Stainless steel appliances are just plain classic. You can always find a good-looking appliance suite that comes with this finish, and they look right at home in a variety of kitchen styles (traditional, industrial, you name it!). Then there’s stainless steel cookware, the household staple most of us have. You probably know how to clean stainless steel cookware, but did you know there’s a wrong way?

We get it, it can be easy to just reach for whatever is close by when you see a ton of smudgy fingerprints coating your fridge or fixtures, but pause and take a read below before you use a cleaning solution that could permanently ruin your stainless steel.

You’re Using Steel Wool

You would think that solely based on the name, steel wool and steel stuff would be a dynamic duo, but nope! Those sponges are super abrasive and can easily scratch the surface of your stainless steel appliances, resulting in a dull finish and little particles that could lead to rust.

You’re Cleaning With Bleach

There’s a time and a place for bleach, but this isn’t it. Save that for washing stubborn black mold off of your grout or to disinfect high-touch surfaces like doorknobs. Items with chlorine or chloride are too abrasive for use with stainless, and will attack the protective layers of your stainless (called chromium oxide), resulting in rust or surface pit marks.

You’re Going Against the Grain

Sometimes it’s cool to go against the grain! Not here. Those smooth and shiny appliances have tiny little lines going down them, which you can suss out with your eyes or your fingers. You want to wipe stainless steel going in this direction and not perpendicular to the lines. Otherwise, cleaning gunk can get stuck in the ridges and make the appliance look cloudy.

You’re Spraying Cleaner Directly Onto the Surface

Stop, in the name of steel! Spraying solution directly on your fridge won’t damage or harm it, but it will keep you from getting that perfect streak-free finish you’re after. A lot of stainless steel cleaners contain some form of oil (which is cool, don’t panic) but it can also drip and cause streaks. Instead, spray your cleaning solution onto a microfiber cloth and then attack.

You’re Washing Your Pans When They’re Still Hot

Nobody likes to leave a bunch of dirty pans lying around, but we implore you to leave yours out to cool after you’ve used them. Spraying cold water onto a super hot stainless steel pan can cause the pan to warp due to the rapid temperature change. If you must clean a hot pan immediately, use warm water instead to mitigate the risk.