How to Clean Stainless Steel with Olive Oil

Given the makeup of our modern appliances, you likely have stainless steel in your kitchen at this very moment. Whether it’s a toaster, refrigerator or even a sink, those shiny surfaces are all the same. And stainless steel looks best when it’s clean and free of smudges and fingerprints.

We get it — keeping the kitchen clean and tidy can be a hassle. But there’s an easy way to fight fingerprints and leave your stainless steel appliances nice and shiny: Use olive oil!

How to Clean Stainless Steel with Oil

You’ll need a microfiber cloth and a bottle of olive oil. You don’t even need the expensive stuff for this job.

Add a few drops of the oil to your cloth and buff your stainless steel in the direction of the grain — horizontal or vertical. Keep buffing until all those smudges are gone and scratches are filled. Then simply finish with a dry microfiber cloth. You’ll leave behind a thin layer of olive oil that resists fingerprints!

Toss the microfiber cloth in the wash with other lint-free fabrics and let line dry.

How Often Should I Do This?

Clean your stainless steel every time you open a new bottle of olive oil. If you’re anything like me and are constantly cooking, you’ll go through a bottle frequently. I refill my olive oil dispenser at least once a month, if not more!

Make it second nature to buff your stainless steel every time you pop the lid on a new bottle, and soon you’ll notice how bright and shiny your stainless steel can really be.