Stainless steel appliances lend an air of sleek, modern elegance to any kitchen -- but only if they're gleaming and smudge-free. As you go about your spring cleaning, be sure to spiff up your stainless steel appliances, as well as your sinks. It's not difficult, and shining it up to polished perfection will make a great impression on a potential buyer. 

How to Make Your Stainless Steel Shine

To make stainless steel appliances shine, address those messy fingerprint smudges, water drips, and food splatters as soon as they happen. Fortunately, stainless steel is fairly easy to clean.

Stainless steel cleaner is highly recommended. It's also a good choice to prevent scratching the steel. However, there are other products you can use. But do avoid steel wool, bleach, ammonia, and scouring powder, or you'll diminish the steel's shine. Mineral-laden tap water may also leave stains. You should also avoid any chlorine-based cleaners or anything with chloride in it. 

Some products that you may have in your cupboard that will work well:

• Mineral oil.
  
  Just a light coating will work fine. Buff it thoroughly to prevent tacky buildup. Do not use vegetable or olive oil, or any food-based oil. They can become rancid.
  
  
• Windex.
  
  Use Windex on a dry cloth, or some ammonia and vinegar-free window cleaner. It's always best to spray any cleaner on a dry cloth, as spraying directly onto an appliance can cause drip marks. 
  
  
• Dish soap.
  
  Mix a teaspoon of dish soap with a quart of hot tap water. Rub the detergent onto the marks with a microfiber cloth, always working in the direction of the grain. Rinse with warm water, drying immediately with a clean cloth. You can also polish with a little dab of baby oil, again, moving in the direction of the grain.
  
  
• Club soda.
  
  Spray club soda onto appliances. As with other methods, wipe only in the direction of the grain. Club soda helps clean the surface of fingerprints and food and helps make it shine. Wipe afterward with a microfiber cloth.
  
  
• WD-40.
  
  Spray WD-40 onto a microfiber cloth. Wipe it in the direction of the grain. WD-40 also helps protect stainless steel from fingerprints.
  
  Caution: This is a petroleum-based product and shouldn't be used on any surface that comes into contact with food. Whenever using this substance, read the safe-use label and follow directions carefully.
  
  
• Lemon oil furniture polish.
  
  Apply a small amount to a clean, soft towel and then rub it evenly onto the appliance until the entire surface is covered. Wipe the polish with a clean microfiber cloth in the direction of the grain. Don't apply the polish directly to the surface, as it may be difficult to get it to even out.

Always rub stainless steel appliance surfaces in the direction of the grain. Rubbing in the right direction helps eliminate streaks; with stainless steel sinks and pots, you can use a circular motion. Sinks and pots can stand a bit more effort since you need to scrub away sticky food from pots and soap scum from sinks with more abrasive cleaners and methods of cleaning.

Are you thinking of selling your Belleville home? There are so many ways you can make your home stand out among other Belleville homes for sale. Let our REALTORS® tell you how. Contact us today.