How to Fix Minor Dings on Stainless Steel Appliances

So if you find yourself only looking at an unsightly ding, it's time to regain the beauty of your stainless appliances.

1. Determine how wide and deep the ding in the appliance is to know if you can effectively repair it. Small scratches and dents can be removed fairly easily using care and not rushing the work. Large dents may not be as easy to repair by yourself, but you can still attempt to repair the ding if you wish to make it less noticeable.

2. Talk to your appliance sales associate to determine how to purchase touch-up paint made specifically for your model. If possible, return to the store where you purchased the appliance as they may sell the matching color on site. You need to know the manufacturer and model number to better match the color.

3. Clean and dry the area you need to repair. Keep the area protected from anyone accidentally bumping into it while it sets. Let everyone know not to touch the area until the repair is complete.

4. Begin gently rubbing any scratches with a fine-grit cleaning pad with the grain of the stainless steel. There are also commercially-sold products, like scratch-b-gone, that will help in removing scratches from stainless steel surfaces.

5. Purchase a small piece of dry ice to aid in repairing any small dents. Carefully hold the dry ice with clamps or another utensil over the area to pop the dent out. If you have a dent with sharp, well-defined edges the dry ice method may not work as well, and you should either contact the manufacturer to purchase a new panel or a local auto body shop offering paintless dent repair to determine which avenue to pursue.

6. Finish the repair by wiping the repaired area down with a damp cloth and buff with a separate soft, dry cloth to make the surface shine. If you had to use any touch-up paint or sealer wait until the area is fully dry before you wipe the area.