We’ve all been grousing about those spotty stainless steel appliances for ages and, yet, for some crazy reason, we still put them in our kitchens. The upkeep is never ending. However, I’m going to show you how easy it can be to clean a stainless steel stove top using three simple products that just about every one has around the house.
First, take a look at this disgusting stove top before photo and the amazing after. I promise I only let it get this bad for the purpose of the blog.
Behold the lovely after shot:
Super quick and super easy. Here what you do first:
Grab a roll of paper towels, a spray bottle of Windex window cleaner and a can of lemon Pledge furniture polish.
Test a spot on your stove to make sure that the finish won’t be harmed by the Windex. Mine is fine, so let’s proceed.
Gently wipe off any crumbs or debris because you don’t want those bits to scratch the surface.
Now, spritz on some Windex and wipe along the grain to remove any grease and other debris on the stove.
Make sure you’ve gotten it completely clean. Run your hand over it so that you don’t feel any stickiness or anything else. You don’t want the heat from the stove to cook on any soil you can’t see. Baked-on crud becomes really difficult to clean.
The bad news is, in the case of my stove at least, that when it’s perfectly cleaned of any debris and grease, the darn finish is still spotted. It looks dismal. Even Dexter looks unhappy about it. Check it out.
The good news is that there’s always good news. And it comes in the form of Pledge for my stove. Now, if you know of any way to get rid of those water spots without using an abrasive, please let me know and I’ll be eternally grateful. In the meantime, I’m going to continue to use the furniture polish.
A quick word about stainless steel polish. I’ve used some I like, and still do. But not on this stove top. All stainless steel is not created equal and what cleans one, may not work on another. And all of my appliances come from different manufacturers, so while the stainless steel looks pretty much the same, it’s not.
I love deals and when the kitchen was undergoing its transformation from the Black Hole of Calcutta to light, bright, gorgeous workspace, I found a little appliance joint under the freeway that was selling some of its floor models at terrific prices. Match, smatch. I seldom buy sets of anything, whether we’re talking pots and pans, appliances or furniture. (I do like my shoes to match, most of the time, though.) So, I ended up with an Italian stove top, a Kitchen-Aid oven that I love, but the stainless finish is pretty temperamental, and it doesn’t help that the dogs walk by and stick their wet noses on it. The Fisher & Paykel dishwasher has a fantastic finish and easily keeps its polish with a damp cloth, that’s it. The Jenn-Air refrigerator is a bit of a problem child, and I don’t recommend spraying Windex directly on the doors because I did and now have a faint drip spot that I can’t seem to get rid of. Drat.
Back to the Pledge. I like it because a little goes a long way and, well, it works on the stove top beautifully. Once the stove is clean and perfectly dry – it’s really important that it’s dry, I then spray a small section of the stove with Pledge and use a soft paper towel to polish it along the grain.
You get instant gratification, which I really appreciate. Continue until you’ve covered the whole surface of the stove. It takes little effort and, in minutes, you have a beautiful, spot free stove top.
Check out the video I made that gives you a little more visual detail.
And I’m always looking for new tips, so if anyone has any for stainless steel, I’m all ears. And thanks for visiting.
Chez Sabine 
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Well done.
Michelle, it’s a really easy way to keep your stainless stovetop clean and free of streaks. I love that it’s quick, too.
Ohhh, I have both of these cleaners on hand, going to give a whirl at it!! Thanks for the tip!!
Looks great, but will this work for the brownish discoloration I have around the burners? I’ve tried several gentle cleaners, including the Magic Eraser, and the stains just won’t budge!
I’m not sure because I’ve not had that issue since my stove top is still fairly new. Have you tried Barkeeper’s Friend? That might work, but try a small section first. Let me know. Thanks!
Keep water spots away by rubbing the stainless steel with a dryer sheet.
Bon Ami does not scratch and when you rub gently with the grain and your bar towel it will remove your water spots and look new again.
For brownish discoloration use peroxide and baking soda. Make into a paste, put it on and leave it for a few minutes. Baking soda is slightly abrasive so go with the grain gently and it will remove that brown crud.
There is a very good stainless steel cleaner called Sheila Shine. It works great but do not use it on anything that food will come in contact with. I use it on my new fridge and range with amazing results. You lightly spray it on your cloth and then wipe on. follow the directions…..It can also be used on other things like leather……
I just got a stainless steel oven, flat top. The first thing I cooked was bacon. Bad idea!!! Please help lol. What can I use to get the grease off???
I use Windex to remove the grease, but that’s because I know my finish will tolerate it. If you’re not sure, try some white vinegar with a little water to cut the grease. You could also try a warm, sudsy sponge with a mild dishwashing soap. Then you’ll probably have to polish it with a little stainless spray or lemon Pledge. Something oil based. Should come out just fine. Let me know.
WD-40 gets rid of water streaks on stainless. Spray on soft cloth and go with grain.