H
ow t
o clean st
ainless st
eel
How to clean Stainless Steel.
Stainless steels are inherently corrosion resistant materials that do not need additional surface
protection to enhance their appearance and durability.
Some routine maintenance and cleaning is needed to keep stainless steel surfaces in good
conditions so that the aesthetics appearance and corrosion resistance are not compromised.
In this respects, stainless steel are no different from other construction materials such as glass,
plastic and coated steels, which are never maintenance free throughout the life of a building.
Cleaning suggestions.
•
Mortar and cement splashes can be treated with a solution containing a small amount of
phosphoric acid. Rinse with deionised water and dry.
•
Iron particles picked up from tools or from structural steels, scaffold-tubing, etc and
Steel dust created during operation such as welding, cutting, drilling must be removed
immediately as steel will rust quickly. Beside corroding themselves, these particles can
locally break the self healing “passive film” of stainless steel resulting in pitting in spite of
their normally good corrosion resistance.
•
Maintenance cleaning special attention should be given to sheltered areas during routine
cleaning to ensure that accumulations of airborne contaminants are removed. This is
particularly important in marine and industrial environments, where build-up of airborne
chlorides can result in localised corrosion, if not effectively removed.
•
Soap water and a mild detergent are usually safe and successful. For more stubborn stains,
cream cleansers should be effective.
•
Limestone: if cream cleanser is not enough, treat scale with a 25% solution of vinegar and
mild hot water and give it some time to dissolve. Then clean with ( if possible deionised )
mild water and bicarbonate rinse and wipe dry as usual with care.
•
To avoid chloride-containing cleansers, especially those containing hydrochloric acids.
Hypo-chlorite bleachers: if applied accidentally or split on stainless steel surfaces, should
be immediately rinsed off with liberal amounts of fresh water; silver cleansers. Not stainless
steel wire brushes.
•
Pitting: at an early stage, light deposits can be removed mechanically using nylon pads, such
as “scotch brite“ type used in the kitchen. If pitting attack has occurred, depending on its
severity, acid pickling treatments or mechanical rectification will be needed to restore the
surface. While restoring the corrosion resistance of the surface, picking may change the
surface appearance of the stainless steel. Further mechanical or chemical treatments may
be necessary to restore the original surface finishing.
Precautions: It is therefore advisable to avoid contamination, in the first place by either protecting
the stainless steel parts, whilst other work is being done or by installing them after other
operations that could cause contamination have been completed. Where water has been used for
cleaning or rinsing, wiping the surface dry, to prevent watermarks, especially in hard water areas
may be advisable. The use of deionised water will prevent the formation of hard water staining.
Do not use.
•
Do not use products containing hydrochloric, formic, acetic acids, since they can damage
the surface and the product itself (eg. Viakal)
•
Do not over-use products containing phosphoric acid
•
It is recommended not to mix different kind of detergents
•
Do not use abrasive cleaners or pads.
