Suggestions for the Care and Cleaning
of your Elkay Stainless Steel Sink
ELKAY SATIN FINISH
Elkay's original highlighted satin finish is produced by
an abrasive grinding operation which lends a uniform
pattern of satin finish lines to the metal surface. All
exposed areas then undergo a series of progressive
machine and hand polishing operations. It is this careful
polishing that makes an Elkay satin luster finish so
beautiful…and so easy to clean and maintain.
RECOMMENDED CLEANSERS
Elkay has tested general household cleansers to mea-
sure their effectiveness in cleaning stainless steel sinks.
The most aggressive cleansers consist of Bar Keeper’s
Friend, Zud and Lawrence Right Work. Other cleansers,
which are still effective, but less aggressive include Ajax,
Comet, Shiny Sinks Plus, Luneta, Soft Scrub, Mr. Clean,
Maas and Flitz. So to help maintain the beautiful finish
of your stainless steel sink, use one of the cleansers that
Elkay recommends.
RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR PROPER MAINTENANCE
• Do…Rinse thoroughly after each use. “Thorough”
rinsing can be done by running water for a few min-
utes and rubbing the cleaned area with a clean
sponge.
• Do…Towel dry after each use to prevent mineral
deposits from building up on the surface of the sink.
• Do…Clean the sink once a week, being sure to rub in
the direction of the satin finish grain lines, using an
Elkay recommended cleanser.
• Do…Use an Elkay bottom grid or rinsing basket to
“protect” the finish. Bottom grids and rinsing baskets
can remain in the sink and will not cause rusting or
pitting.
• Do Not…Rub the sink across the satin finish lines.
Scouring across the satin finish lines can damage the
original sink finish.
• Do Not…Allow soap or other household cleansers to
dry on the surface of the sink. Most brands contain
chemical additives which will affect the original finish.
• Do Not…Use solutions of chlorine bleach and water
in the sink. Chlorides, which are found in most soaps,
detergents, bleaches, and cleansers, are very aggres-
sive to stainless steel. If left on the sink too long they
can cause surface pitting.
• Do Not…Use a steel wool pad to clean your sink. If a
more abrasive product is needed, use a green Scotch
Brite pad being sure to rub in the direction of the satin
finish grain lines. Steel wool pads have a tendency to
break apart and small particles of steel can become
embedded in the surface of the sink. The steel par-
ticles will rust and will give the appearance that the
sink itself is rusting.
• Do Not…Use rubber mats or dishpans in the sink.
Leaving rubber mats or dishpans in the sink can lead
to surface rust or possible pitting. However, if you
insist on using mats or dishpans, please remove them
after each use and rinse thoroughly.
• Do Not…Leave wet sponges, cloths, or cleaning pads
on the sink. This can lead to surface rust.
Following these recommendations for the care and
cleaning of your stainless steel sink will insure that it will
provide you with many years of service.
CHLORIDES
Today, chlorides are found in most all soap, detergents,
bleaches and cleansers; chlorides can be aggressive to
stainless steel. However, chlorides are very water solu-
ble. Therefore, THOROUGH RINSING of your sink after
each use to remove any chloride residue and a weekly
cleaning is all that is required to keep your sink looking
bright and shiny.
SCRATCHES
Like many metallic surfaces, your stainless steel sink will
scratch. These are merely usage scratches and over
time will blend into the overall finish of your sink with
proper cleaning.
KNIVES
Your sink is designed to serve as many things but not as
a cutting board or chopping block. This type of use will
lead to deep scratches in the sink finish and will dull
your knives. Elkay does offer various cutting boards
which will provide an additional work area.
WATER QUALITY
The quality of your water can affect your sink’s appear-
ance. If your water has a high iron content, a brown sur-
face stain can form on the sink giving the appearance of
rust. Additionally, in areas with a high concentration of
minerals, or with over-softened water, a white film may
develop on the sink. To combat these problems, we
suggest that the sink be towel dried after use, and
again, on a weekly basis, the sink should be cleaned
using a recommended cleanser.
FOODS
Heavy salt concentration or foods containing high levels
of salt should not be allowed to dry on the sink surface.
Rinse your sink thoroughly after use.
