How to Polish Scratches on Stainless Steel Appliances

Stainless steel appliances require care and maintenance to keep them looking shiny and new. If you slide metal utensils and pots and pans across your stainless steel appliances, you may end up scratching the surface. You can also scratch stainless steel appliances by using abrasive cleaning supplies on them. You can polish scratches out of your stainless steel appliances with rubbing compound. It's best to clean the appliance first, especially around the scratched area, before attempting to polish the scratch.

Things You'll Need

• Damp cloth
• Lint-free towel
• Steel wool
• Soft cloths
• Rubbing compound
• Vinegar

Instructions

1. Clean the scratch and the area surrounding it with a damp cloth. Try to remove all dirt and debris and any dried-on food.

2. Dry the scratched area with a lint-free towel.

3. Scrub the scratch with steel wool in a back-and-forth motion with the grain of the appliance.

4. Use a soft cloth to polish the scratch in a circular motion with the rubbing compound until it is gone.

5. Use a clean area of the cloth to remove the excess rubbing compound.

6. Apply vinegar to a clean, soft cloth and clean around the area where the scratch was to remove any greasy residue from the rubbing compound.

Tips & Warnings

• You can purchase rubbing compound from automotive supply stores.

References

• "New Fix-It-Yourself Manual: How to Repair, Clean and Maintain Anything and Everything in and Around Your Home;" Reader's Digest; 2009