Need help - cleaning stainless steel appliances - MOESHA!! :-)

[Catty1]

A friend has taken over another friend's cleaning contract. I am helping her several days a month, which puts me into the survival zone for income!

In any case, the original cleaning gal had used some cleaner recommended by the store that sells the stainless steel appliances - in this case, a fridge.

Poor Irene (my friend) spent 20 minutes of solid elbow grease on the thing the other day. She is using the warm water (a well wrung out cloth) and nothing else. The fridge was still streaked...though the same cloth worked fine on other surfaces (ceramic, etc). They are microfibre cloths.

ANYWAY - we both know that one does NOT use Windex on SS. A cleaner that leaves a film is not great. I say vinegar and water (or just vinegar) can be used. She says that when the original cleaner went for a SS course at the appliance store, she was told vinegar was too acidic.

Google hasn't been a lot of help - lots of products, but no labels. We use as environmentally friendly stuff as possible- the strongest cleaner is Vim, and not used often. We use vinegar and water, and a tea tree oil cleaner made for that purpose.

So - any ideas????

Thanks!

[Moesha]

I only have one place that I clean that has stainless steel appliances. She likes this oily stuff, comes in a container that sort of look like wet ones. After I use those then I have to wipe off the excess with paper towels. I have heard, although I personally haven't tried it, that newspaper can be used to wipe them down streakfree. The newspapers should be several days old though so the ink doesn't rub off. Again I have not tried that myself. I know of others that use a little mild dish detergent to clean them. I haven't had to try any of these things because thankfully I only have the one place with them, and she is particular about what she wants used.

Here are a couple of links that I found about cleaning appliances:
How do you remove fingerprints from stainless-steel appliances?

About.com article

Maybe others that have them in their own home will have better suggestions.

[Taz_Zoee]

We have Stainless Steel. I just went to see what we use and it's called Stainless Steel Magic. It cleans & shines. Now, I've never used this. Bruce uses it so I'm not sure how much muscle he has to use.
Here is a link with some different types of Magic Brand cleaners. Of course all the trigger spray kinds are no longer available, that's what we have.
http://buyitnow64.stores.yahoo.net/ststmaapcl.html

[Laura's Babies]

We use it on the boat for our stainless steel appliances and showers. They make a cleaner/polisher that you spray on and wipe off and that cleans really good. For just a shine we have another spray that is called Shield shine or something like that. It is best to just spray that on to your rag and wipe down what needs cleaning.. Both are in a spray can...

[kitten645]

I know Barkeepers Friend is recommended by All Clad for their stainless steel pans. I've heard nothing but good things about it. It's pretty cheap too. I think two something a can.
Claudia

[Medusa]

When I was cleaning houses, I used Glass Plus. It's like Windex w/out the ammonia and it left everything really shiny and w/out streaks. I have a stainless steel sink and I use it on it every day. Stainless Steel Magic works, too, but it takes a lot of work to be sure there are no streaks.