The crêpes were made, the eggs perfectly bedeviled when I noticed—with only a few minutes before my book club group was set to arrive—that the surface of my fridge was looking particularly grubby. I recalled seeing a tip on a blog earlier that week for something like a “genius cleaning hack” for stainless steel (was it rubbing in olive oil?). They say fools rush in, and thus it was.
I was left with a streaky mess when the doorbell rang. Later in the afternoon, while I was chatting with my friend Jade, she mentioned a miracle stainless steel cleaner she’d just bought. To be clear—oso as to not slander Jade—there was no passive aggression in her comment—her line of sight and her train of thought were easy enough to piece together. I asked her for the link, and both the time stamp on my pre-hosting photo and product invoice confirm I bought it immediately on her recommendation.
I’m perhaps slightly prone to hyperbole, but not in this case. The Therapy stainless steel cleaner and polish was like magic the instant I used it. It has a slightly creamy consistency, and when combined with the rag it came with, my fridge went from 50 shades of smudgy gray to the shiny kitchen cornerstone it was meant to be—all in one with-the-grain swipe.
I immediately texted Jade: “That stainless steel cleaner is a dream come true” to which she replied, “Isn’t it miraculous?” Just in case our testimonies aren’t enough to convince you, it currently has a 4.5-star rating with over 20,000 reviews (and an A from FakeSpot!). It’s also 100% USDA-certified biobased content and cruelty-free, with a light lavender scent. I’m someone who can get headaches or stomach aches with fragrances, but this one has never bothered me. In fact, I’ve always found it natural and nice.
Does it work on black stainless steel? (Yes, and Then Some)
In case you’re wondering, “What if I have black stainless steel?”— this works on that too. I’ve used it on every stainless steel surface in my house, and it remains a stalwart superhero in my cleaning bucket. What’s even better is that I’ve had the same bottle for over three years and it’s still going strong, though I’ll happily repurchase it when the time comes.
What to Know Before Purchasing
Two pro tips: First, I’d skip the pack with the pre-moistened wipes. I just don’t find them as effective as using the bottle and cloth, and I’m always in competition with myself to see how little I can throw away each week. Second, if you, like me, often have little nubbins of who-knows-what left on the handles, etc., it’s much easier to get your appliances looking like new if you tackle those with an all-purpose cleaner first and then polish with the Therapy cleaner.
I used to feel defeated by my constantly smudgy appliances. But now, when the inevitable little handprints and water drips happen, I know I’m just a spritz and a swipe away from sparkling again. I guess that’s why they named it Therapy!
What’s your best stainless steel cleaning hack?
