere (not Target, though) as well as through their website. As a matter of fact, a lady who saw me pick one up kept saying how great it was and was telling me about it for almost two minutes. If anyone tries it, please share with us your results :)
Personally I bought it to remove swirly marks from my toilet bowl that I (foolishly) cleaned with a metal scouring pad. That was over a month ago; haven't gotten around to cleaning it yet. Anyway, that's how I found out about it. All I know is that Comet didn't get it done so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
My family has been using Bar Keeper's Friend for as long as I can remember (since Mom and Dad were good friends of the SerVaas family of Indianapolis for many years - the makers of this stuff) - and it's the best on the market.
The trick is NOT to bear down - just put some on a wet sponge and lightly polish the stainless with the grain - let it do the work so you don't scratch the surface. Used it tonight to take a carbonized grease spot off my stainless teapot - works wonders!
Use gloves if you have any open cuts - it contains oxalic acid and will smart like the dickens.
The only place I've seen it in Colorado is at King Soopers (part of the Kroger chain), so first try a grocery store (Kroger, King Soopers, City Market, Ralph's, etc.)
And Sayahh - it will take out the swirly marks - may take some work though...
i watched a special on tv (early morning qvc maybe?) about method and whoever was speaking on behalf of the company was a horrible public speaker
"this um, soap um, is um, environmentally um...UMMM...safe"
love their stuff though
Windex is the answer to all my prayers...
I use Cameo to shine up my teapot. It's a cheap powder and probably similar to Barkeeper's Friend. Make sure to go 'with the grain' though. It did wonders on my old apartment's stover burner tray things.
The one cleanser I adore is Bon Amie. It's been around forever, it's environmentally safe, and works miracles on white sinks, grungy glass oven doors, etc etc.
However, in a pinch, plain old baking soda (from that box you keep in your fridge) is a fine scouring agent, especially on greasy stuff.
Many of these "cleaners" are just oil that coat the metal with a nice even layer of grease, rather than actually clean it.
Just was in a restroom where they used the greasy stuff to clean the towel dispensers, and there was a greasy stain on the tile all around them. Icky.
Baby oil!