How to clean grease off stainless steel — streak free

Why stainless streaks

Stainless has a directional grain — fine parallel lines from manufacturing. Wiping across it pushes residue into the grooves, where it dries as visible streaking. Wiping along it clears the grooves out.

The second cause is letting the surface air-dry. Whatever is dissolved in the water on the surface stays behind as it evaporates. Buffing dry with a separate cloth removes the problem entirely.

The method

1. 1

   Find the grain

   Look closely under a light. The fine lines usually run horizontally on appliance doors and along the length on hobs and splashbacks.

2. 2

   Spray the cloth, not always the panel

   On large vertical panels, applying to a microfibre cloth gives more even coverage. On heavy grease around a hob, spray directly and let it dwell for a minute or two.

3. 3

   Wipe with the grain

   Long, overlapping strokes in one direction. Never circles — circular wiping is the single most common cause of hazing.

4. 4

   Buff dry with a clean, dry cloth

   Again with the grain. This is the step most people skip and it is the one that produces a mirror finish.

What to avoid on stainless

• Steel wool and abrasive pads — they scratch and cause rust spots from embedded steel particles.
• Bleach and chloride-based cleaners, which pit the surface.
• Circular wiping, which hazes the finish.
• Letting the surface air-dry after cleaning.
• Using the same cloth for cleaning and drying.

Where this applies

• Fridge, dishwasher and oven doors with fingerprints and cooking film.
• Extractor hood canopies coated in airborne fat.
• Splashbacks behind the hob.
• Sinks, taps and prep surfaces.
• Gas hob trivets and stainless burner surrounds.