How to Clean Slate Appliances

Slate is an engineered, matte & metallic paint-specific finish. The main benefit of it is that it repels fingerprint marks and makes the dust & dirt mostly invisible.

Slate is the new color within the range of appliances, and it came live in 2013. Since then, the adaptation of these slate appliances has crossed all bars. In fact, the slate comes with a gray tone that has a replicating appeal of a stone.

In order to add contrast, slate appliances have steel handles upon them. But like any other material appliance, they need cleaning as well. Hence, you need rightful approaches for the same! 

How to Clean Slate Appliances?

Stainless steel appliances are somehow hard to clean and are prone to get fingerprint marks very often. Such marks over the appliances genuinely affect the look of the appliances.

And when durability is concerned, slate appliances are slightly more durable than stainless steel appliances. But to ensure longevity, you need to take care of them on priority.

And it is possible with timely cleaning of the slate appliances. Hence, to help you learn those remedies, here is the guide on how to clean slate appliances.

Follow this article till the end, and you can ensure a long, clean and aesthetic life for them all. 

Method 1: Cleaning With Dish Detergent 

Dish wash detergent is applicable for cleaning slate appliances. You just need the right approach to ensure you do not overuse the solutions to create a mess around your appliances. Therefore, to guide you with the proper process, here are the ideal steps:

1. You will need a soft and clean cloth for the purpose. 
2. Prepare a dish detergent and water solution. Stir it well to dilute the detergent. 
3. Now, damp the clean cloth with the solution. 
4. Then wipe the slate appliance surfaces properly from one edge to another. 
5. If the appliance is big, then prefer to work in sections. 
6. If you have more than one slate appliance for cleaning, then you need to work one-by-one upon them. Do not consider leaving the detergent solution intact over one slate appliance while you move on to wipe another. It will lead the solution to stick over the slate, making it difficult for you to take it off. 
7. So, when you apply the solution and wipe the slate appliance, consider rinsing it right away. 
8. After cleaning with clean water, you can use a soft and clean cloth to dry the appliance thoroughly. 
9. You can then use an appliance polish or wax, which is especially for slate surfaces, to revive the shine of your appliance. 
10. Use the same process for cleaning the stainless steel handles over the slate appliances. If not that, you can make use of commercial stainless steel cleaners for this purpose. 

Make sure you do not prefer to use powdered cleaning agents, harsh scrubbing pads, or bleach cleaners for the purpose. It will ruin the texture of your slate appliances. 

Method 2: Cleaning With Commercial Cleaners

If you don’t want to implement the household remedy, then you can always get a commercial cleaner for the purpose. If that gives you the surety of a clean slate appliance, then you can go with it at all times. The steps for the same are as follows:

1. Buy a commercial slate appliance cleaner from an online or offline store. 
2. You might get a dabbing agent or a spray agent for the purpose. 
3. Irrespective of what you have got, you will have to either use a cloth to dab the solution or spray it directly on the slate surface.
4. Use a clean cloth to spread and wipe the cleaning solution over the slate appliance surfaces. 
5. If the stain is pretty tough, you can consider putting up a gentle force while wiping the area. It will clean the area proficiently. 
6. For commercial cleaners, you might not have to rinse it again with water. It is because the solutions are already compatible with slate, and any remnant won’t affect the slate adversely. 
7. When you get it clean, the next thing you must do is apply wax or polish onto the slate surfaces. It will revive the lost shine of your appliances. 

Method 3: Cleaning With White Vinegar & Baking Soda

The slate appliances are prone to stains and fingerprints for most cases, but some stains are robust and need some ideal treatment. Therefore, white vinegar is the best remedy for the purpose. So, here are the steps to help you learn the process:

1. You will need white vinegar, a soft cloth, a spray bottle, and a sponge.
2. You need to wipe the slate surface with a clean cloth at first to remove all of the loose dust and debris. Also, you can use a feather duster for this purpose. 
3. Now, prepare white vinegar and water solution in a container. Stir it well to dilute the vinegar. 
4. Then fill it into a spray bottle and get it ready for the cleaning purpose. 
5. You can now spray the vinegar solution directly onto the particular spots over slate surfaces. If you are about to clean the entire slate appliance, then spray it uniformly all over. 
6. Let the vinegar solution settle over the slate surface for some time. 
7. Now, you can use a clean cloth to wipe off the solution and see a clean slate beneath it. 
8. You might need to put a gentle force upon the tough stains or spots. 
9. Repeat the process if you still see some form of stain or spot over the slate appliances. 
10. When you are sure about the cleanliness, you can just use the polish and apply it with a soft sponge over the slate appliances. And your job is done! 

If the stain is too robust and is not responding to just the vinegar solution, then you might need to use baking soda on it. For that, here are the steps that you need to follow:

1. Prepare a paste of baking soda, vinegar, and water. 
2. Stir it well to ensure that the paste is thick and is diluted. 
3. Now, use a sponge to apply this paste onto the surface of slate appliances. 
4. If there is any particular stain area, then apply the paste properly over it. 
5. Now, use the sponge and rub the paste over the slate appliance, to remove the tough stains. Baking soda adds more scrubbing power to vinegar, which in turn gives a successful cleaning outcome. 
6. Now, use clean water and a clean sponge to wipe out the baking soda & vinegar residues off the slate appliances. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Slate Appliances Prone to Easy Scratches?

Slate appliances are durable and are not prone to experience any scratches that easily. If you are intentionally scrubbing sharp objects over slate appliances to test their durability quotient, then you might get some scratches over them.

But if you are following the correct procedures for cleaning and maintaining the slate, then you can keep it free from scratches. In case you get it scratched by accident, you have ways to fix it as well. So, if you wish to know more about slate appliances and scratches, you can refer to this article. 

Are Slate Appliances as Popular as Stainless Steel Appliances?

No, slate appliances are not that popular as stainless steel. But, it is definitely an upgrade for the traditional steel appliances.

As a result, you can ensure that slate will soon be the first priority for most residents. To help you get more clarity on how slate is better than stainless steel appliances, you can refer to this comparison article over here! 

Why Is Slate a Good Choice for Appliances?

Unlike the traditional black and white color inclusions, slate appliances bring in a matte appeal. They are slightly more durable than steel and are resistant to everyday wear and tear as well. So, you can ensure that with ideal maintenance, slate appliances can last for a lifetime without the need for replacement. 

Conclusion

Along with the cleaning approaches, you should also keep in mind the essential factors to ensure that you don’t end up damaging the slate.

For instance, you should not use abrasive cleaners, as that will suppress the integrity of slate appliances, and you will end up doing more damage than good. As a result, a replacement will be the only option to revive the lost appeal of your home.