So many appliances and home décor items are made of stainless steel because of how durable and lasting it is. The problem is that stainless steel needs to be cleaned carefully or you end up with spots and scratches everywhere. Indeed, it's kind of ironic considering the "stainless" part. Nonetheless, with the right stainless steel cleaner, you can keep your steel looking brand new. Just check out this list of the best stainless steel cleaners so you can find the one that works for your family. Hope’s Perfect Sink Cleaner and Polish Simple Yet Versatile This option cleans, shines, and protects your appliances and fixtures with ease.Best OverallFind on Amazon If you’re looking for a gentle, yet extremely effective, stainless steel cleaner, look no further than Hope’s Perfect Sink Cleaner and Polish. It is made to clean and shine all of your stainless steel, acrylic, porcelain, and even composite fixtures and appliances. On top of that, it leaves a water repellant barrier to make cleaning in the future even easier. We especially love it for the sink and counters because it adds an extra layer of protection against damage and stains. Overall, it’s a great choice. Pros: Easy to use Removes stains that other cleaners often leave behind Use it on a wide variety of surfaces for added versatility It leaves a waterproof barrier, along with a beautiful shine The price is very affordable Cons: It can’t be used on anything with a mirror finish Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaning Wipes Easy to UseWipe and go with these handy stainless steel cleaning wipes.Best WipesFind on Amazon When you have kids and pets, your stainless appliances and fixtures can quickly accumulate lots of fingerprints and smudges. The problem is you don’t always have the time to clean and polish everything. That is when you need the Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaning Wipes. They are a quick and convenient way to remove smudges, handprints, and food messes from your fridge, sink, stove, and other steel appliances and fixtures, so you can maintain a beautiful home without cleaning for hours. Pros: The special formula that these wipes are coated in will clean, shine, and protect your steel They work quickly and easily Wipes are much more convenient than liquids and sprays when it comes to fast cleaning jobs These wipes are affordable We really love that they leave a protective barrier that prevents more fingerprints from showing up Cons: They don’t remove actual stains the way polishes do Nano Towels Stainless Steel Cleaner Reusable and EffectiveSkip the chemicals and go with this reusable stainless steel cleaning towel.Most Environmentally FriendlyFind on Amazon Taking care of the environment is one of the most important things we can do. To do that, we need to find more sustainable ways to take care of our homes without adding to pollution. That is where the Nano Towels Stainless Steel Cleaner comes in. This revolutionary cleaning towel quickly and easily removes fingerprints, stains, and smudges using just water. After you clean the mess, flip it over and use the smooth side to polish your steel to a brilliant shine. It does a great job and saves space, money, and time. Pros: The 2 textured sides both clean and polish your stainless steel It is reusable and lasts for a long time, even with daily use For easy care, simply wash it without fabric softener to maintain its absorbency This towel will never scratch or damage your appliances or fixtures It is affordable, especially when you consider the money you save on cleaning products Cons: This towel does not work as well to remove deeply set-in stains as a gritty polish does Therapy Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish Plant-Based CleanLet your kids help you safely with this stainless steel cleaning spray.Best for KidsFind on Amazon We love it when kids want to help clean. However, we also want to protect them from the harmful chemicals that many cleaners have listed on their ingredients labels. That’s when you need to pull out the Therapy Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish. This environmentally-friendly stainless steel cleaning spray does a great job of cleaning and polishing your steel appliances and fixtures, all while being safe for your kids and pets. They will love being allowed to spray and wipe everything down on their own, just like an adult. Pros: The formula is plant-based and safe for kids It comes with a soft cloth for added polishing This spray leaves no streaks, smudges, or stains behind It does a great job of removing fingerprints and other daily smudges from your stainless steel The formula is biodegradable and environmentally friendly Cons: It does not remove set-in stains Sprayway Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish Affordable and ConvenientThis pick from Sprayway is a high-quality stainless steel spray for a great price.Best on a BudgetFind on Amazon If all you’re looking for is a powerful stainless steel cleaner for a low price, then the Sprayway Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish is for you. It’s an easy-to-use spray that cleans, shines, and protects your stainless steel in one step. Simply spray it on and wipe it down for heavy-duty cleaning power and a streak-free shine. Pros: This spray does everything in one step so you aren’t stuck using multiple products It is super affordable The formula is non-abrasive and won’t scratch your stainless steel It doesn’t leave behind a greasy film You can use it indoors or out for any stainless products Cons: It does have a strong smell, so you need to ventilate the area you are cleaning Frequently Asked Questions Why do you need to polish stainless steel? Stainless steel is easily marked with fingerprints, dust, and moisture. Stainless steel polish quickly cleans those smudges and prints off of stainless steel surfaces and makes them shiny again. In general, most of these cleaners will also leave behind a protective barrier to prevent more prints and stains for several days until the next time you clean. Do you have to use stainless steel cleaner or can you use an all-purpose cleaner? It is always best to use stainless-steel-specific cleaners. That is because they shine your steel while cleaning and then leave a protective barrier behind. All-purpose cleaners may remove stains momentarily, but they won’t shine your steel or protect it.