Cleaning Stainless Steel

I am writing to inquire whether you know of a natural way to clean stainless steel appliances. I am concerned that the cleansers available will leave residue on the appliances that is harmful to my one-year-old daughter.

—LINDA SHEEHAN, VIA EMAIL

Beth Scott replies:

Cleaning stainless steel can seem like an endless task as its smooth reflective surface shows oily fingerprints and dust, and also scratches easily. Stainless steel is an alloy of iron and contains more than 10 percent chromium. The chromium in the alloy is used to form the hard oxide coating on the surface, and if this is taken off, through corrosion or wear, the steel will rust like regular steel. For this reason it is better not to use cleaners with harsh abrasives, as they will scratch the surface.

Most commercial cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that are harmful to you during application. Homemade products may take a little more time for preparation, but they’re inexpensive and effective and are nontoxic as long as you don’t ingest them. They are better for your family and for the environment. A little club soda, vinegar, baking soda, and water can solve a multitude of household problems from pet stains to cleaning drains.

Never use scouring powders or steel wool, as they will scratch stainless steel. A gentle way to wash and polish your stainless steel sink is with a solution of natural, nontoxic liquid dish soap and water or a solution of baking soda and water. Use a cloth dipped in vinegar, sprinkle baking soda on the cloth, rub gently, then rinse. Finish by polishing dry with a soft cloth.

We found some natural, non-abrasive cleaning solutions for stainless steel appliances and utensils on www.DoItYourself.com. To clean and polish stainless steel, the site suggests using a moist soft cloth with undiluted white or cider vinegar, then wiping clean. Club soda can be used to remove streaks or heat stains, and olive oil can be used on stainless steel sinks to remove streaks.

The Nontoxic Home and Office, by Debra Lynn Dadd (J.P. Archer, 1992) is a good resource for alternatives to chemical household products. There are also many natural cleaning solutions sold at organic grocery stores.

BETH SCOTT is a part of Associates III, a firm that provides custom interior design services to residential and hospitality clients. The firm collaborates closely with clients, architects, developers, and contractors to provide research, design, and specifications for architectural fixed finishes as well as design and procurement of turnkey furnishings. Associates III works with like-minded teams within an earth friendly design philosophy and actively seeks projects in which it can specify healthy, sustaining designs.