✓ Stainless steel looks best if cleaned regularly with plenty of water. Wash using a mild detergent diluted in warm water, then rinse.
✓ Wipe the surface dry with soft, absorbent cloth to prevent streaks and a build up of mineral deposits from the water.
✓ Vinegar: To clean and polish stainless steel, moisten a cloth with undiluted white or cider vinegar and wipe the surface clean. Rinse.
✓ Club Soda: Remove streaks or heat stains by rubbing with club soda.
✓ Olive Oil or Baby Oil: Give longer protection to high traffic areas by lightly rubbing with olive oil or baby oil. Polish and shine with a soft cloth.
✓ Always wipe in the direction of the grain.
✓ Clean an area larger than the actual mark, to avoid leaving shiny spots on the surface.
| Stain or mark | Cleaning method |
| Finger marks | Rub with methylated spirits on a soft cloth. Rinse with clean water and wipe dry. Meths can dissolve paint, so don’t let it touch painted surfaces. |
| Stubborn stains and discoloration | Use mild cleaning solutions e.g. cream Jif or speciality stainless steel cleaners, on a rag, sponge or old soft toothbrush. Rinse well with clean water and wipe dry. |
✓ Regular cleaning is better than occassional aggressive cleaning.
✓ Always use a cutting board. Never cut directly on the benchtop surface.
✓ Wipe up spills as soon as possible. Foods like fruit, juice, salt, vinegar, mustard and mayonnaise can corrode your benchtop when left to sit.
✓ Use a trivet or hot pads when placing appliances or pots straight from the oven/stove directly onto your benchtop.
✗ Avoid contact with acidic and caustic chemicals such as silver dip cleaner, drain cleaner, bleach (hydrochloride), and liquid hand soaps containing sodium chloride. These will corrode the surface. Dilute and flush away as soon as possible.
✗ Don’t use steel wool to clean your benchtop. Steel particles may embed in the surface and rust, giving the appearance that your benchtop itself is rusting.
If you have damaged your stainless steel and wish to refurbish it, please get in contact with your local Trends Kitchens branch.
