The deciding specification is what each maker publishes about surfaces it is safe for, since only some state a pH-neutral formula or a restriction against food contact surfaces.
By the Lush Editorial Team·Researched & Compared
I compared the eight stainless steel cleaners on the fact sheet, using only the dimensions, weights, sizes and published features each manufacturer lists.
The maker states it cleans black stainless steel and leaves a protective barrier.
A two pack kit with a microfiber cloth and a pH-neutral formula.
The maker lists chrome and aluminum alongside stainless steel.
A water-based formula with foaming action that the maker states will not drip.
A powder cleanser for stainless and aluminum cookware exteriors.
| Model | Brand | Size (capacity) | Weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Therapy Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish | Therapy | 16 Fl Oz (Pack of 1) | 0.2 lb | Best for black stainless |
| Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish Kit | Weiman | 24 Fl Oz (Pack of 1) | 0.13 lb | Best two pack kit |
| Zep Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish 14 ounces - Z... | Zep | 14 Ounce (Pack of 1) | 0.88 lb | Best for chrome and aluminum |
| Sprayway Water-Based Stainless Steel Cleaner | Sprayway | 15 Ounce (Pack of 1) | 0.3 lb | Best water-based spray |
| All-Clad Cookware Stainless Steel Cleaner for Pots &... | All-Clad | 12 Ounce (Pack of 1) | 1.2 lb | Best powder for cookware |
The maker states it cleans black stainless steel and leaves a protective barrier.
A two pack kit with a microfiber cloth and a pH-neutral formula.
The maker lists chrome and aluminum alongside stainless steel.
A water-based formula with foaming action that the maker states will not drip.
A powder cleanser for stainless and aluminum cookware exteriors.
Therapy Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish is the pick for black stainless and for a bundle that includes a 16 by 16 inch microfiber cloth. Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish Kit is the pick for a two pack kit with a cloth and a pH-neutral formula. Zep Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish is the pick for chrome and aluminum as well as stainless. Sprayway Water-Based Stainless Steel Cleaner is the pick for a water-based foaming spray. All-Clad Cookware Stainless Steel Cleaner is the pick for a powder for pots and pans.
“Five cleaners, five different sets of surfaces they are stated safe for.”
Lush Editorial Team
Priorities, not a computed score. The inputs are published specifications, so we rank by what matters most and say how much.
Three of the five publish a width, a depth and a height. Therapy lists 2.75 inches wide, 4 inches deep and 8.5 inches tall. Zep lists 2.5 inches wide, 2.5 inches deep and 10 inches tall. All-Clad lists 2.5 inches wide, 2.5 inches deep and 7 inches tall. Weiman and Sprayway publish none of the three, so for those two the maker states no dimensions at all.
Weight is published for all five. Weiman lists 0.13 pounds, Therapy 0.2 pounds, Sprayway 0.3 pounds, Zep 0.88 pounds and All-Clad 1.2 pounds. Size runs from 12 ounces of powder to 24 fluid ounces. Those figures describe the package, not how the cleaner works on a surface, and the sheet carries no coverage figure for any of them.
| Specification | Therapy | Weiman | Zep | Sprayway | All-Clad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Published size | 16 Fl Oz | 24 Fl Oz | 14 Ounce | 15 Ounce | 12 Ounce |
| Form | Liquid with cloth | Spray kit with cloth | Liquid | Water-based spray | Powder |
| Width | 2.75 in | not published | 2.5 in | not published | 2.5 in |
| Depth | 4.0 in | not published | 2.5 in | not published | 2.5 in |
| Height | 8.5 in | not published | 10.0 in | not published | 7.0 in |
| Weight | 0.2 lb | 0.13 lb | 0.88 lb | 0.3 lb | 1.2 lb |
| pH-neutral stated | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Stated restrictions | None listed | None listed | Natural stone, food contact | None listed | Hard anodized, copper, nonstick |
The table does not tell you how any cleaner behaves on a surface. No maker publishes a coverage area, a dry time or an ingredient list, and the words pH-neutral are a claim rather than a number. The table also cannot show which cleaner suits black stainless, since only Therapy states that surface in its published features.
Therapy lists appliances, grills, sinks, refrigerators, microwaves, stoves, range hoods and trash cans, and states the formula is pH-neutral. It also states the cleaner is a specialist for black stainless steel and leaves a protective barrier against fingerprints, dust, dirt and smudges. Those are the maker’s words about what the product is for.
Weiman lists stainless steel kitchen appliances, sinks, trash cans, grill exteriors, backsplashes and countertops, and states a pH-neutral formula. Zep lists appliances, grill exteriors, steel and other metal surfaces, and adds chrome and aluminum. Sprayway lists stainless steel appliances and surfaces plus window frames, trim, kick plates, doors and chrome.
Therapy and Weiman are liquids with a cloth in the package. Therapy includes a 16 by 16 inch microfiber cloth. Weiman publishes a two pack kit with a microfiber cloth and states no rinsing is required when the spray is wiped in the direction of the metal grain and buffed with a soft, dry cloth.
Zep is a 14 ounce liquid stated to polish as it cleans. Sprayway is a 15 ounce water-based spray stated to foam and not drip. All-Clad is a 12 ounce powder for stainless and aluminum cookware, applied to brushed or polished exteriors, in a container with a press-close sealing cap. Each form suits a different motion and a different surface.
Zep states it is not for use on natural stone surfaces or food contact surfaces. All-Clad states it is not for hard anodized, copper or nonstick cookware. Those two lines remove whole categories of surfaces from each product. Therapy, Weiman and Sprayway list no such exclusion in their published features.
That difference matters more than any dimension on the sheet. A cleaner that is ruled out for food contact surfaces cannot be used on a cooking surface, and a powder ruled out for nonstick cannot be used on a nonstick pan. Read the stated restriction before the stated shine.
Therapy states a protective barrier against fingerprints, dust, dirt and smudges, and states the product is a scratch inhibitor. Weiman states a protective barrier that repels fingerprints, dust and smudges. Sprayway states the formula resists fingerprint smudges. Those are claims about what the maker says the product leaves behind.
Zep states it dissolves fingerprints, water marks, dirt, smudges and soil and leaves no residue, without stating a barrier. All-Clad states it removes burnt-on food and restores shine on cookware. None of these are measurements, and no maker publishes a duration for how long a barrier lasts.
Black stainless steel owner. Therapy is the only pick whose published features state it cleans black stainless steel. It also states a pH-neutral formula and includes a 16 by 16 inch microfiber cloth with a 16 fluid ounce bottle.
Someone who wants a kit with a cloth. Weiman publishes a two pack kit with a microfiber cloth and states no rinsing is required when the spray is wiped along the metal grain and buffed with a soft, dry cloth.
Chrome and aluminum in the mix. Zep lists chrome and aluminum alongside stainless steel and states it polishes as it cleans. The maker also states it is not for natural stone or food contact surfaces.
Water-based spray preference. Sprayway states a water-based formula with foaming action that will not drip, and lists window frames, trim, kick plates and doors in addition to appliances.
Cookware exteriors. All-Clad publishes a 12 ounce powder for stainless and aluminum cookware exteriors, in a container with a press-close sealing cap. The maker states it is not for hard anodized, copper or nonstick cookware.
Several figures a buyer might want are simply not on the sheet, and the makers do not publish them.
Therapy is the only one of the five whose published features state it cleans black stainless steel. The maker also states the formula leaves a protective barrier against fingerprints, dust, dirt and smudges. The other four list stainless steel generally, and Zep adds chrome and aluminum. If your appliances are black stainless, that stated surface is the deciding line on the sheet.
Two do. Therapy includes a 16 by 16 inch microfiber cloth with a 16 fluid ounce bottle. Weiman publishes a two pack kit that includes a microfiber cloth and states no rinsing is required when the spray is wiped in the direction of the metal grain and buffed with a soft, dry cloth. The other three list no cloth.
All-Clad publishes a 12 ounce powder cleanser for stainless and aluminum cookware, applied to brushed or polished exteriors. It is the only powder among the five picks. The maker states it is not for hard anodized, copper or nonstick cookware. The other four picks are liquids or wipes in spray or canister form.
Zep states it is not for use on natural stone surfaces or food contact surfaces. That rules it out for direct use on cooking surfaces. All-Clad, by contrast, is published as a powder cleanser for stainless and aluminum cookware, so its stated use is cookware exteriors. Always follow the surface list a maker publishes.
Therapy is 16 fluid ounces. Weiman is 24 fluid ounces as a pack of one listing. Zep is 14 ounces. Sprayway is 15 ounces. All-Clad is 12 ounces of powder. Those are the only sizes on the sheet, and no maker publishes a second size for the same product, so the listed size is the size you get.
Weiman lists stainless steel kitchen appliances, sinks, trash cans, grill exteriors, backsplashes and countertops, and states the formula is pH-neutral. Therapy lists appliances, grills, sinks, refrigerators, microwaves, stoves, range hoods and trash cans. Sprayway adds window frames, trim, kick plates and doors. Zep adds chrome and aluminum but rules out food contact surfaces.
Specifications come from the manufacturers' own published listings. Lush Food & Drink may earn a commission if you buy through a link on this page, at no extra cost to you. How we research.
