Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Cleaning the stainless steel refrigerator door
• Part 2 of 3: Polishing and Sanding Stainless Steel Fridge Door
• Part 3 of 3: Repairing and replacing a badly damaged refrigerator door
• Tips
• What do you need
• Similar articles

With proper cleaning and maintenance, a stainless steel refrigerator can retain its original appearance and shine for a long time. Minor scratches can be removed with a rag and mild polish. If there are a lot of scratches or they are deep, you will have to use sandpaper.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Cleaning the stainless steel refrigerator door

1. 1 Define the texture. Like wood, stainless steel has its own structure, or “texture”. When cleaning, polishing or sanding the material, it is necessary to move along this texture. To determine the direction, proceed as follows:
   • Take a closer look at the stainless steel door. You will see tiny brush marks pointing in the direction of the texture.
   • Determine if these tracks run horizontally or vertically.
2. 2 Clean the door with a mild cleaning and polishing powder. Before proceeding to remove scratches from the surface of stainless steel, it must be cleaned. When sanding or polishing a door, remaining dirt, dust, and debris on the door can further damage it. Clean the door surface with a mild cleaner such as Bon Ami, Comet or Ajax.
   • Wet the entire surface of the refrigerator door with water.
   • Spray onto a damp surface with a mild cleaner.
   • Take a clean sponge and dampen it with water. Wipe the fridge door with a sponge along the direction of the texture.
   • Wash the door with clean water, rinsing off any remaining dirt and cleaning agent.
   • Dry the refrigerator door by blotting it with a clean microfiber cloth.
3. 3 Remove any dirt from the refrigerator door by wiping it with a vinegar cleaner. This mild yet effective formulation contains 1% more acid than standard edible vinegar. Additional acid helps to remove greasy stains from the surface. Before you start removing scratches, clean the door surface with vinegar.
   • Pour your vinegar cleaner into a small container.
   • Take a clean rag and soak it in undiluted vinegar.
   • Moving along the texture of the metal, wipe the door with a wet rag.
   • Remove any remaining vinegar by wiping the surface with a dry cloth.
4. 4 Clean the refrigerator door with a stainless steel cleaner. There are several solutions specifically designed for cleaning stainless steel. Select the product most suitable for removing dirt, grease and dust from the refrigerator door. Before using any mixture, carefully read the instructions attached to it.
   • Pay attention to the recommended precautions (for example, wearing protective gloves).

Part 2 of 3: Polishing and Sanding Stainless Steel Fridge Door

1. 1 Try rubbing off a shallow scratch with a non-abrasive cleaner first. Dampen a cloth with a little mild detergent and rub it lightly on small scratches on the refrigerator door.Bon Ami, Ajax and Comet are commercially available in powder or ointment form specifically designed for cleaning stainless steel surfaces.
   • If using powder, dilute it with water to form a paste.
   • Apply the paste to a small scratch using a damp cloth or sponge. Rub the paste into the scratch along the texture of the metal.
   • Use a clean, damp cloth to wipe off the cleaner from time to time while inspecting the scratch. Continue polishing the surface until the scratch is gone.
   • If the scratch persists, try removing it with a more abrasive product like whitening toothpaste.
2. 2 If the previous method fails, try rubbing off minor scratches with a soft bristled toothbrush and whitening toothpaste. Unlike mild cleaners, whitening toothpaste has some abrasive effect. If polishing with a mild polish doesn't work, try rubbing the scratch with a whitening toothpaste.
   • Apply whitening paste to the bristles of your toothbrush.
   • Scrub a shallow scratch with a brush. At the same time, move the brush along the texture of the metal.
   • From time to time, wash off the toothpaste with a wet rag and check the surface of the door. When doing this, run the rag along the texture of the metal. Continue polishing the surface with toothpaste until the crack disappears.
   • After removing the crack, wipe off the toothpaste with a clean, damp cloth.
   • Apply a metal polish or olive oil to the cleaned surface.
3. 3 Remove deep scratches with sandpaper. If the scratch on the refrigerator is too deep, you can erase it with sandpaper. Before doing this, be sure to check with your refrigerator manufacturer to find out which number of sandpaper is best for you.
   • Wet the scratched area by wiping it with a wet sponge or rag. Keep the surface wet while sanding.
   • Dampen sandpaper with water. It must remain damp when sanding.
   • Lightly run the sandpaper over the scratch along the texture of the metal. Finally, work your way around the scratch, smoothing out the sanding.
   • After removing the scratch, wipe the treated area with a wet rag, moving along the texture of the metal.
   • Dry the treated area - blot with a microfiber cloth.
   • Apply a metal polish or olive oil to the area.
   • In addition to water, a chloride-free paste can be used.

Part 3 of 3: Repairing and replacing a badly damaged refrigerator door

1. 1 Remove multiple scratches with the Stainless Steel Scratch Removal Kit. If your refrigerator door has a lot of scratches, you may want to use a stainless steel scratch remover kit. These kits can be purchased at most hardware stores or online. A typical kit contains a sander, three types of sandpaper, lubricant, and a training video.
   • Carefully study the instructions attached to the kit and follow them in everything.
   • Attach the finest sandpaper to the polishing block. Apply grease to the paper. Rub the damaged area of ​​the door along the texture of the metal.
   • If the scratch persists after doing this, attach a larger (next numbered) sandpaper to the polishing block. Apply lubricant to it and rub the damaged area along the texture of the metal.
   • If the scratch is still visible, attach even coarser sandpaper to the block. Re-lubricate it and rub the damaged area along the metal texture.
   • Once the scratch is gone, sand the entire refrigerator door with the last sandpaper you used, moving along the texture of the metal.
2. 2 Hire a specialist to finish the refrigerator door. If you are not into handicrafts or your refrigerator is badly damaged, consider hiring professionals who can handle the task.The specialist will be able to assess the extent of the damage and suggest suitable repair methods. If one or more scratches cannot be removed by sanding or polishing, you will be offered a deeper treatment of the damaged area or the entire door.
3. 3 Replace the damaged door. If various repair methods have failed, consider replacing the damaged door completely. Contact the manufacturer and inquire about this possibility.
   • If a hole appears in a stainless steel part, you will have to replace it.

Tips

• Remove scratches from the surface very carefully, moving along the texture of the metal. Polishing the stainless steel across its texture will result in noticeable streaks.
• Do not use a steel wire scrubber to polish stainless steel. This will lead to the formation of rust, especially if moisture gets on the surface.

What do you need

• Mild polish, powder or paste
• Cleaning vinegar
• Stainless steel cleaner
• Clean rag or sponge
• Water
• Toothbrush with soft bristles
• Whitening toothpaste
• Fine sandpaper
• Standard Stainless Steel Scratch Removal Kit

Similar articles

• How to clean a coil in a refrigerator
• How to defrost a refrigerator
• How to remove dents from a stainless steel refrigerator