I would try straight vinegar first, and if that doesn't work, then rubbing alcohol.

Without knowing what caused the drips it's difficult to know what will remove them. They could be etched in which case you're out of luck. I would try WD-40. It works like magic on so many things.

Try a little BKF, ZUD, or Cameo on a damp/wet sponge. I had a mark on SS oven front that looked more pronounced when I cleaned it with SS cleaner/polish spray (even tried goof off on it). I finally went over the area with liquid ZUD on a sponge, and it went away for good. I've heard that BKF or esp Bon Ami, are milder than ZUD, so you might want to try those first.

oops--tried Goo Gone not Goof Off.

I had a similar issue. I made a paste of Bar Keeper's Friend and gently rubbed it along the grain of the stainless. Worked like a charm. Now I need to do the same thing for my refrigerator.

I'd use WD-40 on a cloth (don't spray it directly on DW) wipe on with the grain of metal, wait 1 minute, buff off excess with the grain (no circles), wipe with the grain with a miracle cloth. It'll be fine.

I suppose all these appliances have slightly different finishes, but with my SS GE fridge, the only thing that got it truly clean was (gasp!) Ajax or Comet powder applied with a damp sponge, along with the grain of course, rinsed and wiped dry with a paper towel. Yeah, I used the scratchy side of the sponge.

It's likely water deposits in which case you'll have to dissolve it (vinegar is a good start) or physically remove it....

Ajax or Comet???? Get real. I would not use that stuff ANYWHERE except maybe on tire marks on a concrete driveway...and probably not there either. Scratchy side of sponge? No way. SS is NOT hard to scratch, why chance it.

It's only a water mark for heavens sake.

I saw that GASP coming, didn't I? That's a rather snotty comment, Teedup. I am real. I am explaining what I did and surprise! Nobody died. Gasp if you must, but don't challenge my grasp of reality. I don't believe YOU saw my fridge.

meg,

I had those on my KA fridge. Nothing worked...I tried everybrand of SS cleaner, vinegar etc. Until Scotchbrite came out with their new SS cleaning kit. It worked very well and kept it clean for three weeks, even through Thanksgiving. There is a $1.00 coupon on their website too.

Here is a link that might be useful: ScotchBrite SS Cleaner

I nearly ruined the finish on our new ss fridge using a cleaner with bleach by mistake. It streaked it really bad. I flooded it with water then a surface cleaner and finally Son of a Gun protectant that gave it a slick finish and the marks have disappeared altogether.

my new bosch has those streaks. the scotch bright seems to work

I just took delivery of a Liebherr refrigerator and it came with a small bottle of neoblank lubricant for stainless steel surfaces. I've been using it on the fridge, my Miele dishwasher and my 5 y.o. ss trash can that was in horrible condition and now looks like new.

Here is a link that might be useful: neoblank

Me, being snotty? No. It's simply my opinion on the use of abrasive products Ajax, Comet and scratchy sponges on a SS dishwasher door without trying less harsh methods.

Why chance it. (People don't put the first ding in something new, on purpose, just to get "the first ding hurts the most" thing over with either.)

Have you tried wiping some mineral oil on the streak? I clean my stainless by wiping down with basic Windex and then occasionally wiping on mineral oil. I let it sit for a bit and then buff it off. It keeps fingerprints and streaks at bay.

Most of the stainless cleaners have mineral oil as their base. Stainless attracts oils (hence the finger prints) and the water dripping down probably removed a bit of oil (or something like that).

jaedwards,
I have the Leibherr and the Neoblank left streaks no matter how much I buffed them. How did you avoid the streaks?
Donna

We recently purchased a new Meile DW, oven, & warming drawer & the manager of the dept there recommended ZEP SS Cleaner. (no, they did not sell it) So we purchased it at HD. I have not had the pleasure of actually removing anything other then fingerprints since my kitchen is not complete...but I thought I would recommend it as another option since I had not heard it mentioned above.

Let us know what works when you get there! I fear these things with a 2yr old & 4 yr old in the house, LOL! ;-)

JoAnn

I'm of the belief these Gweb forums are welcome and helpful gathering spots of individual's opinions. My interpretation of same is (are/have been) without malice of forethought.

You have all been a wealth of information. I'm sorry if this post sparked a heated debate. That was not my intention obviously.

I appreciate all suggestions and will try them in an inconspicuous spot (somewhere!) when the drip mark becomes more visible, which I'm pretty sure it will any day now. I'll let you all know what happens.

Thanks again!

pledge, yes that's right. The one in the white can with blue lettering, citrus scent. It says right on the back of the can for use on ss appliances and boy it was the easiest and best thing that ever worked for me. No more messing with polishes that did nothing but leave appl. more streaky for me.

I also have a Bosch DW and oven - and they are a pain to clean. The best thing I have used so far is Stainless Steel Magic and a micro fiber cloth. Follow the instructions and buff away.

Donna--

I applied the neoblank with one of those fake chamois cloths & I buff with the same cloth. I did the entire fridge the day I got it and have only touched up the handle area a couple of times. Sorry it doesn't work for you.

Judy

Judy,
It worked OK, but it changed the color of the stainless and left streaks. It made the stainless darker.
Donna

got to say, I use comet on my very much older SS sink EVERY day. it is the only thing that makes my sink look nice. Now, since the sink is already scratched the comet isn't doing anything harmful that I can tell and it makes it look nice,however, my mom uses comet every day too and her sink (going on 25 years old) looks pretty darn good - certainly not 25 years old. Comet isn't as bad as some are making it out to be.

I had similar marks on our Bosch SS and couldn't get them off. I finally used Simple Green and a LOT of rubbing with a cloth. The SS looked really discolored and splotchy afterwards. Then I used my Johnson Wax SS spray cleaner. The color and finish are back to normal now.

I use Pledge for weekly cleaning, too. I have tried other cleaners but it works the best. And smells good too!

Repair guy was here today (looking at my oven--but that's another story) and he happened to ask whether I was happy with my stainless steel cleaner. Bottom line is that they sell something called Signature Polish and Cleaner that is safe for stainless, wood and polished granite.

He let me try it and, at first, was not happy. The drip marks seemed less visible but the door showed streaks. I tried it a couple more times and now the drip marks are both gone.

Hopefully the drip marks will not return as they are wont to do. I'll let you know if that happens but, in the meantime, here's a link to a site that recommends it. I forgot to ask how much it is, but I found another site that sells it:

http://www.kitchenconceptsbyrick.com/signature_polish.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: Signature Polish

I just checked the door again. While the drip marks are noticeably improved, there is some streaking still visible. (I'm pretty sure I am the only one who can see the marks now.) So while I would recommend using the Signature Polish to get rid of the drip mark, I'm not sure I would want to use it for regular cleaning--because of the streaks. I'll keep you posted.

We use pledge ss wipes, which don't seem to streak.

Super old post but hope this helps someone.

Get the liquid Barkeepers Friend Spray "MORE..." - it sprays in foam and mist. Like all BKF products this has acid, so be careful and don't let sit. Put towels down for overspray and spray or foam the DW door or refrigerator door, or put it directly on your favorite non-scratch scrubber instead. Be sure to read the directions and precautions because of the acid content.

Get right to work after spraying or loading scrubber, and go with the grain. It doesn't take hard or much scrubbing at all. After one minute use a rag and a pail of clean water to thoroughly rinse and remove the product, then buff dry with a soft cloth. Apply your favorite protectant if you like.

My fridge had very bad hard water runs/streaks all the way down from the dispenser (hubs doesn't notice the drips and he's the main user), I tried all my go-to's including stainless cleaner, vinegar, soapy dawn water, all kinds of soft scrub, all of them reduced the appearance but didn't remove. I feared the fridge was actually etched but in just a few minutes the BKF MORE spray took it all off. The dry and shiny surface looks brand new. I'm sold.