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How to Remove and Prevent Fingerprints on Stainless Steel

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Learn the trick for how to remove fingerprints from stainless steel appliances, along with the secret to prevent fingerprints on stainless steel so you can clean your appliances less!

stainless steel fridge

Fingerprints on Stainless Steel

Just like granite countertops, stainless steel appliances are all the rage right now and the hallmark of an “upgraded” kitchen.  I remember a few years ago when my family moved into a rental with stainless steel appliances-I was excited, finally I had the “fancy” kitchen!  Little did I realize that stainless steel and three little boys equals a LOT of fingerprints everywhere!

fingerprints on stainless steel refrigerator

How to Remove Fingerprints from Stainless Steel

Over the past few years I’ve tried a variety of ways to not only remove the fingerprints from the stainless steel but help prevent them from showing up so easily as well.  I’m happy to say that I’ve finally found a great system that works and am sharing it with you today!

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vinegar and turtle wax

How to Clean Fingerprints Off Stainless Steel Appliances

To start clean your appliance (my fridge in this case) the way you normally do.  I usually use a window cleaner or my orange basil vinegar mixture.  I use straight vinegar to remove any tough spots, being sure to wipe with diluted vinegar afterwards to remove any residual.

Prevent Fingerprints on Stainless Steel

Now for the secret weapon…once your stainless steel is completely clean use Turtle Wax to keep those pesky fingerprints from coming back!! Using a clean cloth or paper towel apply the Turtle Wax in a light coat and then buff to a shine with a clean microfiber cloth (affiliate link).

turtle wax on stainless steel

How Often Do You Need to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances

The result is a super shiny surface that resists smudges for much longer.  I usually touch up the cleaning and Turtle Wax every couple of weeks as needed to keep the steel looking brand new!

Have you tried any other methods of cleaning stainless steel? I’d love to hear what has (or hasn’t) worked for you!

You might also like these tips:

How to Remove and Prevent Fingerprints on Stainless Steel

How to Remove and Prevent Fingerprints on Stainless Steel

Learn the trick for how to remove fingerprints from stainless steel appliances, along with the secret to prevent fingerprints on stainless steel so you can clean your appliances less!

Active Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Materials

  • Window Cleaner
  • White Vinegar
  • Turtle Wax

Tools

  • Microfiber cloth

Instructions

  1. Clean stainless steel with window cleaner to remove the bulk of fingerprints.
  2. Use vinegar to remove stubborn fingerprints. Wipe clean with water afterward.
  3. Rub turtle wax into the stainless steel in a circular motion and use a microfiber cloth to buff to a shine.

Notes

Repeat every 2-3 weeks to maintain

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130 Comments

  1. i would clean my stainless with vinegar and when totally dry take a soft rag with a touch (a little goes a long ways) f Lemon Oil. Also when u clean ur shower tile clean it normally and make sure there is NO SOAP SCUM!!!!! and it dry and apply a thin coat on tiles and chrome fixture they ill shine and help repele hard water deposits.

  2. When I worked in the local drug store that had a soda fountain and stainless steel stools we buffed them clean with cheap baby oil. The smell isnt overpowering and the baby oil made them look like brand new.

  3. none of these ideas work if your stainless appliances have the sun shining in on them. They may look good when there’s no sun on them. Use Norwex cloths to wash and dry. Then the sun can shine on them all it wants to.

  4. Yesterday I discovered Weiman stainless steel wipes. They also make a spray. Best products I have ever found for cleaning stainless steel.

  5. Olive oil will clean your stainless and keep it from getting all the smudges. Wipe down with a soft cloth to remove access.

  6. I use baby oil After applying it, I buff it off with a clean cloth. It last for weeks. It is cheap, smells good and easy to touch up whenever you feel like it needs it.

  7. I cleaned my stainless steel toaster with windex and then olive oil and buffed with microfiber cloth. Hopefully this
    Will help conceal the finger prints.

  8. lots of tips here I see. If you have read all the posts here you will notice that there are lots of different oils recommended and they all say they work. The reason why they all seem to work is relatively simple as the new stainless steel or any newly cleaned stainless steel is hungry for oil which is why the fingerprints show so easily as it absorbs your oil from your skin. When you feed it oil it no longer is hungry for oil and your prints do not show so easily. Why wax seems to work to some degree as well is it blocks the oil from your fingers from being absorbed by the steel

  9. this is cheap and it is made for Stainless steel and it works!
    Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish, 12 oz it lasts a long time. I use the wipes but it also comes in spray can. One wipe will clean all of my stainless.

    Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish
    Wal mart has it too!

  10. “HOWARD’S BUTCHER BLOCK KNIFE & CUTTING BOARD OIL” works great on wood and stainless steel. Keeps fingerprints off with just a wipe of a paper towel for 6 to m8 weeks. No kids in the house it should last months.

    1. Well, I can’t blame the kids for the fingerprints since it is just me and my husband. LOL I use baby oil. After I apply it, I buff it with a clean cloth. It lasts for weeks and it is cheap and smells good.

  11. OMG!! I *just* cleaned my appliances with straight white vinegar (I had forgotten how great it works…my ex used to vomit at the smell of vinegar so I stopped using it for years) and then rubbed a light coat of olive oil on ’em AND THEY LOOK BRAND NEW!! My cat has taken to licking the fridge (nice change from the windows) and I’m hungry for salad.

    Thank you so much for this post!! I don’t HATE my appliances anymore!!

  12. My husband and I used to do office cleaning and we always used baby oil to shine the elevators and water fountains. Worked like a charm !!

  13. Lemon Oil also works great on stainless. I keep a lint free cloth with lemon oil just for stainless. I have 2 stainless dishwashers, a stainless counter and stove hood. I will have to try the wax trick.

  14. I use the Stainless Steel Wipes. Use in one direction. You can let it dry or wipe with another cloth for better shine.

  15. I use a little baby oil on a paper towel to clean my stainless steel appliances then after applying I wipe down with a microfiber cloth, works like a charm. Don’t forget just use a small amount of baby oil, a little goes a long way. Hope this works for you like it does for me. Good Luck everyone.

  16. This works great for us on our stainless steel refrigerator. Clean entire refrigerator with plain alcohol and then rub with a light coat of olive oil.

  17. I am a cleaning lady and I think that stainless steel and granet are ” supposed to ” be for easier care but instead they cause headaches to keep maintained. And whoever said that there are different grades of stainless steel …they are correct. I pefer the refrigerators with the textured surfaces because they hide fingerprints and are just better to clean. And the countertops that simulate granet are far more sensible and more affordable.

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