This woman claims a beloved cleaning product ruined her stainless steel fridge—viewers say it's her own fault.
CleanTok is usually full of satisfying scrubbing videos that reveal a stark before and after. It's the corner of the internet where soap suds, clean grout lines, and restocked pantries reign supreme.
And it's a massive money maker. Fifty-four percent of viewers say that they bought a household item after seeing an influencer use it online.
But every now and then, a cleaning video goes wrong, as is the case with this creator. The situation has people wondering if she's rage-baiting or if she really didn't know the impending consequences.
Cleaning video gone wrong
In a trending video with more than 116,000 views, CleanTok content creator Bre (@iambrebby) stirred up some controversy over how to properly clean stainless steel.
In the video, Bre mixed a floral-scented multipurpose cleaner with fan-favorite Bar Keeper's Friend onto a regular two-sided sponge. Bar Keeper's Friend is known for removing even the toughest grime and rust from a variety of surfaces.
Bre went in with the mixture, scrubbing in circles all over the fridge's stainless steel exterior.
But when she wiped it clean, she was horrified to see that there were opaque scratch marks everywhere.
"Barkeeper's Friend ruined my fridge," she said in the text overlay.
"Is this fixable?" she asked in the caption.
What went wrong
Bre already started out wrong here by mixing the cleaning agents. It is generally advised not to mix cleaning products since they can create dangerous, possibly toxic gases or a corrosive mixture.
The most common mix we're warned about is bleach and ammonia, which can produce chlorine gas and lead to shortness of breath and chest pain. Other mixes can damage your skin, eyes, and internal organs.
She also shouldn't have used the rough green side of the sponge since the texture can lead to the very scratches she ended up with, especially when combined with harsh chemicals.
On top of that, commenters pointed out that stainless steel should be cleaned in the direction with the grain, not in random circles.
How to correctly clean stainless steel
Stainless steel is not all made the same. They can have different finishes and protective coatings that may require special treatment, so it's best to consult the manufacturer's recommendations, Real Simple reported.
But in general, you want to use a cleaning agent designed for stainless steel use and a microfiber cloth to avoid leaving scratches behind.
Commenters react
"That SPONGE ruined it girll," a top comment read.
"Pro cleaner here- it wasn't the bkf. It was you using the scratch side and not going with the grain of the steel," a person advised.
"Why wouldnt a simple wipe down work? why the need for such abrasives in the 1st place?" another asked.
"Here, let me use this sandpaper, not go with the grain, and then blame the chemical," a commenter wrote.
The Daily Dot reached out to Bre for comment via Instagram and TikTok direct message.
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