Stainless steel is an asset in your home, and offers incredible practicality and style to heavy use areas like the kitchen and laundry.
Stainless steel is known for its durability and strength; however, this doesn’t mean it isn’t susceptible to scratches and stains. Abrasive cleaners, food and drinks can tarnish surfaces. For your stainless steel appliances to maintain their sleek and sophisticated appearance, some simple, yet specific maintenance is required. Some products and cleaning methods will cause further damage, so it’s important to take the right approach when brining your stainless steel back to its shiny self.
While this advice is mostly directed at small scale cleaning projects, these cleaning techniques are still applicable to industrial cleaning.
How to Remove Scratches
Over time with general wear and tear, scratches will begin to appear on the stainless steel appliances in your home. Firstly, it’s important to note the brush marks on your stainless steel. This brushed finish is referred to as the grain. When cleaning, always rub/polish in the direction of the grain.
How exactly do you remove these scratches from stainless steel? There are a few options.
Method 1
You will need:
– A microfiber cloth or toothbrush
– A non-abrasive cleaner like toothpaster or a rubbing compound
– Water
Directions:
– Apply a small amount of your cleaning agent to the microfiber cloth or toothbrush
– Very gently, and with the grain, buff the scratches out of the stainless steel surface
– Dampen a microfiber cloth with water and remove any product residue
– Dry the surface area
You can repeat this process as many times as necessary until the scratches have been completely removed.
Method 2 – For deep scratches!
If the scratch is proving to be a little stubborn, don’t lose hope! A scratch removal kit will usually do the trick, and they’re also great for removing chemical discolouration, rust and heat scorching.
You will need:
– A stainless steel scratch removal kit containing pads, a sanding block & lubricant
Directions:
– Zig-Zag the lubricant along the scratch and starting with the finest sandpaper surface, start to buff the scratch
– If after a few minutes of sanding the scratch is still visible, move onto the next coarsest grit of sandpaper
– Once the scratch disappears, sand the surrounding area to blend
How to Protect Stainless Steel
Thankfully stainless steel can be revived, however preventing damage is the best way to keep your appliances looking newer for longer. Protect and prevent stainless steel from scratches with a few simple tricks!
– Always rinse and wipe down stainless steel surfaces to ensure all harmful residue is removed
– Remove food scraps, dishes, wash cloths and wet sponges from sinks and surfaces
– Don’t put hot pots and pans straight off the stove into the sink
– Install a bottom grid into your sink to protect it from scratches
With the right tools and techniques, stainless steel repair is simple!
Overall, the most important points to remember when it comes to stainless steel care are:
– Always clean/buff in the direction the brushed grain
– Ensure the surface you’re cleaning doesn’t have a protective or synthetic coating
– Always use a non-abrasive cleaner
– Always wipe down and dry your stainless steel surfaces
Easy maintenance is just one of the many reasons stainless steel is an ideal material to have in your home. Keep your surfaces and appliances looking incredible by taking the necessary measure of care.
If you have any questions about stainless steel care, or you’d like to build or renovate with stainless steel in the near future, contact the expert team at Midway Metals– we’re always happy to help!