You can actually fix scratches on stainless steel appliances, but it must be done carefully.
Before you do anything, make absolutely sure your appliance is stainless steel and is not simulated or made of fingerprint-resistant clear coat. If you try taking out a scratch on these products, you will ruin the surface.
Next, take a very close look at the stainless steel surface to find the grain. You will be working with the grain and not against it.
According to Family Handyman, you'll need a very fine grit sandpaper, in the 400 to 600 grit range, a sanding block, and rubbing compound.
* Squeeze some sanding fluid onto the sandpaper and, starting somewhere inconspicuous, sand the scratched area until it disappears; move up to the next coarsest grit if needed. Then sand the rest of the panel until it blends in.
* Always sand with the grain and not against it.
* Apply a stainless steel cleaner or polish.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.