One of the world’s most underrated cleaning products, in my opinion, is rubbing alcohol. Since isopropyl alcohol also works well as a disinfectant for cuts, it’s typically kept in the first-aid section of stores rather than the cleaning aisle.
In most cases, rubbing alcohol’s main component is either ethanol or isopropyl alcohol, with denatured alcohol serving as the second component. But let’s just refer to it as rubbing alcohol for the sake of simplicity (surgical spirit in the UK and Ireland). Here are a few warnings before we discuss its cleaning abilities: First, because its fumes are quite potent, always use it in a well-ventilated area. In addition, despite its name, this stuff isn’t a party in a bottle, so don’t add it to your cocktails. Second, alcohol and its fumes are flammable, so keep them away from heat sources—don’t use them on your oven or toaster.
Alcohol is a solvent, meaning it dissolves dirt and oil. Additionally, it almost immediately dries, which is useful as you’ll soon see. There are countless uses for it around the house, and today I’m going to share my top ten with you.
How to wipe – to avoid streaking and smearing, it’s very important to move your cloth in one direction and go with the grain of the stainless. How do you determine that? Look closely. You can actually see the brushed-on grain in stainless finishes. It will either be running horizontally or vertically.
There’s nothing like the classic look of shiny stainless-steel appliances. There’s also nothing like trying to keep that shiny surface clean. Stainless steel smudges easily; fingerprints and water stains show up seemingly out of nowhere; and if you don’t regularly clean stainless-steel appliances, rust can and will develop. Yes, you heard that right, stainless steel can rust.
What’s a person to do to ensure clean, stainless-steel appliances? Well, let’s start with a few basics.
Commercial store-bought cleaners and home-made cleaners are the two main categories of stainless-steel appliance cleaners. You should never use any cleaner that contains chlorides or chlorine, regardless of the type that you are considering using. They are able to remove the stainless steel’s shield of protective chrome oxide. This barrier is what makes stainless steel so durable.
A word about tap water: even when you try to clean stainless steel, hard tap water can easily leave stains and spots. Consider using bottled water for cleaning purposes instead.
Remove Hair Spray from Mirrors and Tiles
After a quick spritz, it’s amazing how much hairspray can end up on the bathroom mirror or walls. You can easily remove the sticky mess by dampening a cotton pad or cloth with rubbing alcohol to remove build-up.
For those of us who live in cold climates, this is brilliant. Mix 1 part rubbing alcohol to 5 parts water, then spray the mixture on your exterior car windows and mirrors to avoid dealing with frost and ice. Wipe with a cloth, and allow to dry. Repeat once every two weeks to keep up its efficacy. (In my opinion, anything that spares me from having to scrape ice off my windshield in the bitter Canadian winter is worthwhile. ).
I would ask you to place your sponge under a microscope right now if I really wanted to make you uncomfortable. Instead, I’ll save you the trouble and tell you how to clean a sponge or kitchen cloth by soaking it completely in rubbing alcohol in a small bowl and letting it sit for ten minutes. Rinse out completely, and it will be ready to go. Spray rubbing alcohol on your previously unwashed cleaning tools before use to quickly clean them.
Spray rubbing alcohol in your stainless steel or porcelain sink after you’ve cleaned it out to not only clean and disinfect it but also shine it up. Buff the sink basin and the chrome finishes with a dry cloth. (It’s also safe to use on brass. ).
I can’t help but think to myself, “You are sooo good looking,” whenever I see a kitchen full of stainless steel appliances. There’s something about stainless steel that instantly makes a kitchen look upscale, modern, and attractive—even if it is difficult to maintain. (Are there any other Seinfeld fans here? Oh, just me.) Due to the fact that water marks and streaks are at least as annoying as fingerprints, if not more so, the older version of me would go months without cleaning her stainless steel. But the focus of the new me is this homemade stainless steel cleaner. It only requires two ingredients to make (three, if you’re feeling ambitious), and it makes your appliances sparkle just like the day you bought them.
The toxic ingredients in stainless steel cleaner, like those in most store-bought cleaning products, linger on your appliances and in the air. And the stuff isn’t exactly cheap, either. I prefer to make my own 2-ingredient stainless steel cleaner whenever I can because using store-bought cleaner is a lose-lose situation.
Put them together in a glass spray bottle, add a couple drops of lemon essential oil for a light scent, and lightly mist your appliances. Then, to remove the dirt and dust, wipe everything off with a fresh microfiber cloth. For two weeks, keep the mixture hidden under your kitchen sink, and use it to clean your appliances on a regular basis.
Just know that cleaning your stainless steel won’t always restore the lustrous finish that makes it so attractive. To add a little shine and get rid of any persistent smudges, I use a little olive oil and a clean dishrag for that. Simply apply a soft cloth and a teaspoon of olive oil to the stainless steel, massaging it into handles and other high-traffic areas. To minimize streaks, be sure to apply the oil while buffing with the grain. Let it dry, then apply another coat if needed.
I choose to clean my appliances with rubbing alcohol and water to get rid of germs and lingering fingerprints. Due to its antibacterial properties, rubbing alcohol eliminates any bacteria that may be present on handles and other surfaces. Additionally, it dries quickly without even leaving a trace. Additionally, a little water helps to dilute the alcohol so that it won’t corrode your stainless steel or leave a strong odor when it dries.