You wash dirty pots and pans every night, wipe down countertops religiously and sweep kitchen floors regularly (not to mention all the time you spend cleaning your bedroom and bathroom too). But when was the last time you cleaned the doors of your stainless steel fridge, polished up your faucet, disinfected your sink or spent time cleaning your chrome appliances? No judgments! We know you’re busy. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best (and easiest) ways to clean all those grimy appliances and surfaces in your kitchen. Because who has time to research how to clean stainless steel appliances and porcelain sinks—and then, you know, actually do it?!
Clean Stainless Steel Appliances
All those fingerprints, smudges and grease streaks...So much for stainless steel, huh? Stainless steel appliances end up showing many (many!) signs of use. Luckily, you can easily erase those unsightly marks. Start by spraying a liberal amount of distilled white vinegar all along the surface. Then, look for the grain (stainless steel really does have a grain, just like wood), and use a microfiber cloth to wipe the vinegar off in the same direction as the grain—usually horizontally or vertically. To finish, dip a clean cloth in a bit of olive oil and wipe again in the direction of the grain. All the marks will disappear, and that fridge door will sparkle like the day the appliance was delivered.
Polish a Chrome Faucet
You know that old bottle of vodka that’s sitting on your bar cart? It’s actually great for shining up chrome faucets in the kitchen and the bathrooms. Spray the booze directly onto your faucet, then buff it with a lint-free towel. You can also use wax paper to polish off water spots, and the waxy residue that’s left behind will help repel any new water stains for a while.
Clean a Glass Stovetop
Whether your glass stovetop has scorch marks from pots that boiled over or burnt-on food from splatters, it will be easier to clean than you think. Promise. Start by wiping up any crumbs you can. Then sprinkle the entire surface with baking soda and spray it with vinegar until all the baking soda is wet. Cover the stovetop with a damp, soapy dish towel for at least 15 minutes. Use the dish towel to wipe up your cleaning solution. The stovetop should be clean at this point, but you can deal with any remaining stubborn bits by spraying more vinegar and wiping one more time.
Cut Through Grease on White Appliances
Never underestimate the power of dish soap. After all, the stuff was designed to cut through grease. You can clean white appliances with just a little dish soap, water and a sponge. To get rid of germs, go over the surfaces again with a disinfecting spray or wipe.
Disinfect a Stainless Steel Sink
Not-so-fun fact: Even more bacteria can lurk on sink surfaces than on toilet seats. To disinfect your stainless steel sink, give it a scrub with soap, water and a sponge or microfiber cloth. To get into all those grooves around the drain, rim and other hard-to-reach sink areas, use a Deep Clean Brush Set designed to get grime out of those tricky parts. Then, stop the drain (our Silicone Sink Strainer and Stopper can help with that) and fill the sink with a capful of bleach per gallon of water. Let the solution sit for five minutes, drain the sink and use that same cloth to do another wipe-down. Once your sink is dry, add our Suction Sink Caddy and Sponge Holder, which will help organize all your dishwashing supplies.
Remove Stains and Scratches From a White Porcelain Sink
If the bottom of your white farmhouse sink is no longer, well, white, try vinegar and cream of tartar. Make a paste using equal parts of both and scrub the mixture onto the sink with a sponge. It will lift stains and light scratches better than any commercial cleaner.
Inspired to give the other messy parts of your kitchen a good scrub? Grab a Heavy Duty Scrub Brush for large areas like walls and countertops, stock up on any other sponges and brushes you might need, and get cleaning. Plus, discover the best way to clean your kitchen cabinets.
