Stainless Steel Care and Maintenance
www.m o p e c .c o m
(800) 362- 8491
info @ m o p e c .c o m
To maintain your stainless steel product, follow these four steps: 1) Never, ever use wire
brushes, Brillo, steel wool or abrasive cleansers (like Ajax or Comet). If something needs to
be aggressively cleaned only use a Scotch-brite pad or similar product and only scour with
the "grain" of the stainless. As an example, please reference the photo on page 2 of this
document. It is clear that a very abrasive product was used in an area on the unit and that did
not follow the grain of the stainless. The effects of this scratching may diminish over time with
proper care but the effects of this scouring are obvious. (The use of the Scotch-brite Pad
following the grain over time may help scratches such as this). Depending on the surface
finish of your stainless steel, abrasive cleaners can cause scratching. Duller finishes probably
won’t show scratching as much as mirror or highly polished finishes. When in doubt, test in a
hidden spot, and also work from the least risky type of cleaning, (i.e. water) to the heavy duty
stuff. Do not use cleaners containing chlorine. While it may be second nature to bleach
everything, stainless steel and chlorine do not mix well. Do not use bleach when cleaning
stainless steel. Do not allow bleach or bleach water to sit for long periods. Bleach can
eventually cause staining and pitting. Bleach stains are removed with stainless steel cleaning
polish.
2) Keep the surface clean of grime, tissue and particulates. This can be accomplished by
using the "Water Hand Spray Rinse" and use of cleaning products.
3) Rinse the surface after using disinfectant. In Pathology and other medical areas the act of
disinfecting is desired. There are a number of ways to do this including using Mopec’s Bench
Spray & Wipe Disinfectant. Labs use any number of different products including 10% bleach
or other disinfectant sprays and wipes. For the most part, each and every one of these has
high salt contents and lower PH levels to aid with disinfection. Most disinfectants must be
followed up with a water rinse to remove the salts that remain after these products dry. We
advise to always follow up a disinfection cleaning with a thorough rinse of water. We advise
not to use diluted bleach, if you must; we stress the importance of a thorough rinse of water
after use. If not rinsed properly, these salts can become visible after the disinfectant dries.
They can appear with a whitish characteristic or contain light lines of white with a grainy feel
when you wipe your hand across the work surface. If these residues are not removed with a
thorough water rinse and wipe down they will accumulate and eventually degrade the
appearance and integrity of your stainless surface. Rust is a long term possibility if salts are
allowed to remain on the work surfaces over time. Gritty, dirty water or residue from cleaning
solutions left on a stainless steel surface can stain or damage the finish.
