Stainless steel cleaner
Mostly a light oil in a solvent carrier. It works by filling the finish and leaving a film — which is a cosmetic result, not a cleaning one.
What not to do
Stainless steel cleaner is unsafe on Oven door seal
Unsafe
Do not do this. The risk is established, and it is described below.
The exterior procedure explicitly stops at the seal.
Evidence
Supported
Sources
Cleaning and Maintenance of Range
Whirlpool Corporation · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That stainless steel exteriors are wiped in the direction of the grain, and that contact with plastic parts, trim pieces or rubber door gaskets is to be avoided. (states this directly)
Precautions
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
- Rinse thoroughly afterwards
In detail
Most products sold as stainless steel cleaner do two things, and only one of them is cleaning. A mild surfactant or solvent removes fingerprints and light greasy soil, and an oil or silicone residue is left behind that fills the micro-texture of a brushed finish, evens its reflection and resists the next set of fingerprints for a while. That film is why a treated appliance looks better than a merely clean one, and it is also why the effect fades and why build-up eventually looks streaky. The steel trade's own guidance is duller and more durable: clean with a mild detergent or a proprietary stainless cleaner, work in the direction of the finish where the surface is brushed, use non-metallic pads where mild abrasion is needed, and rinse and dry. Two exclusions matter more than any product choice. Steel wool and carbon-steel implements leave iron particles that corrode and appear as rust staining. And chlorides attack the passive layer, so bleach should not be left in contact and a rinse should not dry on the surface.
Properties
- pH
- Varies by product
Why
- Stainless steel cleaner is explained by Chloride attack
- Stainless steel cleaner is explained by Why different surfaces get different dirt
Sources for this page
Sources
Cleaning methods for stainless steel
British Stainless Steel Association · Trade or professional body
Relied on for: That cleaning follows the direction of the finish, that a mild detergent or proprietary stainless cleaner is specified, that non-metallic pads are used where mild abrasion is needed, and that rinsing and drying complete the method. (states this directly)
Care and Maintenance of Stainless Steel
British Stainless Steel Association, Stainless Steel Advisory Service, 2001 · Trade or professional body
Relied on for: That carbon-steel implements and steel wool leave iron particles which corrode and appear as rust staining, and that chlorides attack the passive layer. (states this directly)