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Removing scratches from stainless steel appliances

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My Jennair refrigerator is only 4 weeks old, yet has many minor scratches on the doors. I use a special lint free cloth and stainless steel cleaner on the doors once a week, yet this does not remove the scratches. I have read all your suggestions regarding removal of scratches, i.e., 3M Scotch pads and 3M liquid compound yet am frightened to use them as I fear these products may leave a dull finish on the surface. Has anybody tried these products on the Jennair highly polished stainless steel finish? Everybody I have phoned in Australia including Jennair advise there is nothing I can do about the scratches. Many thanks for this great website.

Caroline Chamberlain
Interior Decorator - Australia
2006

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I find that Barkeepers Friend ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , a product found in your local supermarket or Home Depot type store, works exceptionally well on stainless steel appliances and sinks. For deep scratches, buff first following the advice of other posters. For light scratches, make a paste using Barkeepers Friend and warm water. Apply the paste, let it dry, and buff it off with a clean dry cloth. This product also works as a cleaner...your products will look better than new!

Rachel Grant
- Basking Ridge, New Jersey
2006

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2006

Another solution to stainless scratches and drip spots:

Apply a small paste of baking soda [in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] on a damp towel, rub hard back and forth in the direction of the grain, and then buff with a damp cloth. Did I mention pray? I almost had a heart attack when some dish soap liquid left a long drip down the entire front of my 2 day old Superba dishwasher but somehow overnight the drip disappeared after I treated it with baking soda [in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] (has very very slight grit to it) There are true chemical reactions going on with the stainless. I knew the finish took up fingerprints but every drop on it leaves a mark: it seems very odd that we're buying this stuff to use where drips and splashes are supposed to happen (the kitchen) and the manufacturers aren't doing something to treat the metal instead.

Claudia Kirshner
- Great Neck, New York

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For Frigidaire SS fridge doors:

For smudges, fingerprints, other discolorations and small patches of eczema-like stuff that looked like rust, I tried vinegar ⇦in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] but it didn't do anything. Then I looked at the label and it was diluted to 5% acidity so that could be the problem. Next, I turned to a baking soda [in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] paste applied with an old washcloth. That solved 90-95% of the problems but had no effect on scratches. Getting all the particles off afterwards takes a while. (Using nice paper towels works too but they do leave some lint behind.) Then I wiped the door with filtered water. Finally, I used WD-40 ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] to condition. It looks a heck of a lot better, although the fine scratches are still there.

Sally Sue Branson
Consumer - Fayetteville, Arkansas
2006

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Help! Our fridge is only 2 months old. My son put a scratch in it by rubbing a magnetized plastic toy letter on the stainless steel front (thanks, fridge phonics!) The scratch is up and down (with the grain) but is pretty long and deep. Any suggestions on what is best to use? Has anyone tried the Scratch B Gone or other product on this type of scratch and does it work?

Thank you for any advice!

Nancy Cook
Consumer - Prosper, Texas
2007

I recently purchased Kenmore SS Appliances and made a mistake cleaning them. I used the rough side of a kitchen sponge. I asked an associate at Lowes for a product that could help. He advised me there was nothing. I took a chance searching this site. I am amazed what a problem this is and the number of people who have made scratches with those kitchen sponges. I am having the same fear as many of the writers of these questions. I am afraid to use an abrasive product. I am not sure what type my SS is. It does have visible grain that goes the length of the appliance but there is also a shiny finish. Can anyone offer any advise? I also called an appliance repair shop and the gentlemen who I spoke with previously worked for "HoBart". ( they manufactured commercial appliances) He told me that the employees would use scotchbrite pads and would go with the grain of the SS. I was horrified of the thought. After reading some of the suggestions on this site I guess that approach seems to be pretty successful. I am eager to try this, I just want to make sure the scotchbrite pads will not damage my refrigerator. Does anyone have a Kenmore SS Side by side and has used the scotchbrite pads? Any advise would be so much appreciated.

Crystal Goggins
Consumer - Dayton , Ohio
2007

I used the grey pad to sand out the scratches in my stainless steel side-by-side and it left a shiny finish. I would like to know how to get it to match the rest of the metal

Royce Hammett
- Lone Grove, Oklahoma
2007

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2007

adv.
Dear Sally, Nancy and Crystal. I am sorry to read the problems you've had with your Ss appliances. Unfortunately, scratches are to be expected on Stainless steel yet now there truly is a proven and tested solution called Scratch-B-Gone [a finishing.com supporting advertiser] . Our kit does what it says it will do and many times over. However, there are two restrictions; the surface must be 'real stainless steel'. This means that it can not have a protective clear coat finish nor be synthetic or imitation. Appliance, namely refers, sold as 'Easy Care', 'Clean Free', or fingerprint free can not be repaired with our product. Please check with your retailer or manuf. Please call us and we can help you determine if your refer qualifies for Scratch-B-Gone. Good luck ladies. Barry Feinman, Inventor

Barry Feinman
BarrysRestoreItAll

Carlsbad, California

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I am so happy to have found this website tonight! My lovely 7 & 8 year old daughters decided earlier tonight they would put their feet on the fridge as high up as they could. I guess it was a contest! Well, one had boots on so it left a smudge that was about 3 feet long and when I cleaned that I found my daughter's hard dress shoes had left a few scratches going against the grain of my Frigidaire (side by side separate fridge & freezer). So I used what I normally use to clean it, Pledge multi surface cleaner, but that didn't get the scratches out. Then I used my Method Stainless Steel Conditioner with their stainless steel cloth. Looked great until it dried.

After reading the website I tried

wd 40: sprayed it on with a tissue and didn't quite get out the scratches so I tried...

Barkeepers Friend ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] : made a paste with water and put it on using my finger and a very light touch going with the grain. I let it dry for about a minute and then used the Pledge to take it off. I was almost sick when I saw the white marks it left, but then I used the tissue with the WD-40 ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] on it and the marks were gone. Whew! The scratches are still there, but they are less noticeable. I plan to try the SBG if I see it in Home Depot the next time I am there.

and if those don't work I'll go out and get the Scratch B Gone.

Jenna MacArthur
homeowner - Hudson, Massachusetts
2007

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Like many of you our stainless steel Sub Zero refrigerator has scratches on the front door, the result of cleaning people using the abrasive side of the scouring pad to remove scotch tape. I assumed there was nothing to be done but after reading this website have hope we can improve the condition. Unfortunately the scratches are against the natural grain. Does Scratch-Be-Gone really make a difference and/or does anyone know of any service provider who can buff a new finish in this type of situation?

Thank you!

Christine Colbert
homeowner - Dover, Massachusetts
2007

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2007

adv.
Dear Christine and Jenna, I read or hear about this problem every day. As the manufacturer and creator of the Scratch-B-Gone kit for Stainless steel, our company talks with people from all over the country with similar stories. Our kit is recommended by most appliance manufacturers (i.e., GE, Kitchenaid, Sub Zero, Electrolux ICON, Dacor, Bosch, etc). Take it from me, this kit works! Best of luck, Barry Feinman, Inventor

Barry Feinman
BarrysRestoreItAll

Carlsbad, California

I'm really interested in the Scratch-B-Gone [a finishing.com supporting advertiser] product many of you have mentioned. Will it work on "brushed" stainless finishes? We have a Frigidaire refrigerator that we bought one month ago. No one told us that our 20 month old twins wouldn't be able to play with their alphabet magnets on the fridge. In a few short days there were scratches all over the bottom portion of the refrigerator door. I understand the brushed stainless finishes require a different sort of care than regular stainless. No stainless steel cleaners or WD-40 ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] for us. vinegar and water work great to remove the few fingerprints we get, but now what about these scratches?

Thalia Seggelink
- Mill Creek, Washington
2007

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I have a Frigidaire Professional Series (brushed stainless steel) refrigerator. Will the Scratch-B-Gone [a finishing.com supporting advertiser] work on this?

Donna Pry
- Jackson, Missouri
2007

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2007

Dear Thalia and Donna, As always, sorry to read of your misfortune. Many of the Frigidaire refer products have a protective clear coat finish on the to reduce smudging, fingerprints, and scratching. Any appliance sold as a clean free, care free, clean steel, or similar are sold with this protective clear finish. Once this finish is scratched, their is nothing on the market to restore it as you can not match the clearcoat appearance shy of removing all off it. Suggestion of magnetic also suggests an imitation stainless finish as most appliance grades of Stainless are non magnetic. Do these tests to figure out your situation; (1 real Stainless will be cold to touch compared to imitation or clearcoat. Touch another Ss appliance and compare temps, if same then real. (2 Touch your fingers all over surface, if smudge then real, if not or less then likely clearcoat or synthetic.

adv.
If you find your appliance is 'real' SS then yes out kit will do the fix you look for. Remember, always brush with the grain of the surface. Hope this helped. Barry Feinman, Inventor, Scratch-B-Gone.

Barry Feinman
BarrysRestoreItAll

Carlsbad, California

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I just used some polish on my stainless Jenn-Air Refrigerator to effect a couple minor scratches. It helped a lot, but now when the light hits a certain way, there is a dark area around where the scratches are (where the polish was applied). It's not very noticeable, but I'm wondering if this will dissipate with time as the metal oxidizes, or if I should consider one of the products discussed on this page (like SBG) to blend the effected area with the rest of the surface.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Bob Johnson
- Rockport, Massachusetts
2007

I have a couple minor scratches in my new Jenn-Air stainless refrigerator. I used some polish on the surface which helped quite a bit, but now when the light hits it a certain way there is a darker look to the area where the scratches are (where I used the polish). I am wondering if this will dissipate as the surface oxidizes, or if I need to use one of products discussed here (like SBC) to "blend" this area. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Kanbun Uechi
consumer - Rockport, Massachusetts
2007

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2007

adv.
Bob, the oxidizing period you mention can take up to 8 months to occur. This process is a gradual one at best. Our Ultra Shine chemical found in our Scratch-B-Gone kit speeds this process significantly resulting in also instantaneous results to blend with surrounding surfaces. This assumes there is not a clear coat on this surface. Jenn-air surfaces respond well to our process, yet Whirlpool has introduced clear coats to many of its refer surfaces and please be sure this one doesn't before using our Scratch-B-Gone as this will damage the surface more. I don't believe it does but please check with your supplier or Whirlpool tech services. Best, Barry Feinman, Inventor

Barry Feinman
BarrysRestoreItAll

Carlsbad, California

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2007

I'm hoping someone here might be able to help, but I have gone and done what I feel is completely stupid and ruined the Stainless Steel Finish on my brand new Fridge.

When I unpacked my fridge I noticed a few scuffs nothing seriously so I thought I would just remove them with a dish cloth. Well they didn't remove and unfortunately now I have other smaller scratches. I thought the cloth was non-abrasive.

Well I found this site and read through all this information, and decided to take to the scratch with a tiny bit of brasso and sound elbow grease.Unfortunately now I lighter scratches but a massive light patch, that is in contrast to the rest of the finish. I realized on reading the manual that is because my Electrolux fridge has a protective coating.

Is there any way to remedy this? Really I should have just called the store and told them the fridge has a scratch. And see if I could get it replaced.

Matt Ford
- Sydney, NSW, Australia

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I have only had my new LG range for about 2 months now, and last night my boyfriend thought he would surprise me with putting in the new range hood to match. Surprise all right! I now have to look at this and it turns my stomach to see it. He said a pipe dropped down (even tho he had the top of the stove covered with a big towel) and must have hit it. So now I have small scratch marks about 5 inches long at the edge of the steel that meets the control panel. He also hit that and put a dent in it that the manufacture can sell me for 70 bucks. Too bad they can't sell the whole back piece. How do you get scratches out that are not in the same direction as the grain. I'm afraid to try anything that will make it stand out even more. It's not the kind that is a smooth stainless steel. Has anyone had the same situation? Tammy Fleenor consumer - Church Hill, Tennessee Ed. note: maybe the lesson is that men should stick to jewelry & candy for Valentine's day :-)   2007 adv. Tammy and Matt, Good Grief Charlie Brown! Ouch! Now that I've laid the explicatives let's get to the repairs. Yes Tammy, the scratches will come out as long as they are brushed grain and you have access to them. Our kit Scratch-B-Gone will remove these scratches fully and quickly. But for you Matt, NO there is nothing you can do to restore the clear coat and get it to match. You could however use a lacquer stripper and remove all the coating. Can't promise how it will look overall but may be worth an effort before buying a new one. Good luck to both of you. Barry Feinman BarrysRestoreItAll Carlsbad, California 2007 First of all, we all have to use some common sense here when reading these claims of removing scratches from brushed stainless steel. I am a new owner of a kitchen with all new stainless steel appliances. Over $6,000 grand worth and I regret the choice even now, never knew what was in store for me. I'm paranoid to move freely in my own kitchen. It's crazy and if I had to do it again and had the money, I would replace all this stainless steel with more practical kitchen appliances. Now, my first observation and experience is that anybody that tells you that a rubbing compound will remove scratches from brushed stainless steel is not being truthful. That's just a better way of not calling someone an outright liar. If brushed stainless steel is created by scratching motions or brushes, then what we need to be looking for is what type of scratch technique the manufacturer used on your particular appliance. They need to provide us with a repair kit specific to the SS we have purchased. Instead, we are spending hours looking on the internet for a cure, reading a lot of untruths and impossibilities and wasting our hard earned money. Now some of the remedies sound very close to the truth, except before I scratch up my brand new appliances even worst, why doesn't someone who claims to have fixed something, provide us with some before and after photos. We can't be the only ones in the world with this problem. Scratch B Gone sounds good in theory, but not sure if it will produce the same brushed pattern that I have. Thanks for listening to my rant. And good luck to you all. If I find something that works...I will be back. Linda stainless steel kitchen owner, with regret - San Francisco, California 2007 adv. Linda, I understand your frustration and have those same sentiments told to me many times. That's a great idea, I will post some before and after pics next week for you and others to view if it is ok with the good folks at finishing.com. Just know that our Scratch-B-Gone is highly recommended by folks like yourself and manufacturers. In fact, our professional kit is on every GE service truck across the country , used at the factory of Dacor, recommended by Subzero and Wolf, and used by Uline, all for repairing scratches in Stainless appliances and sinks. Best of luck to you. Barry Feinman BarrysRestoreItAll Carlsbad, California After having my $7,000 Sub Zero fridge for one week, a guest in our house leaned against it and made a painfully noticeable 3 inch scratch across the grain of the door. I am really sick about it! It is so noticeable when the light comes in from outside. It is a brushed surface, but the scratch seems to be highlighted when the sunlight comes inside. After reading all of these posts, I purchased the Scratch B Gone kit, but honestly, I am petrified to use it. It seems like it would work great from all the posts, but because of the positioning of our fridge near the windows, I feel like in that light the treated surface may be highlighted or have a halo around it. That would probably be worse than the scratch. Can anyone give me advice on whether or not to use this product, aside from the manufacturer's posts in this forum? Any advice would be great! Thanks! Tara Hamm Home Owner - Atlanta, Georgia 2007 2007 adv. Tara, I understand completely your anxiousness but please call Subzero and ask their customer call person what they recommend. They will tell you Scratch-B-Gone. Subzero actually trains their technicians with the use of Scratch-B-Gone. Please call me with questions, Barry Feinman, inventor Barry Feinman BarrysRestoreItAll Carlsbad, California 2007 Thank you, Barry, for your reply. I was hoping to hear from some consumers who actually used the product. For those of you who have not yet tried it, here is what I have found so far: I watched the enclosed DVD, and decided to start on my HEAVILY scratched brushed stainless kitchen trash can. It is so badly scratched (with a few dents) that we were going to replace it. I started with the Light duty pad, and I have to say, it is really easy and 95% of all of the scratches are gone! It is really incredible, actually. I used it on the ENTIRE trash can lid, but I realized I should have just tried it on one spot to see if it blended well with the surrounding area, before I try it on my Sub Zero. I am very pleasantly surprised with the results! My only complaint is that the kit is $49.95 and comes with the teeniest, tiniest 0.75 oz bottle of lubricating fluid, and the instructions say to use plenty of it. So I used about half of it for my trash can lid! I think I need a much bigger bottle! I will let you know my results with my fridge when I get up the nerve to do it! Until then, I would like to say, the Scratch-B-Gone kit was worth the $50 already because our kitchen trash can was $150, and I almost bought a new one. I will post again when I use the kit on my fridge.... Tara Hamm - Atlanta, Georgia Hi again. I wanted to follow up with the Scratch-B-Gone on my Sub Zero fridge. After watching the enclosed DVD a few times and getting up the nerve to work on the scratch, I have to say, I am sorely disappointed that I did. I followed the directions to a T and used the lightest mildest possible pad, and even so the scratch IS gone, but you can see the finish is definitely different where I treated it. At night, when the sun is not shining on it, it seems to be just OK, not great, but during the day, the area stands out like a sore thumb. I called a Sub Zero tech in our area, and they are scheduled to come out and see what it will take to fix (at $125 just to come to the house and look!) So, I at least gave this a try. I think it works great for something small, or if you are going to do an entire appliance, but not if you are going to do a spot area. Good luck to you all. :( Tara in Atlanta Tara Hamm - Atlanta Georgia 2007 Tara, what did the Sub-Zero technician say. I am very curious. Steve Brodsky - Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey 2007 2007 Hi all, I have tried everything to remove scratches from my stainless steel fridge. Since I had everything Kitchenaid, and couldn't afford the fridge, I decided to buy one used. I got it at a great price but the girl that sold it to me said the lamp in her kitchen was out. Never buy a fridge that way! Anyway needless to say she had washed every inch of the front of the fridge with what I think is a scouring pad. IN CIRCLES! I had hundreds of spirals all over the surface of the fridge. Anyway, I read a lot of info on the internet, and the best I could find really helped. It was using WD-40 ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] with a sponge/abrasive (the ones you find at the dollar store that are half sponge on 1 side and half abrasive on the other). Well, I did this for about 3 hours and there is not 1 scratch on my fridge. I cleaned it all off with a 3M stainless steel cleaner and the outcome was amazing! Thank god she didn't put any dents in it because I can't find a solution for that! Hope this helps someone! Natalka Dutka - Montreal, Quebec, Canada I have a month old Franke stainless steel sink. I just noticed some scratches possibly made by improper cleaning or by some metal dish. I used Inox cream that came with the sink but scratches did not go away. At the risk of sounding as a complete idiot, how do I determine what sort of finish my sink have and which way grain goes? Everyone else on this board seems to determine this with a great easy. Please help! Tanya Melnick - Cupertino, California 2007 2007 adv. Tanya, Franke makes a sink which has no grain but rather is described as 'mirror finish' The style lacks a grain. Is this the case with yours? This style tends to be more problematic as it takes scratches easily. You can use our Scratch-B-Gone kit to put a slight grain finish so as to be more forgiving. Good luck Barry Feinman BarrysRestoreItAll Carlsbad, California I wanted to let people know that I had minor surface scratches on my Whirlpool Gold refrigerator in stainless steel (obviously or why would I be here). I read a number of suggestions from this page and decided to try a very light grit sandpaper 400, I was very nervous so I tried it lightly on the side that wasn't visible to the rest of the room, good thing because all it did was scratch it more. My mother suggested that I try her Lagostina pot cleaner that is made for stainless and copper pots. I took it home and wet a paper towel sprinkled some on to make a paste and then rubbed in the direction of the grain for less than a minute. I then took another wet paper towel to clean the residue off, followed by a buff with my microfibre cloth. No scratch, no shiny spot, it really looks like brand new. I'm so glad I listened to my mother. You can purchase this product from the Bay and it usually sells for about $5.00 Canadian. I really hope this helps other people, I know how upsetting it is to discover scratches on your stainless, and to be told by the manufacturer there was nothing I could do to fix it. Cheryl Brown - Surrey, BC Canada 2007 I am just sick to my stomach. My new beefeaters grill is 2 months old. I was working in the yard and the dog wanted to play. I put his ball on top of the grill thinking he would not be able to reach it and when my back was turned he jumped with his front paws on the lid and scratched over and over to reach the ball. You can't feel the scratches and they go up and down. Some are hairline, others are wider. My grain runs left and right. He scratched in two different places across the front. Any ideas how to remedy this? Whatever I use would I need to do the entire front of the grill to get a uniform look. Victoria Bahn consumer - Tempe, Arizona 2007 I am SO thankful for this site. I foolishly scratched my SS cooktop by using the Scotch Brite sponge with the green scouring pad. In daylight I couldn't see what I had done, but later that night with the range light on I could definitely see what I had done and so could my husband. I found this site, took in all the information, and then thought about what I should do for my situation. I decided to use the Barkeepers Friend paste with a soft sponge. It did work, but not good enough. So then I decided to try 00 steel wool ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] with the paste, and IT WORKED! YEAH! I am so happy, and so will my husband when he sees it. It did take a lot of elbow grease, and as the paste got drier it worked better. I also used small strips of steel wool tri-folded just to get more use out of one pad. At the end I carefully vacuumed up the dry pieces of paste, then wiped off excess paste with soft wet sponge, and finally used the Magic Stainless Steel [affil links] spray to finish the job. And the part I messed up the most I also shined it up even more with olive oil. It ALL LOOKS GREAT. It's not perfect, but it's close enough for me. If you want perfection you may have to try something else. BUT REMEMBER, do this entire process going with the grain. And what I loved most is that it was very inexpensive.;) Maria Gottuso - Corona, California 2007 Hours of battling ugly fingerprints and smudges, and now a huge swirly wrong-side-of-the-sponge scratch, on our stainless steel fridge have made me crazy! We are doing a kitchen remodel and have vowed not to get stainless steel appliances. Does anyone out there know about how easy (or not) it is to clean the new "brushed nickel" appliances by Jenn Air? Do the same smudgy and scratchy problems occur? Ingrid Smith - Hermosa Beach, California 2007 CleanSteel cooking range has scratches st the base. I know that I can't use scratch-B-gone on my appliance as I don't think it's true SS, besides just having to live with the bad scratch marks what other options do I have, would be grateful for any advice! Sina Tarist hobbyist - Albany, New York 2007 2007 In re: to removal of 'sticky' adhesive spots on stainless (and other) surfaces from tape, stickers, what-have-you. I'd bought an amazingly inexpensive 'pen' from an art supplies store a few years back (Loomis; not sure if they're world-wide, or merely in Canada), on a whim (due to remembering how often a gluey residue has been left behind on so many of my belongings!). It's from Scotch (3M), and it's called just that....'Scotch Adhesive Remover Pen'. It's a citrus-based formula, and is a red 'pen' that you just dab the tip on (the tip retracts when pressed, to allow flow of the product, much like a bleach pen), and voila! The glue literally disappears when wiped. I've used it on everything, including my brand-spanking new GE Profile series kitchen suite. It's bloody fantastic, and was around $2.00. Just, as always, follow the directions. Beautiful product.

Now, I just need to remove the plethora of scratches from the horribly un-careful movers.....I've read all of the posts here, and will try several of the suggested remedies, starting with 'Scratch-B-Gone', if it's available at Home Depot here in Canada. When I'd peeled away the blue plastic film from my over-the-range microwave, there are about 50 (or more) scratches running the length of the bottom part of the door to the glass in the center. It's horrible, and I'd nearly had a stroke when I saw that! It's always bothered me, considering they're brand-new! Unfortunately, we were renovating at the time of purchase, and saw a great deal on the appliances, so bought them early....the return policy window had lapsed by the time we'd noticed the damage. :-(

Now we've just moved, and there is an additional, very large gouge on my French door-ed refrigerator...*sigh*.

Thanks everyone for their suggestions! Who knew this was such a rampant problem?!? Man; I'm a steel/metal worker, and have been for 15 years or more....the only methods I am familiar with are sanding/grinding, but would never attempt such a thing on a brushed, decorative finish....nice to know there may be alternatives out there.

Good luck to all of you in your scratch-free endeavors.

Jane Sheppard
- Vancouver, B.C., Canada

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I need help in trying to blend in or remove a dark spot that has appeared on my brand new GE Profile refrigerator.
I tried to buff out a small scratch with stainless appliance cleaner. Now the dark spot is more visible than the scratch.

Caroline Grayson
- Carson city, Nevada
2007

I noticed today on my Jenn Aire side by side fridge that my daughter had been using her fridge phonics in all different directions....swirling, up and down, side to side. I got very confused with everything read here. I went up to my fridge and tried putting finger prints and didn't see anything really, so does that mean that it is coated with clear coat or the real thing. I am disgusted! I have taken good care of this surface for so long. What now! Some are deep and some are not. The grain goes up and down...... Help!

krista stubbs
- el paso, Texas
2007

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For those brown spots and stains on (supposedly) stainless steel I used a paste made of common baking soda [in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and dishwashing liquid. Using a soft sponge I worked with the grain. Works great! Plus you probably have all the ingredients already:)

Linda King
- Brooklyn, New York
2007

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2007

My 86 year old mother decided to help me clean the kitchen. She "cleaned" my 40 year old stove top with a Brillo pad and removed the finish. There are scratches also, but I'm more concerned about the finish. What can I do to remedy the problem?
Thank you!

Maria Warshal
- Atlanta, Georgia

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2007

adv.
Hi Maria.Don't be too hard on Mom. she meant well. Not sure what you refer to as finish. Do you mean the grain look? and is the appearance grain lines going in one direction or does it look more like a 'shot blast' pattern where there is no definite direction? This type your can't repair but the grain line pattern you can with Scratch B Gone. Best

Barry Feinman
BarrysRestoreItAll

Carlsbad, California

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2007

All the techniques listed here are based on standard polishing practices. There is no real secret to making this work. You have to use progressively more fine polishing media to get a more mirror like finish. If you are trying to remove heavy scratches you will need a coarse abrasive then keep switching to a more fine grain media. 800, ., etc. (going as far as 0.5 micron alumina polishing powder might blind with the reflection.

If you have really bad surfaces you might start with something as coarse as 240 grit.

The thing it is takes lots of time to do by hand and there is no wipe on wipe off way to do this. All these specialty products are just the same abrasives I listed in an oil solution.

David Weisgerber
- Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Like all the rest of you I have all new stainless steel appliances. My refrigerator had two scratches across the grain so I read all the messages here and thought well I'm going to experiment first on stainless steel grill which is really scratched so I took and soaked with WD-40 ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and tried scotch brite no luck then fine grain sandpaper -not good so then tried 00 00 steel wool ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , bingo. So I sprayed steel wool well and commenced to do the 2 scratches on my refrigerator and then cleaned with Magic Stainless Steel [affil links] and The scratches are gone. I'm thrilled to death cause they really ate at me. I hope this helps some of you.

Stephanie Burton
dispatcher - Cleveland, Tennessee
2007

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Thanks, Stephanie. Please get back to us in a few weeks or a couple of months if you would. Some have reported that using steel wool will cause the stainless steel to rust.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007

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2007

Well, I read all the posts and have successfully cleaned my brushed SS fridge, trash compactor, oven and dishwasher with the following. Everything looks brand new. I did not have major scratches, but food grime and hard water stains on my appliances.

1) Wipe surface with damp clean lint-free cloth dipped in a paste of 1/2 cup baking soda and about 1/4 cup warm water. Wipe in the direction of the grain. Spend more time wiping spots where there are specific stains.

2) Using a new WET clean lint-free cloth, wipe off the baking soda residue, in the direction of the grain.

3) Dry the surface thoroughly with a new lint-free cloth;

4) Spray that last cloth with WD-40 ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , you only need a little and wipe in the direction of the grain. Fold cloth over and continue to buff.

My appliances look like new!

Steve Tolliver
- Chicago, Illinois

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2007

Thanks for everyone's preceding posts. I successfully removed a scratch tonight with virtually no signs left (unless one takes a magnifying glass and is very particular). The scratch was deep enough to be discernible with a fingernail, but not overly deep.

Based on a posting which advocated a dried paste and some rubbing with the direction of the stainless steel grain, I began. I used a stainless steel cleaning powder Cameo ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . But, I suspect any powder approved for stainless steel may work as well.

I poured a bit of dry powder into a small container, wet a soft cloth with WD-40 ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] (just a bit to moisten), dipped the cloth into the powder to get a slight dusting on the cloth. I then rubbed hard using just my finger pressure, in direction of the grain. I repetitively cleaned the powder off the fridge surface, re-felt the scratch. and decided whether to proceed further.

Remarkably, the process reduced the scratch to just a hair line. After than I cleaned the fridge surface with a stainless steel cleaner/degreaser, Zep ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] .

As there were slight shiny areas where I rubbed the hardest/longest, I used moistened wet/dry sandpaper (320 grit) and VERY lightly brushed...and I mean VERY lightly. This removed most of the shine and blended very well. (Please note I tried 180 grit on a non-obtrusive area of the steel, but found this to be too coarse, and steel wool did not have any affect on the shine.)

I am now having some wine, admiring my work, and debating whether I shall "own up" to my wife.

Thanks again to all who responded previously.

William Graham
- Burnaby, B.C., Canada

My husband and I had recently purchased a Kitchen Aid stainless steel refrigerator. Unfortunately, the first day we put a small scratch in it because we positioned it wrong and the door hit the handle of our double oven. My husband tried to polish it with stainless steel polish and it just made it worse. The blemish became a dark gray. Then about a month later, a large scratch (at least 3" across the grain) appeared above the ice / water dispenser. Again, my husband tried to polish the scratch out and it became a huge dark gray blemish which could be seen to all. I was so frustrated because the refrigerator was new and it was already looking horrible. I tried using the Barkeepers Friend on the spots and it helped remove some of the dark gray but you could still see some of it. So after a lot of research on this website and some coaxing of my husband, we decided to try the Scratch-B-Gone [a finishing.com supporting advertiser] ; I figured it probably couldn't get any worse than it already was. My husband followed the directions very carefully and immediately we noticed a huge difference. The scratch in the door from the oven handle is completely gone. The scratch above the ice/water dispenser is almost completely gone; hardly noticeable except for when you stand in one spot (probably need to work on it a bit more) but the dark spots are completely gone. We LOVE this product and can't say enough about it. We also ended up using it on our DCS Stovetop which had a nasty deep scratch by the control knobs that no longer exists. We plan to buy a back up kit so we have it just in case. I have to admit, I started questioning buying stainless steel for our new kitchen but after finding this product, I'll never have to worry again. I would highly recommend this product for anyone who has stainless products and wants to remove any scratches; it's a lot cheaper and more environmentally friendly than buying new appliances.

Kelley Allison
- Fremont, California
2007

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2007

adv.
Thank you for the very kind words Kelley. I am always heartened and humbled when I read success stories as yours about our product. In fact, Scratch-B-Gone is the ONLY product used, recommended and sold by leading manufacturers; such as Dacor, GE, SubZero/Wolf, Viking, Bertazzoni, Zephyr to name a few. Even more exciting is that Scratch-B-Gone not only removes scratches, but also all of your surface stains, heat and chemical discoloration, rust and that ugly heat scorching on the top of your BBQ grill hood! I want to wish the very best to all you loyal readers of Finishing.com and loyal, happy users of Scratch-B-Gone. Your testimonials have made my humble product a near household name by your success stories. THANK YOU!

Barry Feinman
BarrysRestoreItAll

Carlsbad, California

I have scratches on a Smeg stove, particularly on the bob. I believe it to be genuine stainless steel; it is cold to the touch. It does not have a fingerprint free finish. I have tried Barkeeper's Friend in conjunction with a micro-fibre cloth sprayed with WD-50. This reduced the scratches, but they are still there and the colour of the stainless steel seems a slightly darker grey. I would like to try the Scratch-B-Gone, but can not find a supplier in the UK. Does anyone know if there is a company that would mail abroad?

Juliette Thomlin
- London, United Kingdom
2007

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2007

adv.
Hi, Scratch-b-gone can be ordered at our website (see link above) and we are now completing arrangements through a new distributor to UK, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Once they are on board, I'll notify everyone here. We are also making final arrangements for distribution throughout Australia and New Zealand. Thanks so much for all of your interest and support.

Barry Feinman
BarrysRestoreItAll

Carlsbad, California

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Q. I have scratches on my Kitchen Aid fridge door and rust stains at the bottom of the door. The Kitchen Aid people told me I could fix this with a product called Scratch B Gone. Where can I buy this product in Canada?

Laureen Andreacchi
- Markham, Ontario, Canada
May 3, 2016

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! I will add my voice of frustration. The majority of the suggestions I've read come from well-meaning amateurs. Are there any qualified professionals who are not promoting their product who can give specific recommendations that don't involve their product? Mr. Feinman obviously wants to help people by selling them his product. Besides the light abrasive pads and moving with the grain, is there a commonly sourced generic substance (oil, acid, other) that a pro finisher uses when repairing the finish of stainless steel?

I am not looking for a PRODUCT to buy. That would be like an Internet cooking forum where someone is asking how to make humus and the advice from a restauranteur is to come to his restaurant or go to the grocery store and buy the packaged product he sells. I'm looking for the recipe to share the off the shelf materials and technique to repair the finish on a stainless steel appliance.

steve ray
- Portland , Oregon, USA
August 4, 2017

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