Sorry that you're unhappy, but stainless is not a fad, not at all. My parents built a house with SS SubZero and Thermadore appliances in 1960, we remodeled here almost 12 years ago with SS, and I'd do it again.

It'll be here in 20 years, too.

Weiman stainless steel wipes. I find them at Kroger or Target. They're the only thing I've found that don't streak, and they work beautifully! I do have to dry things with a dry paper towel after I clean with the wipe.

Ber, I didn't want ss because the stainless at our other home is a pain. Streaks galore. After dithering over appliance finishes ss still seemed to be the best look for my kitchen. What amazes me now is how wonderful the ss is on my appliances. I have a truly messy DH. My appliances were installed in early July and the finish looks perfect. I think the knurling on the handles help but honestly I have only had to rub away a print two or three times. I guess some stainless finishes are more streak and mark resistant.

Use a fine grade microfiber cloth and water. Wring it out well and wipe with the grain. This works very well for everyday smudges, and if the appliance gets really grubby use the stainless wipes and then dry with the microfiber. Paper towels can scratch. You should wash the microfiber cloths periodically to keep them debris-free and prevent dirt from scratching the appliance. Easy-peasy and cheap.

I agree with the recommendation for Weiman stainless steel wipes. I follow up with an old soft dish towel and I never have any streaks. I buy them at Target.

I heard recently that baby oil does wonders for stainless.

I used lemon oil on my stainless and it looks amazing! Brand new. It doesn't keep smudges from happening, but they buff off really easily in between applications. Then, when the streaks start being hard to get off again, I just use more lemon oil.

There's a thread on the Home Decorating Forum on the same subject and they are recommending Sheilashine & a damp microfiber cloth.

I also use the Weinman stainless wipes, followed by a microfiber cloth. I usually order them from Amazon.
I think there is a difference in stainless appliances and I have found mine so easy to keep clean. I hated my old bisque refrigerator handles that never stayed clean.
The only thing I have to be careful about is to wipe any spatters of tomato sauce on my stove immediately since they leave a stain I can't get out. I have a couple of small spots that no one else would notice, but I am disappointed they are there.

Sheilashine is excellent, but mostly all you need is an ample supply of microfiber cloths. You can usually buy them in bulk in the automotive supply aisle at Costco or Walmart. Do not use any type of fabric softener when you wash them! They last longer if you air dry them too!

I use Lysol kitchen cleaner to clean and remove grime and gunk. This most definitely leaves a streaky mess. BUT, afterwards I use Orangeglow and wipe with a microfiber cloth. Streaks are gone...and it does hold up to fingerprints for a few days. I usually do this once a week. FWIW, I have a messy husband, an 11 year old boy and 9 year old girl, and a chocolate lab who leaves nose prints as well on occasion.

I also use Weiman SS wipes. I then buff with a soft cloth as directed, whatever I have around, usually an old dishcloth. I just did my stove this morning (hubby cooked bacon for breakfast yesterday and splatter grease everywhere). They work quickly and perfectly the first time. I even used them on the really old SS fridge we are getting rid of when our reno is complete when I found them a few months ago. If the fridge hadn't been dented on the front I may have thought about keeping it, they brought it back to a beautiful shine.

I learned about Weiman wipes here when we went stainless this summer. It's all I've ever used so can't comment on other stuff. I generally do not need to wipe afterward. When my housekeeper came in for the first cleaning, I showed her where they were kept, and she said, "Thank God. I was going to tell you that for my stainless clients, I require Weiman wipes or I won't clean the stainless. Everything else streaks."

True? Dunno. But she's a good housekeeper with a loooonggg waiting list, so I am not making her unhappy.

Mom said that she used to work in a restaurant where there was a weekly rub down of all ss appliances with oil. She uses olive oil now I think.
Jen

I use Easy Off SS cleaner, which seems oily. I like it, and I only use it every couple of weeks. In between, a damp microfiber cloth gets off smudges.

You may have created a messy build-up trying to use a few different recommendations.
I did that the first few months. Something oily will stick around for a while...try something else, and it reacts with an earlier attempt. I created a horrid chemical reaction and my fridge turned black and blue. What works for one may not work for your stainless.
I did not panic. lol. Giving it a good work-out rub down with Bon-ami, twice!, then a few damp full rubs with clean cloths, then drying with another few clean cloths will get all the gunky cleaners off...so i do not use any oils anymore. They attract dust and you can't even touch them without a smudge. I can now do a mini swipe around the handle and the leading edge once a month and a full clean and rub-down every three months. I have a kitchen skylight that rakes the fridge on sunny days so i see every speck.
Something will work for you eventually, but stick with it. And first give it the time to really clean it with a de-greaser like Bon-ami in the direction of the grain if it has one.
My gas cooktop has a different stainless surface than my fridge. It just likes a spritzer soaking with Biocleen, 5 min and everything wipes up easily. A water/vinegar mix spritz to get the soap residue and it is sparkling.

Weiman stainless steel wipes worked great! I knew this forum would know what to use. Thanks, all!