With their sleek, modern look, over the past 10 years, stainless steel appliances have move from “hot trend” to commonplace.

However, as any homeowner with stainless steel appliances will tell you, to keep a stainless steel surface free from marks, drips and fingerprints can be a futile exercise. Streaks and smudges will happen — they can’t be avoiding.

There are tricks, however, for keeping your stainless “shining”. You’ll need a microfiber cloth and a small bowl, plus some dish detergent, and some WD-40 or furniture polish. 

First, start with a single teaspoon of dish detergent in a quart of hot tap water. Using the microfiber cloth to avoid scratching the appliance’s surface, rub the mixture firmly in the direction of the steel’s grain.

Rinse the surface with clean, hot water and dry it immediately.

If the smudge remains, as a second attempt, spray a little WD-40 or furniture polish on the surface of the stainless steel appliance and buff the mark away using the microfiber cloth.

Then, if the smudge still remains, apply a small amount of rubbing alcohol to the appliance surface and — again with the microfiber cloth — rub in the direction of the grain. This will remove the mark, but it will also dull the stainless steel’s shine.

Therefore, to restore the appliance’s luster, use a small amount of WD-40 or furniture polish, or buff the appliance with a drop of mineral oil. 

You may also use a commercial stainless steel cleaner to clean your home’s appliance and these products work well. However, they’re often thick with chemicals and can be more expensive than one of the do-it-yourself solutions presented above.

Sometimes, though, it takes a specialty product to get the job done.