Different appliance manuf seem to use diff SS; for example, our SS GE micro can be wiped down/cleaned with just about anything, while our KA Built-in fridge has always been much more difficult to clean without streaking.

I have recently discovered the "joy" of using alcohol-water mixed in a spray bottle (with a few drops of essential lavender oil) on our granite counters, our range's burner pans for spot cleaning, on glass and mirrors, and on all SS appliances and sink.

If you start out with the DW clean and free of oily residue (from other cleaners for ex.), you can just spray the alcohol-water spray, and wipe/buff dry with a microfiber. If you need more oomph (to remove residue or other "schmutz"), clean first with a little BKF on a blue scrub sponge, rinse/wipe off, and then follow with the spray. After that, you should just need to use the spray.

You can spot clean using this "method"--hooray (I couldn't using my previous SS cleaner/polish spray from 3M). Another benefit, is that surfaces cleaned with this seem to repel fingerprints better as well. Not entirely of course, but far fewer prints than using an oil-based cleaner.

Having dreaded cleaning our 42" SxS fridge for the past few years, I am very happy to have found something that works well and easily.

cat mom:

Thanks for the recommendation; can you give me the exact recipe for your alcohol-water mixture plus how many drops of lavender oil? Can we substitute a different sort of oil? I know that this might seem silly, but can I use olive oil?

Also, here is a great video review of the dishwasher I purchased:

Finally, any further advice on technical things that I should do to facilitate a successful installation? Thank you!

Here is a link that might be useful: KUDE70 Video Review

Extended warranties are profits to the manufacturer or to the company claiming to sell you a warranty. It's an insurance and financial product that guarantees good profit margins to the issuer, without serious risk. This is well documented. Spend the money if you wish. The wording of the warranty that you may contract is not standardized so after you post it in its entirety, specific comments about all the things it doesn't cover can be made. Just f.y.i. ; go ahead if you feel you want to spend the money. After all, there have to be at least some buyers subsidizing all those good people trying to innovate in insurance and financial circles.

hth

I use anywhere from 30% to 50% (usually closer to 50%) rubbing alcohol (70% Isopropyl) to water. As for the lavender oil, I would use that or another essential oil, not olive oil. The essential oil, while imparting a nice scent, also serves the benefit (depending which one you choose) of possessing antibacterial/antimicrobial properties (lavender essential oil does BTW). Also, according to a kitchen forum member, essential oils suspend in water differently (or create a different surface tension) than other oils, so the spray mixture does not leave oily residue behind.

As for how much to use, it really depends on the size of the spray bottle. I usually go by sense of smell. I fill the bottle ~1/3-1/2 way with alcohol, top off with hot water, so I can still smell some alcohol, but it's not too strong a smell. I add enough drops of the lavender oil so the spray is scented with it, but again, not overpowering (for an avg size spray bottle, start with 10 drops and adjust up, or add a little more water or alcohol if too strong).

There appears to be a lot of leeway from what I've read online and according to the EPA Dr with whom I'd spoken when I had some questions about using this to clean/disinfect bathroom or kitchen surfaces.

I like the higher concentration of alcohol as I find it evaporates aster and seems to leave my glass, mirrors, and granite shiny and streak-free.

HTH!

I just installed a Miele Diamonte in my home and its mate in my friend's. For my freind's house we ran into a shutoff valve problem. The main water valves at the meter were the type with hose bib handles and rubber washers. One below the meter turned free without doing anything and the other, above the meter was frozen open. When I finally worked it closed it shut the water off. It just couldn't turn it back on. These were about thirty years old and had deteriorated over time. The city had to come out(for free)and turn the water off at the curb so I could replace those old style valves with ball valves. They work 7-3. We were lucky with timing.
My recommendations from this experience. Request or supply a ball shutoff valve for your dishwasher. Check your main shutoffs now because it's easy to do things during the week and costs extra on the weekend.

Thanks for both of these replies. I will definitely buy some 70% rubbing alcohol and lavender oil, plus a good spray bottle for the mixture. Where did you learn about his formula?

Dan1888, thanks for the suggestion to look into the shutoff valves. I'm going to speak to my husband about this so we can make sure we have the best valves in place before we close up that space with the dishwasher (it's under the sink, but you know what I mean).

I learned about 50-50 alcohol-water for cleaning granite over in Kitchens. A lot of people over there swore by it. I stuck with commercial products though for awhile.

When we reno'd our bathrooms recently, I was searching for stone-friendly, yet disinfecting cleaning products to use on our bathroom surfaces (FWIW, Seventh Generation makes the only stone-safe, disinfecting spray bathroom cleaner that I've found so far--I have a bunch of cans of Lysol Bathroom Cleaner still, so sometimes use it just inside the tub itself and in the sink--very carefully!). Anyway, during my seemingly endless search, came across numerous recipes utilizing vinegar (not stone-friendly), borax powder, etc., in conjunction with essential oils (like lavender, or tea tree, for example). I decided to mix up some alcohol, water, and lavender oil and give it a try. The proportions were mostly from following what they were using in the Kitchen forum (although the EPA doc said 10% alcohol to 90% water, or 85% water and 5% lavender oil, is perfectly effective). I kind of trial and error it when mixing up a fresh bottle, if it doesn't smell "right" or evaporate/dry up nicely (without smearing) as I wipe, I add little more of one "ingredient" or another. I don't think it has to be perfect.

I ended up not using it much in the bathroom, but tried it on my granite, and really liked the results (no smears or residue). I figured it was worth trying on my SS as well (we stopped having our cleaning person come, and I had difficulty cleaning the fridge doors without smearing/streaking using the oil-based stuff). I had to scrub off any and all traces of the old cleaner, but once I did I was good to go. Now I can spot clean or fully clean the surface with just my spray bottle and a microfiber cloth. I even "salvaged" my bff's fridge (fingerprinted, smeary mess), by scrubbing it with BKF and then following up with the alcohol-water spray. *Note, "naked" SS appliances reflect light differently than the same appliances cleaned/polished with oil-based product. The surface has slightly less sheen, and because of that, perhaps look a little colder, or a bluer-based grey--not bad, just something I noticed. I'm much happier with the ease of cleaning, so the trade-off is worth it for me.

I also use the spray on my sink after cleaning with a soapy sponge or BKF (wipe dry with a microfiber and it looks great). Also really nice on our Wolf range's black burner pans for spot or light cleaning (I make sure not to spray when any burners are lit!).

cupof, the best thing about using the alcohol/water is you can spot clean where necessary. I use less alcohol just because of the smell with a microfiber cloth. I definitely think less is best on SS.