This Unexpected Kitchen Liquid Makes Stainless Steel Appliances Shine Like New

Many homeowners love stainless steel appliances because they're pretty tough but not prone to rust. Plus, they're sleek and shiny — if they're kept clean, that is. The problem is that many stainless steel surfaces show oily fingerprints and other types of smudges, which can make them look dull and dingy. Among the different ways to clean your stainless steel appliances, club soda is an effective yet inexpensive solution to keep these kinds of blemishes under control. The key is doing it regularly.

Club soda is gentle enough to use daily on stainless steel appliances that get a lot of use, or you can incorporate it into a weekly cleaning regimen to help your kitchen look its best. This product doesn't contain any abrasive or corrosive ingredients. In fact, club soda is just a fancy term for mildly acidic carbonated water that includes minerals like potassium sulfate, potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium citrate. It's a versatile ingredient that's just as good at easing household DIY jobs, like removing rusty bolts or making stainless steel shine, as it is at adding pizzazz to a cocktail. Club soda is quite talented at erasing a variety of streaks and smudges that love to accumulate on stainless steel, as well as dirt and other types of grime that might build up in your kitchen.

Unlocking the fingerprint-fighting power of club soda is simple if you have a spray bottle and a soft scrubbing cloth, ideally a microfiber one. If you don't have a cloth on hand, a roll of paper towels will do. Consider covering your hands with rubber gloves too, as this can help keep your fingers from making new smudges on your stainless steel appliances as you clean them. 

Fill your spray bottle with club soda, and then spritz a generous amount all over the surface of the stainless steel appliance you're about to scrub. If you're targeting difficult stains, let the club soda rest for a few minutes before proceeding. Its fizzing action will help pull up the stain.

Once you're done with the spritzing step, wipe the stainless steel surface with your cloth, working with the grain. Buff away stains with small, circular movements rather than scrubbing or applying heavy pressure. Beginning this process at the top of the appliance and finishing at the bottom can help ensure that you don't miss any spots. If the club soda needs a bit more oomph, add a bit of lemon juice to help remove stubborn stains and make your stainless steel appliances gleam.