The Cleaner With A Fresh Scent That You Shouldn't Use On Your Stainless Steel Fridge

Stainless steel appliances remain popular for their durability, timeless aesthetic, and ability to work with many different home design styles. Keeping your new refrigerator looking its best requires choosing safe cleaning products to avoid damaging the finish. When cleaning your kitchen, the cleaner with a fresh scent that you shouldn't use on your stainless steel fridge is lemon or citrus cleaner.

Despite the common myth about stainless steel appliances and fingerprints that won't come off, a stainless steel refrigerator is relatively easy to keep clean. Many stainless steel refrigerators and appliances have a special coating to resist fingerprints. This coating can be damaged by lemon, citrus, and other harsh cleaning products.

In addition to avoiding citrus cleaning products, another mistake you'll want to avoid after cleaning stainless steel appliances is letting them air dry. Allowing stainless steel refrigerators to air dry after cleaning can result in streaks and spots because the cleaner doesn't dry evenly. For best results, wipe your fridge down with a damp microfiber cloth after cleaning to make sure all residue is completely removed, and thoroughly dry the stainless steel appliances to prevent spots and streaks.

Lemon and other citrus cleaners shouldn't be used on stainless steel appliances due to their acidic nature. These products are formulated with citric acid, which can react negatively with the protective layer on your stainless steel refrigerator. This reaction can result in the finish on the fridge wearing away, which can make it look dull and more vulnerable to staining.

The acid in these cleaners can also result in pitting or corrosion on the surface of your appliances, as the protective coating that prevents corrosion is worn away by their ingredients. In most cases, damage caused by improper cleaning methods will not be covered by the manufacturer's warranty, so be sure to use care when cleaning your stainless steel appliances. In addition to citrus-based cleaners, you should also avoid abrasive cleaners, vinegar, oven cleaners, and steel wool pads to avoid damaging the protective finish.

A safe and effective way to clean your stainless steel fridge is to use warm water and dish soap. You can mix warm water with a few drops of dish soap in a bowl or bucket. Clean the outside of the fridge and other stainless steel kitchen appliances using a microfiber cloth, and wipe in the direction of the grain. When you're finished cleaning, go over it again with a microfiber cloth and plain water. If you feel like your fridge needs more than soap and water, try some of the best cleaners to use on stainless steel kitchen appliances.