Got yelled at by my landlord for using steel wool on stainless steel

I was scrubbing my apartment's kitchen sink last Saturday trying to get some baked on crud off. My landlord happened to stop by for a routine inspection and literally grabbed my hand mid scrub. He chewed me out for 5 minutes about how steel wool creates micro scratches that trap bacteria and ruin the finish over time. He showed me his own sink that he's had for 12 years and it looked brand new. Now I just use baking soda paste and a soft sponge, costs maybe 30 cents per scrub and works just as good. Has anyone else gotten roasted for a cleaning mistake that totally changed your routine?

3 comments

3 Comments

jessica_miller3d ago

That "mildly abrasive" part is exactly right, I found out the hard way when I used it on a non-stick pan and totally wrecked the coating. It's amazing how many "gentle" cleaners still leave micro-scratches that you don't see until they trap food.

the_jessica3d ago

Hate to be that person but baking soda can actually be mildly abrasive too, it's not totally scratch-free. Just gotta be real gentle with it.

graym493d ago

Oh yeah for sure, you're totally right about that. I've definitely ruined a few plastic containers by scrubbing too hard with a baking soda paste and they came out looking all foggy and scratched up.