Letter 4148

Removing scratches from stainless steel appliances 

I just wanted to thank Cary from Toronto for recommending the Revere copper cleaner [link is to product info at Amazon]. While it didn't completely remove the scratches/rub marks (yes, I too used the wrong side of the stupid sponge) it helped tremendously. Now you can only see them in certain light which is a huge improvement. One note, the directions say to apply it in a circular motion, obviously you want to apply it with the grain of your finish. With shipping I think it cost around $7, so it's a much cheaper alternative to some of the other products out there. Hope this helps.

Josh Cox
- Omaha, NE

If you have an "etched" water/liquid drip down your stainless appliance or on your sink, try this solution:

1. On a wet paper towel or cloth, place a large amount of baking soda. Gently yet steadily rub baking soda over drip going WITH the grain. Once entire drip is repeatedly covered, continue rubbing baking soda over entire panel or appliance. This creates uniformity throughout the metal.

2. Use Windex Multi-Surface spray or similar to remove excess baking soda and provide a clean surface (might I suggest not using regular Windex as a substitute). If drip "etch" is still visible, repeat steps 1 and 2 until unnoticeable.

3. Use Stainless Steel Magic [link is to product info at Amazon] (usually comes with stainless appliances) or equivalent polish to seal and finish the job. Be sure to thoroughly buff off the polish when it first dries so you do not leave streaks.

4. Step back and enjoy your dripless appliance.

This process has worked for me on both a Bosch dishwasher and Frigidaire refrigerator. The refrigerator gets especially bad drip marks because of the in-the-door water system. When I get sick of looking at them, I do this.

I use the exact products mentioned so alternative products may not lead to the same results. Also, this does not work very well on removing scratches so I would not recommend spending the time on this for that reason.

So I hope this helps at least SOME people here! Happy scrubbing!

Sarah Hadeka
- Millersport, OH, USA

I recently updated my kitchen with granite counters and brushed stainless steel appliances, sinks & faucets. I love the look and want to keep them looking great. Reading all your emails has made me realize that scratches and water marks could be a real problem, and I am already aware that the rings I wear could be potential stainless scratchers, so am trying to be careful as I use and and clean my appliances and sinks. I have already scratched my primary kitchen sink, either with my ring or a scouring pad (too late I realized that scrubbing dishes in the sink with this pad would result in inadvertent sink scratches).

Over the holidays I stayed at a Hampton Inn in Chincoteague, VA where I admired the spotless stainless steel sink in the bar area of my room. I asked the manager how they kept it so spotless. At 5 years old, it looks better than my month old sink. He gave me an almost empty can of a product that they use, and said they use it every time they clean, and they swear by it. It is called Sheila Shine [link is to product info at Amazon]. Has anyone ever used this? I tried it on my sink, and while it doesn't get rid of the scratches, it certainly shines up the sink. I am wondering if repeated uses, especially on the my KitchenAid refrigerator or GE Profile stove and microwave, could have any negative impact - i.e. buildup, etc. Would appreciate any feedback from anyone who has used this product, before I go online and buy any.

Susan Hale
- Stevensville, MD, USA

To clean the paint from the paintbrush, my paint contractor scratched my double stainless steel sink.

I was hurt and very angry. I have been living with these scratches since June 2006. I see your comments on Scratch Be Gone. Do you think that will help or be too abrasive?

Hoping to see my sink free from scratches again!

Janice Rosier
homeowner - Elkridge, MD

Hi Susan and Janice, if you'll let me I'd like to taut the laurels of our Scratch-B-Gone kit. Janice, you've lived with those scratches much too long and if you want to remove all of the scratches Susan then the answer is Scratch-B-Gone. Please don't just take my word for it but read more about what others are saying and actual pictures at our website (link above). Scratch-B-Gone is the only recommended product for complete refinishing and scratch removal of all 'real' Stainless steel appliances, sinks and grills. Sheila Shine is a very good product but one thing most tend to do is leave a layer of film behind and it tends to get oily. If you use this, be sure to wipe it all off for better results and handling. The makers of Sheila Shine also recommend this. Best to both of you.

Barry Feinman Restore It Yourself, Inc Carlsbad, CA, USA

Has anyone tried to buff out scratches in a stainless steel sink using finest steel wool? I would like to know if this would work for otherwise new sinks with minor scratches from pots and pans.

Anne Moffett
none - Indio, California, USA

Hi,

I did a stupid thing and got mad because I could not get a few stains off my stainless steel dishwasher and used the green scrub side of an everyday sponge and ruined the finish. I read all the articles, went to Home Depot and only found Scratch Away for stainless steel sinks so I thought what the heck stainless is stainless. It included about 5 different small sand paper finish pads. It was tough for me to bring myself to use this on my dishwasher but I had no choice so you basically scratch the entire surface until you come down to the fine sandpaper finish pads. Then polish. Well it got the scratches out! BUT the finish is smeary; I tried Brasso to see if that would help, vinegar like one person said. But it still is smeary. Any suggestions?
Barb

Barb Springer
- Buffalo Grove, IL

Hi Barb, as you stated Scratch Away specifically states for use on sinks only. This is due to the prolonged and tedious process of cycling through the many abrasive pads to get scratches out. The manufacturer actually will tell you not to use their product on appliances other than sinks. This is because you will have to do the whole surface to get the remain to match in color and texture. Assuming your dishwasher is 'real' stainless and doesn't have a clear coat film, Scratch-B-Gone will help you repair this problem. Hope this helps. All the best.

Barry Feinman Restore It Yourself, Inc Carlsbad, CA, USA

In 2006 I bought all new GE Profile Stainless Steel appliances for my kitchen. I LOVE them! They are a brushed stainless with, what I call, a satin finish....just gorgeous. I clean them daily as needed with Stainless Steel Magic [link is to product info at Amazon], and once a week I go over them thoroughly applying the stainless steel magic with a paper towel and then "buffing" them with a lint free towel. Since I bought these I have made a fuss about putting away any Scotch Brite sponges with the green pad on one side, before I have company, for fear that a well intentioned relative might scratch any of the appliances. And my husband knew this!!!! Well, on Sunday I went out and came home to my husband telling me how he emptied and reloaded the dishwasher for me...only to notice that he SCRATCHED the front of my dishwasher in 2 places!!! He rubbed up and down and side to side!!! AHHHHH! After reading the tips here, I tried Revere Copper and Stainless Steel Cleaner on one of the scratches. Big Mistake! The scratch is still there AND the cleaner appears to have created another noticeable "patch", which is larger than the scratch, where I used it....almost like it rubbed a "top coat" off the finish. I'm sorry I touched it!

Kathy Orehostky
- Jackson, NJ, USA

All of these suggestions sound great, and I am eager to try one. But what can I do for a fridge that has "faux" stainless steel on its doors? I do not know what the material is made of. It looks like stainless, but a magnet cannot stick to it. Any suggestions?

I, too, tried to remove the sticky glue the manufacturer used to attach the product specs, and ended up scratching the surface, against the grain no less.

I may try one of the buffing products such as Brasso or Barkeepers Friend, but am hesitant to actually use one of the Scotchguard or 3M pads b/c the fridge is not actually a metal. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

Emily Bates
- Birmingham, AL

Hi Kathy and Emily, sorry to read of your dilemmas. Have you read the blogs discussing our Scratch-B-Gone product. Let me address each of your problems and possible solutions. Emily, you write that the appliance is non-magnetic yet you call it 'faux' finish. In fact, 'real' 304 Stainless steel is Non-magnetic; where as, those refers which hold magnets are actually steel frames with a protective finish or synthetic skin wrap. Why do you say it is not real? Was it sold as 'finger print or smudge-free'? If so then it may have a clear coat, protective finish. And for you Kathy, GE Profile is usually 'real' Stainless steel unless it is sold as "Clean Steel", their name for a coated finish. Is this the case? I suspect you both have 'real' Stainless but have used poor repair solutions which have 'burnished' the surface repair and created typical bright spots. If this is true them our Scratch-B-Gone will fix these problems. Since I get a lot of inquiries about "How Do I Know If I Have A Coated or Imitation Finish", we have put together a pretty thorough review of manufacturers with coatings and quick tests you can do to determine if your appliance has a coating. You can find this on our website (link at top of page). From our home page you will be directed to a test page. Please feel free to contact me to discuss when in doubt. While there also look at our many safe cleaning products for Stainless and whole kitchen. All the best!

Barry Feinman Restore It Yourself, Inc Carlsbad, CA, USA

I just got a KitchenAid SS side-by-side fridge (KSRG22FTSS). It looks great, but I just noticed that there are small scuff marks and a light scratch on one of the doors. The marks are right near where the handle meets the door, and I'm 99% sure it was caused by the manufacturer (scuff marks are in the shape of the handle). These marks are barely noticeable but they make me love my fridge less. :( I am a VERY picky person (and it drives my family crazy sometimes).

Should I try something like Scratch B Gone? Is it available in Canada (I'm in Toronto)? The thing is, I've tried using various scratch-removing methods on other products before, but the end result is usually a patch that looks shinier/duller than the original. This has me really worried, and I see reviews that suggest that this has happened to some people with Scratch B Gone. Again, the scuff marks and scratch are small and can only be seen up close and when the light catches it at certain angles. I'm worried that I'll end up making it look worse, with an off-finish patch visible from far away.

Jerry Ko
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada

I've got an Elkay SS sink and it is less than a week old and my mother-in-law (yes the dreaded mother-in-law) cleaned a crock pot in it an there are some minor scratches. I tried barkeeper friend and some 000 steel wool with veg oil and there are still some minor scratches. Will Scratch-B-Gone work in this situation? Do I need to do the whole area, or just the scratches?

Phil Hartzel
- Scranton, PA, USA

Happy Easter Phil. Thanks for asking specifically about Scratch-B-Gone. Yes, Scratch-B-Gone will work very quickly to fix these scratches. Scratch-B-Gone re-scratches the original grain and returns a new finish to the damaged surface. No you won't have to do the entire surface as our proprietary formula, Ultra Shine, quickly oxidizes the locally refinished surface to match surrounding surfaces. Our process allows you to locally restore a scratch with remarkable results..Have a nice Easter.

Hi Jerry, the Scratch-B-Gone process is designed to successfully remove light scuff scratches from Stainless while chemically blending the repaired areas to closely match surrounding surface tone. We have had hundreds of success ourselves and hear successes of those who have used Scratch-B-Gone on problems like yours. Thanks for specifically asking about Scratch-B-Gone. It is now the only manufacturer recognized restoration products for Stainless appliances, sinks and grills. All the best

Barry Feinman Restore It Yourself, Inc Carlsbad, CA, USA

Just yesterday I scratched my Frigidaire refrigerator with one of those "hard surface" kitchen sponges. I wasn't thinking. I think my surface is faux like one of the previous posters.

After panicking I decided to use the Zep Stainless Steel Cleaner we had on hand and IT WORKED! I'd be lying if I said you couldn't see the scratches at all anymore, but it made a HUGE difference. I can't see the swirls unless I'm really looking.

If you can't find it I would guesstimate it works similarly to WD-40 which I saw referenced on the forum a few times. Both are oil based so I would recommend starting there if you have a fridge similar to mine. Good luck!

Stacey Blalock
- Atlanta, Georgia, United States

I have a 72" GE Monogram Refrigerator and Freezer. The housecleaning company I have been using must have used a scrubbing pad or a dirty cloth the last time they cleaned because now I have swirly scratches all over the units. I just ordered the Scratch B Gone but after reading the postings, I am a little worry about some of the people who said the product made it worst. Honestly, I would not care as much if it doesn't work as much as I care about it getting worse. Should I be worry? The scratches are very very light, almost like the swirly marks on a car.

Ellen Martin
- New Hyde Park, NY, USA

Some years ago I had a dog do a number on my stainless range. He chewed the corners of the drawer and the door. Talk about a death wish, but lucky for my furry friend I love him and what the heck he didn't get what he did? I had nothing to lose the stove looked like I dragged it from the trash. I took wet - dry sand paper the black paper, wet it and started sanding. The teeth marks in some spots were deep, I could not believe it but I saved my stove. I them buffed it with fine steal wool used for furniture polishing. If your marks are deep you might want to try this. My stove lives on and is almost back to new.

Kat Mills
- Denton, MD

I have a stainless steel refrigerator that has many hard water spots and streaks where the external ice maker and water dispenser are. That half of the refrigerator is a mess. I have tried full strength white vinegar, soft scrub, pure water, stainless cleaner, with no luck. I have searched all over the internet for answers - no luck there either. I have no clue at this point how to clean the hard water (calcium deposits in our water) from the doors. Does anyone have a way for me to clean this and to keep it clean.

Thank

Sharon Schulte
buyer - Mesa, AZ, United States

Question for Barry (or any other expert) regarding my stainless steel. I have a GE Monogram Fridge and Double Over; GE Profile Gas cooktop and microwave; and Kitchenaid Dishwasher. Can I use Scratch B Gone on these surfaces? I am looking for a weekly (or ever more frequent) cleaning product that won't dull the metal, removes all the various stains and takes out the minor scratches. Sounds like this is the product for me but want to double check before hurting my brand new appliances. Appreciate your timely response.

Carolyn Kilkenny
None - Darien, CT

This answer is for both Sharon and Carolyn. Scratch-B-Gone will work safely to remove those nagging water streaks from the calcium off of your doors. We also have a new product at our site called XHS or Xtreme Hardwater remover which we are soon to launch which is very effective in removing hard water mineral deposit while being safe to Stainless. As to your question Carolyn, Kitchenaid products are good candidates for Scratch-B-Gone as is GE Profile. Again, don't use Scratch-B-Gone on any appliances sold as 'CLEAN STEEL' from GE; 'SATINA' from Whirlpool/Kitchenaid. Check the model # and look for an "SS" as the last letters in their sequence. This stands for Stainless steel. Their Architectural Series has a Monochromatic Stainless but this is not the same. When all else fails look to our website for a downloadable Quick Test guide for determining if Scratch-B-Gone will work on your surface. Thanks and best of luck.

Barry Feinman Restore It Yourself, Inc Carlsbad, CA, USA

I just wanted to let everyone know that Scratch-B-Gone does work. After much investigation, after my refrigerator was scratch by a housekeeper with steel wool, I decided to try it. It took 10 minutes to do and looks like brand new. I am impressed with this product. It's worth the money. Its very easy to do also, you just need a little elbow grease! I am not in any way affiliated with this company or product.

Jennifer Lavi
- Bloomington, IL, USA

We have not-too-deep ugly scratch going against the grain right in the middle of the fridge. After checking out the Scratch B Gone site, I don't think I can use it because I have a Frigidaire "Easy Care" fridge. But "Easy Care" does say it is "genuine stainless steel," but is magnetic, and it does leave fingerprints, just not huge ugly ones I've seen on other ss appliances. So to Barry or anyone who has gotten scratches out of an "Easy Care" appliance - what can we do?? I was very hopeful until I got to the 3-step-test. :(

Nicole Parsons
- Hartford, CT

Hi Nicole..thanks for considering and mentioning Scratch-B-Gone for your repairs. Since you've done a good job at researching this issue, I will ask you to do one more test. Find some metal polish under your sink (ie silver, brass polish). Put small drop on towel and rub in corner of door in direction of grain. If uncoated then will turn black on cloth. If this happens then Scratch-B-Gone will work for you. Magnetic quality of metal indicates that we're working with 430SSn not 304SS and it is probably coated to reduce printing and reduce rust potential. All the best...please post your results. I'll be reading.

Barry Feinman Restore It Yourself, Inc Carlsbad, CA, USA

As a follow up to all of the posts concerning scratches in stainless steel appliances, I too, managed to scratch my fridge with an abrasive type cleaner. After reading the posts, I tried to double check with an appliance store, Sears, Home Depot, Best Buy, to see if they had an recommendations. Big waste of time... Long story short, I bought a 150 grit sanding sponge from Home Depot and went with the grain of the stainless steel and completely took the scratches out. Polished it up and the fridge looks like new again.

Brian Zeeb
- Ankeny, IA

Spots and fingerprints on Stainless Kitchenaid fridge remedy:
I bought a floor model and used the cream that came with the Fridge but it looked worse. I have used the Cream from my Charmglow Commercial Stainless BBQ and it worked like a charm. I cannot find where to purchase it though as it only comes with the BBQ. If you can get some of this, you fridge will look great... I don't know about scratches though. Good Luck!

Mary Rhulan
- Gainesville, VA

I recently built a home and bought a brand new (and my very first!) stainless steel, side-by-side fridge (GE). About one week after receiving it, I opened the door and it accidentally hit a nearby wooden bar stool and it made an awful lengthwise zig-zag scratch (think Charlie's Brown's shirt!). Needless to say, I was absolutely devastated and searched for hours on the internet for a solution. Thank goodness, I found this site and heard about Scratch-B-Gone. I was skeptical, since I read some reviews here that said it just made the scratches worse, but I knew I couldn't live with the scratch so I decided to try my luck and bought the .75 ounce bottle. When I received it, I used the finest grit pad that came with the kit (the grey, unwoven one) and applied the solution. I worked the pad VERY gently up and down with the grain and to my absolute shock, the scratch was becoming lighter by the second! Within about 5 minutes of careful working, I had completely buffed out the scratch. When I stepped back, however, I could still see a very slight "dullness" across the area where I had buffed (it was really no big deal, but I'm a perfectionist and wanted it to look EXACTLY as it did the day I got it a week before). I just applied a bit more solution to the pad and worked up and down about 6 inches above and below the scratch to camouflage it and within a few strokes, it worked like a charm! There is absolutely NO evidence that a scratch was ever present or that any buffing had been done. It looks like it did the day I got it. Granted, it was definitely not a deep scratch, but I am very pleased with the product and recommend it to anyone with a similar problem. One word of note: the directions say that you should apply some solution to the surface with a rag first and if the rag doesn't turn black, you shouldn't use it. This is not always the case. I applied the solution with a rag and it did NOT turn black or change colors at all. I was very disappointed since I really wanted to use it. I called the manufacturer and they confirmed that it was indeed real stainless steel and that it did not have a protective coating, so I used it and am very happy I did!

Lisa Jones
- Cleveland, Ohio, US

I've looked through a lot of this thread with no real answer, so I finally decided to "bite the bullet" and just do it the way I thought might work . . . and I was right (for a change).

Some thoughtful person, following a party at our home decided to clean our expensive stainless steel DCS stove and oven with a ScotchBrite pad. Needless to say, ScotchBrite IS NOT a good way to clean anything stainless steel! Fortunately our good Samaritan realized very quickly that it was a really bad idea. Unfortunately, the stainless was marked right in front of the burners. My first thought was automotive rubbing compound or polishing compound, and I tried it, realizing it was going to take hours to remove the scratches, and I was going to end up with a shiny spot on the stove.

I checked this thread and really didn't get any help, but a whole lot of confusion. (Here's the "bite the bullet part). I have some wet and dry auto paint sandpaper in a variety of grits, so I used wet (Yes, you put water on it) 400 grit waterproof sandpaper and a good quality sanding block to try to rub out the scratches. I realized in about two minutes that I was on the right track, since the scratches were gone, however the stainless was a bit too shiny, so I hit the area with 320 grit on the sanding block. It turned out great, although still just a bit smoother finish than the original, but my fiance loves it, so I didn't drop down to the 280 grit, which would probably be the right one.

Long story short: Get a good quality automotive paint sanding block and a variety of waterproof automotive paint sandpapers, then start with about 400 grit and move down until you have the one that matches your finish. You might not have to use the sanding block on a surface that isn't flat, but I'd recommend it strongly on any flat surfaces.

Once I started rubbing out the spot using this technique, it really did only take about two minutes. The second shot with the 320 grit took a whole 30 seconds and the stove looks like new (which it is)!

It's cheap, easy and quick and you don't have to search for any magic potions!

Congratulations, you found the right answer!

Chuck Whitten
- Nevada City, California, USA

I will follow up on the remedies for scratch removal on the "brushed stainless steel" areas, but I have a problem on the highly polished/mirror finished, smooth perimeter of my sink. It has some scratches (naturally from pots and pans)and also a "bloom" of blue and subdued rainbow colors that disappear momentarily when polished but never permanently. Hopefully someone else has already found a solution to this situation. Thank you in advance for your help.

Ronald Haslock
- Westbank, BC Canada

Hi Ron. The mirror or bright polish you speak of is created by high speed buffing process with compounds.As a service company we have done this hundreds of times. This is quite simple to resolve but you will need to purchase a few things. Contact us at above banner link to discuss the process. For your brushed grained finish of your tub and basin, Scratch-B-Gone is the proven solution for all leading manufacturers of sinks, appliances and grills. All the best

Barry Feinman Restore It Yourself, Inc Carlsbad, CA, USA

HELP!! Just moved into our new home, new SS appliances in the kitchen. The problem is with the KitchenAid refrig. Trying to do two things at once I opened the microwave pull down door and the freezer door swung open at the same time and caused a 2"scratch diagonally across the grain at the top left side of the freezer door. I am just sick by this. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.

Cissy Sullivan
- Marengo, Illinois

Cissy, Scratch-B-Gone is your ONLY answer to fix this problem. All the best...

Barry Feinman Restore It Yourself, Inc Carlsbad, CA, USA

Someone asked about removing the adhesive from all the stickers the manufacturers put on the appliances. I have a GE Cafe Fridge and got the adhesive off with Goo Gone (one of my most favorite products anyway), the spritzed it with Fantastic to remove the grease. Using a soft cloth towel. No paper towel. It worked just fine.

Looked good until my cabinet installer used the fridge to help stand up and left hand marks all over it. My first venture into stainless appliances and I am holding my breath. Such tender care required of a laid back housekeeper like myself.

Karen Anderson
- Morgan Hill, CA USA

Answer or follow-up on this question.

 

Post a question or inquiry unrelated to scratches in stainless steel.

 

This is a monitored forum. If you spot broken links or obsolete info, please advise!