"Vinegar's fine for glass or porcelain, but metals can be tricky."
True, vinegar can be hit or miss, but honestly, I've had pretty good luck with baking soda paste on metals—even brass. I get why dish soap works for you, but if you're budget-conscious like me, baking soda is a lifesaver. Just mix a bit of baking soda with water until it's a thick paste, rub it gently onto the brass with a soft cloth, and rinse thoroughly. No weird streaks or discoloration, and it's way cheaper than specialized cleaners. Plus, no strong chemical smells lingering around the house afterward.
I did have one mishap though... left the paste on a bit too long once (got distracted by a phone call), and it dried out. Took some elbow grease to get it off, but thankfully no permanent damage. Lesson learned: don't multitask when cleaning antiques, haha.
Baking soda's decent, but honestly I've gotten better results with lemon juice and salt for brass. Sprinkle salt on half a lemon, rub gently, rinse well... smells fresh too. Baking soda sometimes leaves a dull finish for me—maybe I'm doing it wrong though, lol.
I've tried lemon and salt too, and it does work wonders on brass. But honestly, for stainless steel appliances, vinegar mixed with a bit of olive oil has been my go-to lately—leaves a nice shine without that weird chemical residue. Baking soda's hit or miss for me too...
Interesting you mentioned vinegar and olive oil, I've heard good things but haven't tried that combo myself yet. Usually, for stainless steel, I stick with a diluted vinegar spray followed by a microfiber cloth—it works pretty consistently, but now you've got me curious about the olive oil trick. Does it leave any oily residue or fingerprints afterward? I'd be worried about attracting dust or pet hair (my cat already thinks the kitchen is her personal playground...).
Totally agree with baking soda being hit or miss though. It saved my oven once after a particularly messy lasagna disaster, but when I tried it on the fridge door, it just left a chalky mess. Guess appliances have their own personalities or something...
I've tried the olive oil trick a couple times, and honestly, it's kind of a mixed bag. First time I did it, I was pretty impressed—my fridge looked showroom-ready for about a day. But then, yeah, it did start attracting dust and fingerprints way faster than usual. And with two dogs running around, pet hair was definitely an issue. I ended up wiping it down again with vinegar just to get rid of the oily residue.
Funny you mention baking soda being hit or miss, because I've had similar experiences. It worked wonders on my stove top after a sauce spillover, but when I tried it on my dishwasher door, it left this weird gritty film that took forever to rinse off. Maybe it's something about the finish or coating on different appliances? I'm starting to think each appliance really does have its own quirks...
