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Can You Use Baking Soda On Stainless Steel? (Answered)

Cleaning stainless steel is a chore that many people have to deal with on a regular basis. If you are wondering whether you can clean stainless steel using baking soda or not, we can answer your question and provide more information on that.

Using Baking Soda On Stainless Steel:

You can definitely use baking soda on stainless steel. When you clean stainless steel with baking soda, it leaves it looking shiny and new. All you need is a bit of baking soda, a stainless steel surface, and some water. It can clean steel utensils, appliances, and anything made of this metal.

The method and ratio of baking soda and other ingredients would be different for different kinds of objects. Here’s how you can clean different things made of stainless steel using this ingredient.

Stainless Steel Pans, Bottles, Coffee Pots, and Cutlery:

You can surely use baking soda for cleaning your steel utensils. Baking soda cuts through debris build-up, leaving your stainless steel shiny and clean.

For pans and other cookware, run them under hot water and a splash of liquid soap to prevent buildup, and then dry them thoroughly.

Pour a small amount of baking soda into the container of warm, liquid soap, and use a soft brush or damp rag to scrub the stainless steel clean.

Stainless Steel Sink:

Most Stainless steel sinks are fairly easy to clean. The easiest way to clean a stainless steel sink is to use baking soda instead of traditional harsh cleaners.

All you need is some of this powder, warm water, and some elbow grease to get the job done. You can use the baking soda to clean your stainless steel sink and then rinse it clean with water to get rid of the powder.

Stainless Steel Appliances:

The best way to clean stainless steel appliances is with baking soda. It is an effective way for getting the best results when it comes to a variety of appliances, such as stovetops and refrigerators.

All you need is a small amount of baking soda, which can be bought at most grocery stores, and water. The baking soda absorbs dirt and grease on the surface of the stainless steel, which can be scrubbed off with a sponge.

The best part is that it works for a variety of surfaces, so no matter what your stainless steel appliance is, you can clean it with just a little bit of baking soda and a little bit of water.

Stainless Steel Grill Grates:

Cleaning your stainless-steel grill grates is an important part of keeping your outdoor cooking area clean and looking good. And as you would expect, you can definitely use baking soda for this purpose.

All you need is a little bit of it and a cloth to clean your grates. Simply sprinkle some of the soda on a cloth and use it to clean your grates.

When you use baking soda to clean your stainless-steel grates, it removes dirt, grease, and residue without harsh chemicals and leaves your grates looking, well, great!

Reasons Why Baking Soda Is Great For Cleaning Stainless Steel

Mainly for two reasons, baking soda is the superior ingredient for cleaning stainless steel.

Mildly Abrasive And More Effective:

One big reason baking soda is good for cleaning stainless steel is that it is mildly abrasive.

This helps it better clean the surface of the stainless steel, which is often the biggest hurdle when it comes to cleaning. This also helps keep the stainless steel looking newer and cleaner longer.

It is also great for cleaning stainless steel because it is a stronger absorbent than traditional cleaners. It will pick up dirt and grease much better than those traditional cleaners, without leaving a strong odor as those traditional cleaners do.

Affordable And Safe Alternative:

Baking soda is a cheaper option than traditional cleaners for stainless steel. It costs about half the price of the cleaners available in the market that are supposedly designed to clean stainless steel.

You really don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on cleaning reagents. Aside from that, because traditional cleaners sometimes can be too abrasive and even toxic, they are not the safest options.

Instead of using traditional cleaners, such as soap and detergent, which typically leave a strong odor on stainless steel, which is undesirable, baking soda is a safer and better alternative.

When To Use Baking Soda For Cleaning Stainless Steel?

While it may seem like you can’t use it for cleaning basically everything made of stainless steel, you actually can! In the following ways, you can make the most use of baking soda when it comes to stainless steel.

For Regular Cleaning:

Baking soda is used to clean stainless steel appliances such as sinks and refrigerators, as well as to remove the buildups on counters and other surfaces from everyday use.

It can also be used to remove debris from pots and pans, polish silver, and clean hard-to-reach spots on glass. Its mild abrasiveness is what makes it so much convenient and effective to use.

To Remove Rust:

Instead of replacing your old stainless steel appliances that have now gotten rusty, you can remove the rust and restore them to their original condition using only the cheapest ingredients you probably have on hand, baking soda.

The paste made using this ingredient is excellent at removing rust from stainless steel, and it doesn’t leave any residue behind.

This will remove any rust that has accumulated on the surface of the stainless steel. Just apply the paste and keep it on for a while, and then wipe it off to have a basically brand new looking steel surface.

To Remove Scratches:

Although the name suggests that there cannot be any stains in this type of steel, scratches do make their way to these metals. But don’t worry too much, because baking soda is here to the rescue again!

Baking soda can remove scratches on stainless steel surfaces. This is due to the abrasiveness of the baking soda which causes the stainless steel surface to become dull.

Upon scrubbing lightly using a paste of baking soda, you can easily get rid of small scratches.

Tips To Use Baking Soda To Clean Stainless Steel:

If you want to get the most effective results from using baking soda on stainless steel, you might want to follow these tips.

Make The Perfect Cleaning Paste:

You have to mix baking soda and water in the perfect ratio that it cleans the steel surface most effectively.

The baking soda will naturally clean the stainless steel, and the water will help to close the surface pores. This makes the perfect cleaning paste for stainless steel.

Ideally, you want to take 4 parts baking soda and 1 part water, and mix that up to form the perfect concoction. You would be surprised to see the results if you get this paste right. 

Add Vinegar For Better Results:

Adding vinegar with baking soda can help clean stainless steel better than plain old vinegar, which is an inexpensive and simple home remedy for removing small scratches on various surfaces.

It can be used on stainless steel sinks, appliances, and even countertops. The soft dirt and grime that accumulate on stainless steel surfaces can dull them and make them appear old and worn.

But mixing a little vinegar with baking soda can help clean them better than just baking soda alone, which is an effective stainless steel cleaner in its own right.

Scrub With The Grain Of Metal:

To scrub the stainless steel, begin by applying a small amount of vinegar with baking soda to a clean cloth or sponge. Working in small sections at a time, use a cloth or sponge to gently scrub the stainless steel.

The grain of the metal should be used to gain the most benefit; the direction in which the stainless steel is located should not be changed. This should be sufficient to clean the stainless steel, and any stains or dirt should be easily visible on the surface.

Wipe Off On Time:

While using baking soda for cleaning is important, wiping it off one time is also very crucial. If you are going to apply baking soda paste onto a stainless steel surface and leave it on for a while, make sure it doesn’t stay on for more than a few hours.

Although it removes rust, leaving the paste on for excessive amounts of time could potentially cause it to rust and damage the steel as a whole. So, wipe it off as soon as you are done cleaning.

Final Thoughts

You can expect very impressive cleaning of stainless steel from baking soda. Clean your utensils, appliances, and basically any steel surface using this ingredient, and expect the best results. Make sure to follow our tips correctly so you get the most out of this amazing powder.