Be gone, pesky stain!
January 11, 2024 8:16 AM Subscribe
I have a stain I can't get rid of. Can you help?
We have lived in our current place for two years now. This has always bothered me but now it's finally bothered me to the point where I'm trying to do something about it, but I find that I'm stuck.
Our stainless gas stove has some stains on the front lip of it that I just can't remove. They look a bit like water stains, sort of? but I don't think they are.
Ultimately, what they are isn't as important as the fact that I can't remove them, though. I have tried:
- Soap and water
- Windex
- Therapy Stainless Cleaner (which works fantastically on all our other stainless steel appliances, and even works well on other parts of the stove)
- Weiman's Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish
- WD40
And none of them have even made so much as a slight dent in the level of these stains at all. I feel like if my stove could laugh, it'd be laughing at me right now.
Rather than just going to the store every day and buying a different product, I figured it was time to ask people who might have more experience than I do in how to maybe remove these ridiculously hard-to-remove stains. Have you had success removing super-stubborn stains from stainless steel appliances? How?
We have lived in our current place for two years now. This has always bothered me but now it's finally bothered me to the point where I'm trying to do something about it, but I find that I'm stuck.
Our stainless gas stove has some stains on the front lip of it that I just can't remove. They look a bit like water stains, sort of? but I don't think they are.
Ultimately, what they are isn't as important as the fact that I can't remove them, though. I have tried:
- Soap and water
- Windex
- Therapy Stainless Cleaner (which works fantastically on all our other stainless steel appliances, and even works well on other parts of the stove)
- Weiman's Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish
- WD40
And none of them have even made so much as a slight dent in the level of these stains at all. I feel like if my stove could laugh, it'd be laughing at me right now.
Rather than just going to the store every day and buying a different product, I figured it was time to ask people who might have more experience than I do in how to maybe remove these ridiculously hard-to-remove stains. Have you had success removing super-stubborn stains from stainless steel appliances? How?
It might be etched, it's hard to tell. But I would try Bar Keepers Friend (see the large pic on the front page of their website). It's oxalic acid with a little bit of an abrasive. You can get it as a liquid "soft cleanser" rather than as a powder if you haven't used it before.
Use a damp sponge and a gentle hand and go with the grain. I've never had it damage a surface but I'm pretty careful.
posted by bcwinters at 8:29 AM on January 11 [2 favorites]
Use a damp sponge and a gentle hand and go with the grain. I've never had it damage a surface but I'm pretty careful.
posted by bcwinters at 8:29 AM on January 11 [2 favorites]
Echoing bcwinters that Bar Keepers Friend would be the next step. Maybe also try a Magic Eraser, as those have a way of abrading off stains from surface layers.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:38 AM on January 11
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:38 AM on January 11
I would try citric acid and/or barkeepers friend. I would not use a magic eraser at it might visibly scuff the rest of the steel.
posted by seanmpuckett at 9:08 AM on January 11 [2 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 9:08 AM on January 11 [2 favorites]
Oof yeah. Scratch that. Or don't scratch, with the Magic Eraser. My spouse wagged her finger at me for this.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:24 AM on January 11 [1 favorite]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:24 AM on January 11 [1 favorite]
Lee Valley sells micro mesh sanding pads. They come in a pack of various fine grits, one of which would match your existing finish. Use water and scrub in the same direction as the existing “grain”.
posted by brachiopod at 9:41 AM on January 11
posted by brachiopod at 9:41 AM on January 11
Those are water stains. I've had luck with white toothpaste, rub in one direction back and forth...or Blitz stainless steel polish.
posted by Czjewel at 10:16 AM on January 11
posted by Czjewel at 10:16 AM on January 11
This is a job for a stainless steel wire brush, Delorian cars came with one,
Brush with the grain.
posted by hortense at 12:26 PM on January 11
Brush with the grain.
posted by hortense at 12:26 PM on January 11
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by jacquilynne at 8:26 AM on January 11 [3 favorites]