I once tried one of those “miracle” stainless sprays on my fridge, and it looked great… for about five minutes. Then the fingerprints came back with a vengeance, like they’d been summoned by the smell of chemicals. Now I just stick to vinegar and water too—plus, my dog doesn’t give me that side-eye when I clean. The only downside is my kitchen sometimes smells like a salad bar, but hey, small price to pay for shiny appliances.
Natural Cleaners Vs Store-Bought Stuff For Appliances
Vinegar and water is my go-to too, but I’ll admit, sometimes I miss that “just-cleaned” lemony scent from the store-bought sprays. The salad bar vibe is real, though—my partner always asks if we’re having Greek night when I’m scrubbing the fridge.
Here’s my quick and dirty method for stainless: spray with diluted vinegar, wipe with a microfiber cloth (not paper towels, those leave lint), then buff with a dry side. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll follow up with a dab of olive oil on a cloth for that showroom shine. It actually helps repel fingerprints for a bit—definitely not forever, but longer than just vinegar.
Honestly, those miracle sprays always left streaks for me, or made the fridge feel weirdly sticky. Plus, less chemicals means I don’t have to worry about what’s getting on my hands... or what the cat’s licking off the dishwasher door.
- Been there with the “salad bar vibe”—my kitchen smells like a sub shop after vinegar cleaning.
- I’ve tried those “miracle” stainless sprays too.
Same here. They look good for a day, then it’s fingerprint city.“those miracle sprays always left streaks for me, or made the fridge feel weirdly sticky.”
- Microfiber cloths are a must. Paper towels just make a mess.
- I use a drop of dish soap in the vinegar mix for greasy spots. Works better than anything store-bought, at least for me.
- Never thought about olive oil for shine... might give that a shot next time.
Natural Cleaners Always Win for Me
Yeah, those stainless sprays are overrated. I’ve tried a bunch—half of them just smear the fingerprints around or leave that weird tacky feel. Microfiber’s the only way to go, and I’m with you on the dish soap in vinegar for greasy stuff. I’ve even used a bit of baking soda paste for stubborn spots, but you gotta rinse it well or it leaves a haze. Olive oil’s decent for shine, but if you use too much, it attracts dust like crazy... learned that the hard way.
Funny you mention the olive oil—tried that trick staging a rental, and yeah, it looked great for about a day. Next showing, it was like a dust magnet. Ever tried just plain rubbing alcohol for fingerprints? Works fast, but I wonder if it’s too harsh long-term...
