Stainless steel cleaners cost anything between £3-£15 in the UK. They are not that expensive to buy and they can be used to help clean and shine any stainless steel surface
This includes sinks, BBQs, pots, pans, extractor fans, stoves, spash backs and appliances and essentially any surface that is made of stainless steel. Stainless steel is a very hygienic surface and also one that will last for many years. They are hard wearing surfaces and they also look fantastic.
However, every now and then they need some proper care and attention to keep them in tip top condition with a great looking shine. One of the best ways of doing that is to use a product designed to do that job. That is of course a good quality stainless steel cleaning product.
Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish
88% buyer satisfaction based on 8,500+ online buyer reviews
This is also a popular option for many UK buyers with an average £12 price tag. The buyer rating sits around 88% so 88 out of 100 buyers happy with their purchase.
This is a 355ml spray bottle and like most of this type of cleaner is easy to use as you apply the spray and simply wipe off
This spray cleans and offers protection against finger prints and is also anti-static to help prevent the build up of dust
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Magic Stainless Steel Cleaner
90% buyer satisfaction based on 12,000+ online buyer reviews
This is the biggest seller online with a £15 price tag. The buyer rating sits around 90% so 90 out of 100 buyers happy with their purchase.
This is a 473ml pump spray bottle of liquid cleaner
This also comes with a large microfibre cloth (40 x 40 cms)
It is designed to be able to get rid of streaks, smudges, and fingerprints from all your stainless steel surfaces and is safe for all metals
It is easy enough to use as you simply spray on and then polish it off to clean and shine
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Method Stainless Steel Cleaner
90% buyer satisfaction based on 7,000+ online buyer reviews
This stainless steel cleaner is the best seller in the UK.
The buyer rating sits around 90% so 92 out of 100 buyers happy with their purchase.
The bottle size is 14 fluid ounces and is manufactured to get rid of fingerprints, water spots, streaks, smudges, dust, from any type of steel
It also gives the stainless steel a clear protective coating
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Bar Keepers Friend
90% buyer satisfaction based on 3,500+ online buyer reviews
This is also a very popular choice but with a £8-9 price tag. The buyer rating sits around 90% so 90 out of 100 buyers happy with their purchase.
This sells really well online and is a good choice for all types of metals including stainless steel
It is a 12 ounce (340 gram) tin which is non-abrasive and made to remove rust, metal tarnish, mineral deposits, and stains
This is a powder and safe to use on stainless steel, copper, and brass and is a product that is made in the USA
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3M Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish
94% buyer satisfaction based on 100+ online buyer reviews
This is the most expensive with an average £23 price tag.
The buyer rating sits at 94% so 94 out of 100 buyers happy with their purchase. The reason we have not placed this higher on our list is the small number of reviews, so we will check if the rating holds after more reviews
This is an aerosol product that so far is getting really good reviews despite the high price point
It is a 600ml tin and has a citrus aroma when finished
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Stainless Steel Cleaner Buying Guide
If you go into most commercial kitchens the first thing that you will notice, is that most of them are made from stainless steel. The reason for that is because stainless steel is tough, long lasting, versatile, and easy to work on metals. More importantly it will not corrode or rust and can handle intense heat.
This allows manufacturers to create a wide range of products. In addition to all these benefits it is easy to clean It is also non-porous, which means it doesn't absorb moisture unlike other materials such as wood. This makes it a perfect choice for environments where preventing the growth of bacteria and viruses is very important.
It is easy to wash down any stainless steel worktop or appliance with hot water and a normal kitchen detergent. For general purpose cleaning this works really well and keeps the stainless steel hygienic.
However, there are certain areas of a kitchen, or certain appliances, that get more work and these will need to use a special stainless steel cleaner that we have shown on our list above. These includes areas like extractor fans, pots, pans and BBQs.
The reason for that is mainly the intense heat which can discolour and even tarnish the toughest of steels. The key to any cleaner being successful is to use as soon as the tarnish shows and try to prevent a build up. This applies to scorch marks or any type of burnt on food or liquid.
Types of Stainless Steel
It's important to know that there are lots of variations of stainless steel. Stainless steel is an alloy and depending on what type and volume of alloy the steel is mixed with impacts its melting point, oxidation resistance, resistance to corrosion and overall strength.
We will not get over technical but stainless steel has 3 main types which are, Austenitic, Ferritic and Martensitic.
- Austenitic Stainless Steel - This includes Grade 304 and Grade 316 stainless steels and is used for wire baskets and cooking appliances and Grade 304 is often referred to as "food grade stainless steel." It is used for containers and sinks.
- Ferritic Stainless Steel - This includes Grade 430 and Grade 434 stainless steels which is better for high temperature use. Used for equipment enclosures, splash backs and filters.
- Martensitic Stainless Steel - This includes Grade 420 stainless steel and mainly used for cutlery
How to clean stainless steel?
We would always highly recommend reading the manufacturer's instructions. This is because they know what grade of stainless steel has been used and how best to clean it. If you have not got a manual, or perhaps lost it, in most cases you will still be able to download it online from the manufacturer's website.
Just be aware that some manufacturers apply a clear coat to their stainless steel. If you use a product that is too harsh, then it can lift the protective coating and cause major issues for you.
Believe it or not stainless steel has a grain in the same way that wood does. If you look carefully and closely you will spot the grain and you should always wipe in the direction of the grain
For general cleaning some hot water and normal dish cleaning liquid will do the job and then buff to a shine.
For stubborn stains or grease posts use a mixture of 2 parts water and one part white vinegar to remove those. Don't leave that solution on for too long and then wash off and buff dry
For a great shine you can apply baby oil on a paper towel and then wipe off any excess oil with another paper towel.
The Tough Stains
This is for BBQs, or anything that has been burned on. This type of stain will always take a lot more work to get rid of. The best tip we know is to make a paste of water and baking soda and apply that to the stain. Leave it for around 20 minutes. Then using a cloth scrub it clean again following the grain. Finally rinse and dry. Depending on how bad the stain is this may need 2-3 applications.