The Baking Soda Trick That Brings Scratched Stainless Steel Back To Life

You'd be hard pressed to find a home with absolutely no stainless steel in it. Endlessly versatile, non-corrosive, and durable, stainless steel is the go-to material for many things, like appliances, cookware, sinks, and more. But for all of these benefits, stainless steel is somewhat easy to scratch. That's because stainless steel is coated in a very thin layer of chromium oxide, which shows scratches easily and is softer than a lot of things it comes in contact with such as abrasive cleaners, contact with metal utensils, and other harder like cast iron. Luckily, it's not hard to buff out most surface scratches with the help of a little baking soda. 

Baking soda is very versatile and can be used in ways you never thought of as a cleaner and polisher. The ultra-fine powder particles work as a gentle but effective abrasive, but not so abrasive that it can cause additional scratches like harder materials such as steel wool or harsh cleaners. Whether you're trying to remove unsightly scratches from your fridge, kitchen sink, or go-to frying pan, baking soda is to the rescue. 

One of the best parts of this stainless steel polishing solution is that you probably already have everything you need to get started now, and it's safe to use on stainless steel appliances, countertops, and cookware. You just need baking soda, a little water, and a soft cleaning cloth. In a small bowl, add a few tablespoons of baking soda with a small amount of water, then combine it into a paste using your fingers. When its a saturated but thick texture, you're ready to start cleaning. Apply a small amount of paste to the corner of the cloth, then begin to work it into the surface. 

To prevent getting extra scratches, polish with the grain of the stainless steel. This can be hard to spot at first, but look close and you should be able to see faint lines either going vertically or horizontally — that is the direction you want to move the cloth. Finally, rinse the surface with water, then use a fresh microfiber cloth to dry and polish, removing any baking soda residue or water stains. For items that aren't cookware, you can apply some stainless steel polish or mineral oil to keep your stainless steel sparkling.