How To Refinish Stainless Steel Appliances? [4 Easy Methods]

Stainless steel appliances are an outstanding choice for every home and look great with all styles and interior decor. While these appliances are attractive and provide an excellent appearance, minor scratches, and marks often ruin the look. But how do refinish stainless steel appliances easily to cover these small scratches and marks? 

There are quite a few ways and products that come in handy when refinishing stainless steel appliances. These include classic homemade remedies, such as vinegar and baking soda to using sandpaper to sand the appliances. Removing the scratches will help to restore the look of the appliances. 

I have put this guide together to help you refinish stainless steel objects. Here, I will discuss the methods and ways of removing the marks and scratches from these items. 

4 Methods To Refinish Stainless Steel Appliances

Several methods help owners to restore the beauty of stainless steel products. Take a look at some of these highly effective methods. 

Method 1: Vinegar And Baking Soda 

One of the top methods for refreshing your appliance’s look is relying on vinegar and baking soda. Look at the steps in this method below. 

Step 1: Sprinkle Baking Soda

Take about half a cup to one cup of baking soda, depending on the size of the appliance. Sprinkle baking soda on the surface generously. This is typically suitable where there is dirt or the scratches are mild. 

Step 2: Prepare the Vinegar Mixture 

The next step is to prepare a mixture of vinegar and water. Add equal parts of vinegar and water or mineral oil in a bucket. You can also use mineral oil instead of water in the solution. 

Step 3: Pour And Scrub The Surface 

Once the mixture is ready, pour it over the baking soda sprinkled earlier. Let the mixture sit for a while and react with the baking soda. Take a non-abrasive sponge or microfiber cloth to scrub the surface. 

Step 4: Rinse And Dry 

After scrubbing the vinegar and baking soda mixture properly, rinse the surface with clean water. Dry it with a towel or cloth, and ensure the appliance surface is clean. 

Method 2: Rely On A Soft Scrub Cleaner 

Scrub cleaners are a great way of bringing back the polished look of your stainless steel appliances. Take a look at the steps on how to use a mild cleaner. 

Step 1: Identify The Grain 

The first step of this method is to identify the direction of the grain. This is important to ensure that you scrub in the right direction without any trouble. Rubbing against the grain will cause more damage to the appearance and surface. 

Step 2: Prepare The Mixture 

Take a small bowl and add a small amount of scrub cleaner powder. Prepare a mixture by adding a few drops of water into the bowl. Mix the contents together until the consistency is neither too thick nor too runny. 

Step 3: Apply The Cleaner 

Take a little mixture on a microfiber cloth or soft sponge and apply the cleaner to the appliance. Scrub the cleaner on the surface along the direction of the grain. Since the gentle scrub is not abrasive, it does not cause any damage to the appliance. 

Step 4: Clear Off the Excess Mixture

Once the scrubbing is done, take a small piece of a damp cloth. Make sure that there is no dripping or excess water in the cloth. Use the rag to wipe off any excess mixture from the steel surface. 

Step 5: Dry And Check 

Wipe the entire surface off with a dry cloth to remove any traces of water and cleaner. Let the steel dry properly, and ensure the scratches are gone. However, repeat the process if the scratches are slightly visible after the examination. 

Method 3: Sand With Sandpaper 

Deep scratches are more than enough to ruin the appearance of the stainless steel. Sanding the surface properly⁽¹⁾ with an abrasive pad or sandpaper is the best way of getting rid of these scratches. Check out the steps of this method. 

Step 1: Wet The Sandpaper 

The first step in removing the deep scratches is to wet the sandpaper. Place a sandpaper of 400 to 600 grits in a water bowl. Dip it in water for a few minutes to soften the grain. 

Step 2: Find The Direction Of The Grain 

Finding the direction of the grain on the stainless steel surface. This is specifically important to avoid rubbing against the grain. Otherwise, the scrubbing will cause more scratches than before. 

Step 3: Sand The Surface

Take the sandpaper out of the water bowl and sand the steel along the direction of the grain. Ensure you do not apply excessive pressure to the surface, as it can deepen the scratches even more. Do not forget to sand the entire surface; otherwise, it will be uneven. 

Step 4: Sand With Finer Sandpaper

Lastly, sand the entire surface once again with finer sandpaper. It will help eliminate any unevenness and make the steel look smoother and more polished. However, ensure that the finer sandpaper also moves along the grain. 

Method 4: Use A Scratch Removal Kit 

Scratch removal kits are one of the easiest ways of removing scratches and marks from stainless steel. See the steps in this method here. All items required for the work are included in the package, reducing the hassle of refinishing. 

Step 1: Know The Grain Direction 

Before getting into the process of cleaning, identify the direction of the steel grain. This identification aims to ensure that the surface does not get more scratches than before. 

Step 2: Use The Cleaning Compound 

Scratch removal kits have a polish or cleaning compound included in the package. Take the cleaning compound out and apply it all over the surface. If there is a large surface, apply a few drops of lubricant on the coarsest or abrasive pad. And make sure to work your way through the entire surface slowly. 

Step 3: Scrub The Appliance 

After applying the cleaning product, scrub the entire surface with the abrasive pad. Ensure the pad moves along the grain only and not back and forth. Otherwise, the surface will become more damaged. 

Step 4: Scrub With The Less Coarser Pad 

Lastly, do not forget to scrub the steel again with a less coarse pad. Make sure to apply the lubricant once again over the surface before scrubbing. Wipe the entire surface with a clean microfiber cloth at the end of the process. 

Reasons Why You Need To Refinish Stainless Steel Appliances

There are quite a few reasons for refinishing the stainless steel appliances in your home. These reasons include appearance, cleaning, and many more. Check out some of these top reasons here. 

Easy To Clean: 

One of the top reasons behind refinishing stainless steel appliances is that it makes cleaning easier. Surfaces with scratches or marks make it harder to clean as the exterior is uneven. The scrub or pad can clean the surface without hassle when the apparatus is refinished. 

Saves Money:

Throwing out an old appliance and buying a new one costs a decent amount of money. Not to mention the rising cost of stainless steel appliances and all items. Refinishing stainless steel does not cost much money, and the process does not require any professional help. This helps you to save money while providing you with a polished look. 

Restores Appearance: 

Another major reason for refinishing is that it restores the appearance of the appliances. Scratches, marks, etc., on the appliance cause damage to the look significantly. When you refinish stainless steel, it goes back to its original look. 

Do’s And Don’ts When Refinishing Stainless Steel Appliances

Refinishing stainless steel is easy, and the process is quite simple. However, there are quite a few rules that you will have to follow to ensure proper refinishing. Look at some do’s and don’ts when repolishing stainless steel surfaces. 

Things You Should Do: 

1. Use Mild Cleaners On Stainless Steel:

Relying on mild cleaners is highly important to avoid further damage to the surface. Ensure the cleaning compound does not include any harsh chemicals or ingredients. 

2. Sand The Entire Surface:

Sanding stainless steel is an excellent way of refinishing it. When repolishing, it is essential to sand the entire surface. This is important to make sure that the surface is not uneven.

3. Use Fine Sandpaper Over Coarse One:

To remove scratches, sand the entire surface with high-grit sandpaper. Once done, sand the entire surface again with the help of fine sandpaper. This will help you ensure the exterior’s evenness and give it a polished look. 

Things You Shouldn’t Do:

1. Don’t Use Steel Wool: 

Many people make the mistake of using steel wool or abrasive sponges. These sponges are quite harsh and significantly damage the surface. Not only that, but these products cause deep scratches on the appliance.

2. Avoid Harsh Chemicals:

Several cleaning compounds or products use harsh chemicals in their composition. These harsh ingredients can significantly damage the surface of your stainless steel appliance. While this composition is good for cleaning, it is not particularly suitable for stainless steel.

3. Do Not Rub Against The Grain:

Stainless steel, metal, wood, etc., have a direction of the grain. Rubbing along the direction of the grain is a must. If you scrub against it, the surface will be damaged severely without any doubt. 

Related Questions: 

How Can You Make Your Stainless Steel Appliances Look Like New?

You can make stainless steel appliances look like new by refinishing the surface. There are quite a few methods by which you can restore the appearance of stainless steel. Using vinegar and baking soda is typically the best way of treating minor scratches and marks off the surface. 

On top of that, you can also rely on a scratch removal kit or sandpaper to remove the scratches. However, make sure that you always scrub along the grain. 

How Can You Restore The Finish On Your Stainless Steel Appliance?

Restoring the finish on stainless steel items is relatively easy. If there are marks or dirt on the surface, you can rely on vinegar and baking soda mixture to clean it. However, there are quite a few things that you will have to keep in mind. 

However, using a scratch removal kit is the best option if there are minor scratches. Not only that, but deep scratches can go away easily if you sand the entire surface properly with sandpaper. 

Can You Refinish a Stainless Steel Refrigerator?

Refinishing a stainless steel refrigerator is as easy as all the other appliances or items. And the methods of refinishing are similar as well. You can re-polish the exterior of the stainless steel refrigerator easily with the help of a scratch removal kit if there are scratches. 

If the scratches are deep, you must use 400 to 600 grits of sandpaper. And to clean marks such as grime, dirt, dust, etc., you can use soapy water or vinegar with baking soda. 

Can You Buff Out Scratches On Stainless Steel Appliances?

Buffing out the scratches on stainless steel appliances is possible, and the method is quite simple. Take sandpaper of 400 to 600 grits and soak it in water. Wipe the appliance with a clean cloth and sand the entire surface with sandpaper.

Once done, sand the entire surface again with finer sandpaper and clean the exterior. Repeat the process if the scratches are still visible. 

Will Magic Eraser Remove Scratches From Stainless Steel?

Magic Eraser is a renowned way of cleaning surfaces. However, the product ⁽²⁾ is unsuitable for cleaning stainless steel, satin polish, wood, and many more. Magic Eraser will most likely leave more scratches on the stainless steel surface. 

Even though stainless steel is durable, it gets scratched easily. However, these scratches are easy to remove. Make sure you rely on sandpaper or other methods rather than Magic Eraser.  

Summing Up: 

Now that you know how to refinish stainless steel appliances, I hope you can eliminate the dirt marks or scratches from surfaces. Cleaning stainless steel and removing marks and scratches makes the surface look great and increases the ease of cleaning. Even though the scratches look highly damaging, these marks are straightforward to clean. 

Before you get into the process of refinishing stainless steel, make sure that you choose the right products to avoid further damage. Lastly, do not forget to keep the do’s and don’ts in mind when repolishing the exterior.

References

1. How to Remove Scratches from Stainless Steel. (2018, November 28). The Family Handyman. Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/sanding-stainless-steel-appliances/
2. Huber, J. (2022, August 22). How to restore a stainless-steel sink. The Washington Post. Retrieved December 1, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2022/08/22/how-restore-stainless-steel-sink/