How To Clean Fingerprints Off A Stainless Steel Refrigerator

Adding stainless steel appliances to your kitchen helps the room look more professional, classy and also lends an air of sophistication to the room. As you know stainless steel is rather easy to clean except when it comes to fingerprints.

Those ever-present fingerprints can ruin the look those stainless steel appliances bring to your home. Yet, there is hope for this never-ending problem. To find out how to clean fingerprints off of a stainless steel fridge, just continue to read our article.

It this article we have provided you with the detailed information along with tips on how to keep those fingerprints off.

Material Needed To Clean Fingerprints Off A Stainless Steel Refrigerator

These items do not have to be used at the same time nor do you have to use all of them. test different ones out to see which ones will work the best on your fingerprint issue.

• Soft cloth or sponge
• Mild soap
• Vinegar
• Water
• Bowls
• Baking soda
• Olive oil or baby oil
• Lemon juice
• Glass cleaner (streak-free)
• Toothbrush or soft bristle brush
• Knife for the lemons
• Sheepskin cloth

Steps To Clean Fingerprints Off A Stainless Steel Fridge

Step 1 – The first step you have to take is to accept the fact that you will have to do regular cleaning. Your kitchen is a high use room and everyone in your family will open the fridge at some point during the day or the week. Fingerprints will get on your nice fridge and mess up its good looks.

Step 2 – The second step is to employ one of the cleaning options that follow. These cleaning methods may not keep fingerprints off your fridge but they do make cleaning them up a lot easier to do.

1. Mix a mild soap with warm water and dip a soft cloth into the mixture then rub the fridge till it is clean.
2. Mix white vinegar in warm water and again use a soft cloth to apply the cleanser to the fridge. You can rub hard as pressure will not hurt stainless steel.
3. Put baking soda in water and use a toothbrush or soft bristle brush to remove the fingerprints. A soft cloth will work as well.
4. Take a clean soft cloth and pour a few drops of olive or baby oil on it and polish the stainless steel surface until it shines.
5. Cut a lemon or two into quarters and squeeze the juice into a bowl. Then take a clean soft cloth, dip it into the lemon juice and polish the fridge.
6. After apply the mild soap, or vinegar, lemon juice, or baking soda mixtures, polish the fridge with a clean sheepskin cloth. You can do the same with furniture polish.

When you go to clean you should avoid the following items as they can scratch or damage your stainless steel surface:

1. Wire brushes, steel wool, and scrapers
2. Abrasive or harsh cleansers including granular styles
3. Bleach and similar products
4. Dirty cloths, old clothes, and other non-clean fabrics
5. The wrong amount of pressure

Preventive Tips To Keep Fingerprints Off Your Stainless Steel Fridge

There is the old saying ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ and that applies to fingerprints and stainless steel appliances like fridges. Here are some tips to help you keep those dirty fingerprints off your nice fridge so your cleaning time is less frequent:

• After cleaning use a stainless steel cleaner or polish. This will help keep fingerprints away for some time.
• Use an anti-fingerprint coating to stop fingerprints from appearing. Follow the instructions on the spray or can to make sure the coating is applied correctly.
• Make sure the fridge is cleaned first before applying any polish or protective coating.
• Remove any grease or oily stains also before applying the coating or protective polish.
• You can use non-kitchen cleansers like furniture polish to protect your fridge from fingerprints.
• Put a vinyl wrap over your fridge.
• Have your family clean their hands first before touching the fridge.

How Often Should You Clean Your Stainless Steel Fridge

Before we answer that question it is important to know where fingerprints come from. These little items occur when a person’s hands are perspiring or very oily. Then if the hands have dirt on them or have touch foods that tend to smear like icing, pudding, etc., then you will see fingerprints.

Fingerprints on stainless steel are not attractive and if you don’t apply any protective coating to the stainless steel surface then you should clean your fridge once a week. Then if you do apply a protective coating or polish you may only need to clean every 2 or 3 weeks.

When you can prevent fingerprints from appearing on your stainless steel fridge, you will be saving yourself a lot of time, energy, and work. But the ideal doesn’t always happen and you need to be prepared and ready to clean those fingerprints off your fridge.