Can bar keepers friend remove scratches from stainless steel

  • What is Bar Keepers Friend?
  • What can I use Bar Keepers Friend on?
  • What can't I use Bar Keepers Friend on?
  • The best uses for Bar Keepers Friend
  • Where can I buy Bar Keepers Friend?

Have you heard about all of the brilliant uses for Bar Keepers Friend? This cleaning product has been around for quite some time, but it's never been more popular! 

Show

Today we're sharing 30 brilliant ways that you can use it to transform your home. 

Give these useful tips a try today...

What is Bar Keepers Friend?

Can bar keepers friend remove scratches from stainless steel
It's been around for quite some time!

Bar Keepers Friend (BKF) was established in 1882. The brand began by creating a powdered cleanser and polish, but it has since developed a large range of products that can be used all around the home. 

What are the different Bar Keepers Friend products? 

You might have heard Bar Keepers Friend mentioned as a miracle cleaning product but, when looking to buy it, it can be quite confusing. BKF makes several cleaners which can be used to achieve different results. 

The different products are:

  • The Original Cleanser & Polish (powder in a can)
  • Soft Cleanser (pre-mixed liquid in a squeeze bottle) 
  • Cooktop Cleanser
  • MORE Spray & Foam
  • All-Purpose Power Cream
  • Cookware Cleaner & Polish  
  • Stain Remover

What can I use bar keepers friend on?

Bar Keeper's Friend can be used on the following surfaces:

  • Corian
  • Brass
  • Stainless steel
  • Copper alloys
  • Bronze
  • Aluminium 
  • Glass
  • Porcelain 
  • Ceramic

What can't I use Bar Keepers Friend on?

Bar Keepers Friend can't be used on: 

  • Mirrored surfaces
  • Granite
  • Coloured grout
  • Gold
  • Painted surfaces
  • Lacquered surfaces.
  • Silver (sterling silver is okay) 
  • Fabric
  • Wood
  • Leather
  • Polished stone
  • Cast iron
  • Marble

The best uses for Bar Keepers Friend

1. Clean your bathtub & shower tray

Can bar keepers friend remove scratches from stainless steel
It'll work on both.

Whether they're acrylic or porcelain, you can use Bar Keepers Friend to clean your bathtub and shower tray. This handy cleaner will remove soap scum and remedy scuff marks.

2. Does Bar Keepers Friend clean grout?

You don't need to re-do your entire bathroom to achieve amazing results. One of our favourite ways to use BKF is to effortlessly remove staining from tiles and grout. Use the cleaner with a firm, bristle brush for best results. 

3. Shine your shower doors

How clean are your shower doors? Hard water spots and mineral deposits will make them look less than perfect. You might have given up trying to remove these difficult stains, but this miracle cleaner will do the trick. 

4. Porcelain toilets & sinks 

You can even use BKF to give your toilet and sink a new lease of life. Just use a sponge to work the product in. Dark staining will be gone before you know it. 

In our other article, we're looking at whether or not you can flush hair down the toilet. Take a look!

5. Remove rust stains 

With excess moisture building up in the room, bathroom fixtures can easily begin to rust. Use it to shine up plugs and showerheads in seconds. 

6. Shine your towel rails 

Heated towel rails are brilliant at keeping your bathroom nice and warm, but they can easily get covered in dust, lose their sparkle and sometimes even begin to rust! Use BKF to clean and shine each rail. 

7. Clean chrome taps

Can bar keepers friend remove scratches from stainless steel
It's never looked so shiny!

You can even use Bar Keepers Friend on chrome. If your taps have seen better days, use the cleaner to remove rust and scum. You won't believe the mirror finish you'll be able to achieve. 

8. Restore Lino floor 

Do you have dirty lino floor in your bathroom? It can start to look grimy pretty quickly - no matter how much you mop. For particularly stubborn stains, give our new favourite cleaner a try. A bristle brush will help you to get into the nooks and crannies. 

9. Remove scratches from dishes

Plates, bowls, mugs, and dishes are all quick to age. Save your dinnerware, vintage pyrex and even your finest Le Creuset dish with this brilliant cleanser. 

10. Clean up pots & pans

Can bar keepers friend remove scratches from stainless steel
Don't they look brand new?

Are the undersides of your pots and pans looking worse for wear? If you leave your pans to build up with burnt residue, they could damage your stove and take longer to warm up. Bar Keepers Friend will have your pans looking and working as if they were brand new. 

For more ways to clean burnt pans, read our other article. 

11. Save cutlery from rust

Vintage cutlery might rust, but BKF will easily restore it. You can also use it to remove rust from scissors and tin openers. 

12. Scrub your dishwasher

Your dishwasher might do a great job of cleaning your dishes, but it could use some TLC too! Scrub away residue and water spots from the stainless steel to reveal a beautiful shine. A clean dishwasher equals cleaner dishes after all! 

13. Shine your kitchen sinks

Can bar keepers friend remove scratches from stainless steel
Give it a good scrub.

Whether you have a standard, stainless steel or a beautiful Belfast sink, Bar Keepers Friend is the best cleaner for maintaining a brilliant shine. You'll be able to erase scuffs, scratches, and residues with ease. 

14. Make glass stovetops look brand new

Another amazing use for Bar Keepers Friend? Use the Cooktop Cleaner or The Original Cleanser to remove hardened stains from your hob. If you've tried everything else, give it a go. You'll be amazed by how easily those stubborn marks disappear! 

Looking for even more ways to clean your hob? Watch our video!

15. Clean stainless steel appliances

Microwaves, fridges, kettles and toasters - if they're made of stainless steel, you need to give them a clean with Bar Keepers Friend. Use a soft sponge to avoid scratching the finish and be careful to avoid any electrical components when rinsing with water. 

16. Deep clean oven racks 

Use BKF to get your oven and BBQ racks back to their former glory. You might not have seen their true colours for years! 

17. Can Bar Keepers Friend be used to clean oven glass?

Can bar keepers friend remove scratches from stainless steel
What a result!

There's no need for any harsh, dangerous cleaning chemicals when you've got Bar Keepers Friend. It quickly cuts through oven grease. Keep up with regular cleaning so that it never feels like a nightmare task. 

18. Fix burnt trays & dishes

Baking trays, pizza pans and glass dishes can all take quite a beating. The burnt-on food is a nightmare to clean off, but not with Bar Keepers Friend. Just use a sponge to work the cleaner into any stains. 

19. Use it on glass dining tables

Although Bar Keepers Friend shouldn't be used on wood, it can be used on glass-top dining tables. You'll be amazed by the brilliant, streak-free shine it leaves! 

20. Perfect glassware

Can bar keepers friend remove scratches from stainless steel
Keep them sparkling!

Giving a house guest a cloudy glass to drink from can be a bit embarrassing. This is where BKF comes in! It easily removes cloudiness and water spots for crystal clear glassware. Why not use it to clean an old vase too? 

21. Shine your exhaust pipes

Don't forget to show your car's exhaust pipes some love! They can become covered in a smokey film, but it's easy to remove with Bar Keepers Friend. 

22. Make chrome rims sparkle

Leave the chrome rims on your car with a dazzling finish. All you need is this amazing cleanser and a soft sponge. 

23. Erase scratches on your car

Can bar keepers friend remove scratches from stainless steel
You'd never have guessed they were there.

Use a small amount of Bar Keepers Friend on a magic eraser sponge. Gently buff into the scratches on your car and they will start to vanish before your eyes! 

24. Give your golf clubs some love

Golf clubs are expensive so you should do all you can to keep them in top-notch condition. Bar Keepers Friend will help to preserve that shine. 

25. Remove sticky labels

Is there anything more annoying than sticky residue left behind by a label? Bar Keepers Friend will remove any stickiness without the need for too much elbow grease. 

26. Remove rust from outdoor furniture 

Can bar keepers friend remove scratches from stainless steel
Repair your weathered fixtures and fittings too!

Outdoor furniture sees it all. Unless you invest in some proper covers, expect to see rust start to form on your patio furniture, BBQ, and trampoline. Before you take it to the dump, give Bar Keepers Friend a try. 

27. Shine drawer handles 

You might think your drawer handles are looking okay, but give them a clean with Bar Keepers Friend and you'll be shocked to see the difference. 

28. Restore your ice skates 

Have you found an old pair of ice skates? They might be rusty, but they aren't beyond repair! Use BKF to carefully clean the blades. You'll be back on the ice in no time. 

29. Clean drum cymbals

Looking for an affordable way to make an old drum kit look brand new? Bar Keepers Friend is perfect for cleaning drum cymbals. You won't recognise them after you're finished! 

30. Shine your keys

Can bar keepers friend remove scratches from stainless steel
Keep them in good condition.

Rusty keys look and feel less than pleasant. Just because your property is older, it doesn't mean that your keys have to reflect that. Give them a clean and polish.

Where can I buy Bar Keepers Friend?

If you're struggling to find this miracle cleaner, we've got you covered. Availability of Bar Keepers Friend will vary depending on your location, but a few of the UK stockists include:

  • Amazon
  • Tesco
  • The Range
  • Lakeland
  • Wickes
  • John Lewis
  • Dunelm 
  • Ocado 
  • Wilko

Other cleaning products to try

Watch the video!

If you're a fan of Mrs Hinch, or just looking for some new cleaning products to try, check these out next:

  • Soda Crystals
  • Elbow Grease
  • The Pink Stuff
  • Zoflora

Q&A

What can I clean with Bar Keepers Friend?

As a general rule of thumb, Bar Keeper's Friend can be used to clean and polish most hard, non-porous surfaces. We list the places that Bar Keepers Friend can be used in our article. 

Where can't I use Bar Keepers Friend? 

Some people have found success using Bar Keeper's Friend on surfaces like wood and silver, but it's not recommended. You should always give the surface a patch test in an inconspicuous area. For a full list of surfaces to avoid, check our article.

Is Bar Keepers Friend safe? 

Bar Keepers Friend will be safe, as long as you follow the directions on the packaging. As Bar Keeper's Friend is a cleaning product, you should never mix it with other chemicals or cleaners.

Bar Keeper's Friend needs to be rinsed thoroughly after use, so don't apply to a surface where this might not be possible. 

Which Bar Keepers Friend is best?

If the product is new to you, we'd suggest trying the original or soft cleanser. 

Is Bar Keepers Friend environmentally friendly?

Bar Keepers Friend is not completely natural, but it doesn't contain bleach or harmful abrasives like similar products. The cleaner is also biodegradable. 

Is Bar Keepers Friend cruelty-free? 

At the time of writing this, PETA has recognised BKF as a cruelty-free cleaner. 

What are the ingredients in Bar Keepers Friend? 

The listed ingredients on our bottle of Bar Keepers Friend Power Cream are citric acid monohydrate, oxalic acid, 5-10% non-ionic surfactant and perfume. 

Are there any other cleaning products I should try?

Yes! Check out our other articles on The Pink Stuff, Elbow Grease and Zoflora.

Watch our video to learn more about The Pink Stuff:

It's time to stock your cleaning kits with this cleaning product! Do you have any uses for Bar Keepers Friend to add? Let us know in the comments below. 

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to the reader, we earn a commission if you click through to one of our recommended products and make a purchase. 

Can Bar Keepers Friend be used on stainless steel?

Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser contains oxalic acid, which breaks down and removes calcium deposits from hard water. Better still, it is non-abrasive, so it safe for stainless steel. Make sure to always dry your stainless steel with a soft cloth or towel in order to keep moisture from sitting on the surface.

Does Bar Keepers Friend get rid of scratches?

It might sound strange, but you can actually use Bar Keepers Friend to erase small scratches and marks on your car. It works similarly to those polishing compounds you can get at auto supply stores. Just use a small amount, and make sure to wipe up any leftover cleaner afterwards!

Can I get scratches out of stainless steel sink?

You'll need a scouring pad or scrubbing sponge, plus some cooking oil (olive oil works well). There are also kits on the market, such as Rejuvenate Stainless Steel Scratch Eraser Kit and Scratch-B-Gone, which contain all you'll need to remove deeper scratches.

What should you not use Bar Keepers Friend on?

BKF cleans and polishes most hard, nonporous surfaces. However, never use BKF on the following: cast iron, granite, marble, wood, fabric, leather, or painted surfaces.