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wikiHow to Polish Stainless Steel

Four Methods:Before PolishingUsing Olive OilUsing FlourUsing Professional PolishCommunity Q&A

Over time, stainless steel may begin to look dull or develop water marks. To bring back a stainless steel item’s original sheen, do a quick surface polishing with a home remedy, like olive oil or flour. If your stainless steel piece ends up getting scratched, you can polish it away with a professional stainless steel polish and a power buffer. For more detailed instructions, start with Step 1 below.

Before Polishing

  1. 1
    Clean your stainless steel piece. Regardless of what polishing method you use, the stainless steel piece being polished should be clean before you start. Cookware that is made entirely of stainless steel can be washed in the dishwasher, but if you have cookware that contains other metals or are polishing a stainless steel piece that is something other than cookware, you may need to clean it by hand. Quickly wipe the piece down with a solution of warm water and dish detergent. Remove soapy residue with clean water.
    • At this point, do not worry about any streaks, prints, or smudges that get on the surface. These will be removed in the polishing process.
  2. 2
    Dry the item. After your stainless steel piece has been washed and rinsed, you need to make sure that it is dry before you begin polishing. You can allow it to air dry or you can dry it by hand using a clean, dry, soft cloth.

Using Olive Oil

  1. 1
    Pour olive oil onto a clean cloth. You only need a dot or two of oil, especially if you are polishing something small like flatware, pans, or décor made of steel. For larger surfaces, like sinks or kitchen appliances, you might want to use a little more. Remove the cap of the bottle holding the olive oil and tightly place the cloth over it. Quickly flip the bottle over, allowing a little oil to soak into the cloth.[1]
  2. 2
    Spread the oil around. Before you worry about any intense buffing, make sure that the entire surface has a coating of olive oil on it. Wipe the piece from side to side or top to bottom until you see a light sheen across the entire surface.
  3. 3
    Buff the oil in. You will need to use considerably pressure in order to work the oil into the small grooves in the surface of the stainless steel. Use the oil-soaked side of the cloth and apply firm, steady pressure to the surface of the steel using small circular motions. The process can take a few minutes, depending on how large the item is. Continue buffing until you feel a notable change in texture across the entire surface of the item. When you finish, the surface should feel smooth.
  4. 4
    Buff out excess oil. If you allow extra oil to continue sitting on the surface of your stainless steel, it will actually dull the metal rather than polish it. You can use the clean side of your rag, a separate clean rag, or clean paper towels.[2] Any clean, dry towel will work. Buff the surface using steady, firm pressure applied in small circular motions. Continue until the glossy oil is gone.
    • If in doubt, you can lightly touch the surface of the stainless steel to check if it feels oily. Lightly buff away any fingerprints you leave on the surface after doing so, though. Use your clean, dry cloth to do so.

Using Flour

  1. 1
    Shake a little flour over the surface of the stainless steel. This method works especially well if used in a container-like steel piece, like a sink or sauce pot, but it can also be used on flat stainless steel surface. Sprinkle enough flour to lightly coat the surface, but avoid using so much that you inadvertently create large, wasteful piles of excess flour. As a guideline, about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of flour should be enough for a standard size kitchen sink.[3]
  2. 2
    Gently spread the flour over the surface. If the flour is not evenly distributed over the surface of the item, do so by gently brushing it around with your hand or with a clean cloth. The flour may not spread out smoothly, but distributing it in a relatively even fashion will make the buffing process easier.
  3. 3
    Buff the surface. Use a clean, dry cloth. Apply firm, even pressure in small circular motions, gradually moving the cloth across the entire surface. The process could take several minutes, and you should continue until the steel appears shiny and smooth again.
    • If you used a cloth to help you spread out the flour prior to this step, you can use the same one.
    • For smaller appliances and surfaces, you can also scrub the flour into the tiny grooves of the metal using an old toothbrush.
  4. 4
    Remove the excess flour. Wipe away to extra flour using the same cloth you used to buff the surface. Make sure to get all of it. Toss the flour out by shaking the towel into your trashcan.

Using Professional Polish

  1. 1
    Fix a buffing pad onto a power buffer. In order to polish away scratches, you will need to use a buffing pad that is slightly abrasive. Stainless steel is a hard metal that does not scratch easily, but when it does scratch, it takes another rough surface to polish that scratch away.
  2. 2
    Select a non-waxy stainless steel polish.[4] Waxy polishes can actually leave behind a film. This film can gradually make your stainless steel look dull as time passes. Moreover, if used on a surface that gets hot, such as a tea kettle or automotive part, the heat can actually melt the wax and cause a variety of problems. For best results, you should also choose a stainless steel polish with a mild abrasive component..
  3. 3
    Pour the polish onto the buffing pad. A dime-size amount will usually work, but follow the manufacturer's instructions for the polish and the buffer in order to determine a more accurate amount.
  4. 4
    Place the buffer at the top corner of the surface. It does not matter if you start in the upper right or upper left corner, but most people find it more comfortable to move from left to right as they polish.
  5. 5
    Switch the buffer on. Each power buffer turns on in its own way, but there is usually a button, switch, or trigger somewhere on the side.
  6. 6
    Move the buffer in a circular motion. The motion of the buffing pad will usually help guide your hand, but whether it does or does not, you should gradually move the buffer across the surface in small circular motions. Keep it moving continuously but do not apply strong pressure, since the buffer itself will take care of the pressure. Focus on any scratched areas of the surface, but buff and polish the entire surface to keep the metal looking uniform.
  7. 7
    Switch the buffer off and pick up a rag. After you finish passing over the entire surface, turn the buffer off and put it away. Take a clean, soft cloth and buff the surface of the stainless steel by hand using firm pressure and small circular motions.
  8. 8

Community Q&A

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Things You’ll Need

  • Dishwashing detergent
  • Soft cloth rags
  • Olive oil
  • Flour
  • Stainless steel polish
  • Power buffer and pads

Article Info

Categories: Cleaning Metals

In other languages:

Deutsch: Gebrauchsgegenstände aus Edelstahl polieren, Italiano: Lucidare l'Acciaio Inox, Português: Polir Inox, Español: pulir acero inoxidable, Français: faire briller de l’inox, Русский: отполировать нержавеющую сталь, 中文: 给不锈钢抛光, Nederlands: Roestvast staal polijsten, Bahasa Indonesia: Memoles Baja Tahan Karat

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