10 Things You Can Clean With Bar Keepers Friend
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You might assume Bar Keepers Friend is one of those old-school household cleaners your grandma swore by—and still has stashed under her sink! But this powerhouse has been tackling tough messes like greasy grime and stubborn soap scum for over a century (since 1882 to be exact!), and it’s still one of the most effective cleaners on the market.
From scorched pans to rusty tools, Bar Keepers Friend—or BKF, as some of us refer to it—makes hard jobs easy and nasty stains disappear with help from its main ingredient oxalic acid, which (fun fact!) is found naturally in spinach and rhubarb. If you’re set on having a spotless home, this all-purpose cleaner deserves a spot in your cleaning caddy. Here are 10 things it can clean that’ll have you hooked.
What Is Bar Keepers Friend?
Bar Keepers Friend is available in many forms, from a spray version to a toilet bowl cleaner. The most popular types, though, are the powder and soft cleansers, both of which can be used on all kinds of surfaces. The main benefit of the powder version (that you just mix with water) is that you can create your desired consistency and potency.
Stainless Steel Sinks and Appliances
Stainless steel might look nice and shiny when it’s new, but daily life has a way of turning it into a smudge-covered, water-stained disaster zone. A few shakes of the Bar Keepers Friend powder (or a generous drop of the soft cleanser) work wonders for removing fingerprints, smudges, and water spots, and polishes stainless steel surfaces back to their brand-new mirror-like finish.
Glass Stovetops
Glass cooktops are sleek and chic—until you actually use them. From spillover pasta water to oil splatter, stuff just loves to get baked onto its smooth surface. Paired with a soft sponge or cloth, Bar Keepers Friend lifts away the messes without scratching the glass, leaving the stovetop looking so new, you’ll feel good when it’s time to light a candle and “close” the kitchen.
Cookware and Bakeware
Whether you’re a seasoned chef or someone who barely boils water, over time, grease, scorch marks, and burnt-on food can make even the toughest pots and pans look run down. Bar Keepers Friend is great for cleaning stubborn stains on cookware, especially for stainless steel and copper pots. No more pretending your pots, pans, baking dishes, and cookie sheets are “well-loved”—give them all a second chance to shine.
Cast Iron Skillets
Bar Keeper’s Friend is not going to be your go-to for your seasoned, ready-to-use cast iron. You’re going to want to stick to gentler, cast-iron-friendly cleaning methods for routine cleanings. However, if you’ve got an old, rusty, neglected skillet (like a flea market find), Bar Keepers Friend can help strip the rust and crust to help you rescue and restore your cast iron before you re-season it.
Mugs and Glassware
Caffeine lovers, this one is for you! The brown ring inside your favorite mug or the tea-steeping stain in your teapot doesn’t have to be permanent. Bar Keepers Friend works like a charm, removing “impossible” coffee and tea stains from ceramic, glass, and (surprise!) stainless steel. Just a quick scrub and rinse, and your cups and carafes will be back to looking pristine.
Tile and Grout
Dirty grout can easily make an otherwise clean room look dingy and grimy. Whether it’s in the kitchen or the bathroom, over time they trap dirt, mildew, and stains. All hope isn’t lost though! You can get the satisfaction of a real “before and after” cleaning transformation without expensive steam cleaners, harsh fumes, or endless scrubbing, because Bar Keepers Friend digs deep into grout lines and lifts discoloration to leave your ceramic tiles gleaming.
Shower Doors and Bathroom Fixtures
Similarly, soap scum and hard water stains can ruin any clean bathroom, especially if you have glass shower doors and chrome fixtures. By wiping away the buildup, Bar Keepers Friend restores the cloudy eyesores to shiny surfaces you’ll want to show off. It works wonders on porcelain sinks and tubs, too.
Rusty Tools and Outdoor Gear
Rust happens; however, we know that Bar Keepers Friend doesn’t just clean — it restores. The oxalic acid in Bar Keepers Friend breaks down rust and tarnish on metal surfaces, and you can scrub away years of corrosion like a charm. This means bringing new life to your tools, garden shears, and outdoor décor.
Grill Grates
Whether it’s your indoor grill or BBQ grill, Bar Keepers Friend is great for eliminating grease and grime buildup. If you have stainless steel, porcelain-coated (not chipped), or chrome-plated grates, Bar Keepers Friend can break down those black crusty layers that turn your grill into a health hazard, leaving you with a smooth surface that’s food-safe again.
Car Rims and Metal Parts
Your car’s rims go through a lot, especially if you live in a region with all four seasons. Brake dust, road grime, and winter salt can make rims look dull and dirty, no matter how much you wash the rest of the car. Bar Keepers Friend can safely polish away the buildup on metal rims—especially aluminum and chrome—and leave them looking like they just rolled off the showroom floor.
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