Stainless steel appliances were first introduced in the 1990s and quickly caught on in popularity. They provided an elegant, timeless appeal that made them the go-to favorite for a number of people. But stainless steel did come with one drawback, and that was that even the slightest fingerprints and smudges were highly visible. This made it notoriously difficult to maintain, particularly since certain cleaners could permanently streak the finish.

Recognizing the drawbacks of traditional stainless steel, several manufacturers have recently begun offering alternative-black stainless steel. Black stainless steel offers the same aesthetics as regular stainless steel, yet is surprisingly easy to maintain. How easy is it to keep black stainless steel appliances clean? Here's all you need to know.

Simple Cleaning Process

With black stainless steel, there is no need to purchase special cleaning products. Instead, you can easily clean your appliances using items you already have in your kitchen.

Using a soft cloth, wipe down the top and sides of your appliances with warm water and a mild detergent such as Dawn dish soap. Next, dry and lightly buff the surface using a microfiber towel. That's really all you need to keep your appliances looking like new. Keep in mind that small spills may not show. As such, you should not just assume that your appliance is clean because it actually may not be. So it's important to wipe your appliances down weekly, even if they do not appear dirty. Of course, if you do have a spill or splatter you should clean your appliance right away.

Things to Avoid

You may be used to thinking that vigorous scrubbing or strong chemicals are needed to clean kitchen appliances. That's not at all the case with black stainless steel. Accordingly, you should avoid certain things such as:

  • Commercial oven cleaners
  • Ammonia-based solutions (including window cleaner)
  • Powdery cleaners (even those containing baking soda)
  • Soap or steel wool pads
  • Scrub pads or sponges
  • Vinegar

Cleaning a Black Stainless Steel Oven

It's possible to clean your black stainless steel oven without using strong chemicals. If possible, you should wipe up spills immediately so they do not build up inside your oven. But if you do need a more thorough cleaning, follow these steps:

  • Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a baking dish containing an inch or two of water
  • Place the lemon halves inside the dish and bake on low heat for around 30 minutes
  • Remove the dish and allow the oven to cool slightly. Any gunk that was inside your oven should now be loose enough for you to scrub away.
  • For extremely stubborn build-up, repeat the process using fresh lemons.

Handling Appliance Scratches

Black stainless steel has an outer layer of black oxide over top of regular stainless steel. So you may notice silver or gray streaks showing through if you encounter a scratch. Fortunately, these are also easy to resolve. You can cover minor scratches with a gray or black sharpie marker. Buff softly with a microfiber cloth and the scratch will simply fade away. For deeper scratches, consult your manufacturer for touch-up paint that will cover them precisely. Keep in mind that black stainless colors vary a great deal between manufacturers. As such, you should never use a generic black touch-up paint because the result could wind up being obvious.

It's now easier than ever to enjoy stainless steel appliances without worrying about how you will keep them clean. Keeping them well maintained is also a breeze when you trust The Appliance Doctor with all your repair needs. If you need service, please contact us.