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Stainless Steel Cleaning |
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CARE AND CLEANING OF STAINLESS STEEL |
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Stainless steel should retain it’s sparkling lustrous finish even under adverse conditions however, to maintain it’s finish, regularly cleaning with a soft cloth, soap and water will usually be a satisfactory means.
The golden rule is always to rinse the stainless steel product well in plenty of clean water after cleaning, then dry thoroughly with a soft cloth. Drying afterwards makes sure streaky marks aren’t left behind. A damp cloth will only smear dirt without removing it.
The frequency of cleaning will vary according to the required appearance and the kitchen environment. This is best determined by varying the cleaning cycle until a suitable programme is established. Patterned or textured finishes are useful for heavy work area’s because they mask finger marks, scratches, dents, etc.
In some applications, regular inspections will establish the material condition and ensure that build up of deposit likely to cause crevices, is regularly removed. If rust staining is noted, or corrosion is suspected, closer inspection should be undertaken to determine the nature, cause and severity of the problem. If wear or corrosion is detected, the fabricator or distributor should be contacted to advise on corrective action. Vessels not in use should be completely emptied and, if necessary residual pools of liquid sponged up. This precaution prevents concentration of salts from the evaporation of liquid. Failure to perform this task may lead to corrosion attack. |
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NEVER EVER use steel wool (wire wool) to clean stainless steel. It is usually made of carbon steel and any fragments left behind will rust onto the stainless steel surface.
Using any kind of scourer which has previously been used on ordinary (carbon) steel is also a no-no for the same reason.
Stainless steel wool scouring pads are available for heavy duty work, like removing burnt food from stainless steel saucepans. These will scratch the stainless steel surface, but won’t leave fragments to go rusty. |
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DON’T GO AGAINST THE GRAIN |
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Always rub stainless steel in the same direction as the grain. Rubbing against the grain will spoil the finish and stainless steel will lose it’s shine and look unsightly. Worse, rubbing against the grain can damage the surface by creating microscopic crevices where dirt can collect. This can lead to corrosion spots. Fortunately, it’s usually easy to tell which is the right direction. You need to watch out for items like round hand rails, which are often polished around their circumference when their manufactured, rather than up and down the length of the tube. If you have to scrub a stain to remove it, make sure you use a clean nylon scourer or a cloth with chalk-based cream cleaner. But test an inconspicuous area first as you could end up with a bright polished pot which doesn’t match the rest of the surface. |
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IT’L COME OUT IN THE WASH |
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Stainless steel looks best if it’s cleaned regularly with plenty of water. Drying afterwards makes sure streaky marks aren’t left behind. Remember that simply wiping with a damp cloth is not as effective as it can smear dirt without removing it.
Routine cleaning prevents any stubborn stains building up. |
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SO WHAT WILL YOU NEED |
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You don’t need any fancy equipment. For day to day cleaning, plenty of water, some mild detergent and a cloth or soft brush will do the job. You can use a 1% ammonia solution but don’t use bleach – it’s just too easy to make the solution too strong and too hard to rinse it properly afterwards. A few drops of lemon juice in water will aid cleaning and smell good too. After washing, rinse in clean water and wipe the surface dry with a soft absorbent cloth. On brushed stainless steel, follow the direction of the polish for best results. An excellent cloth to use is 3M’s “High Performance Cleaning Cloth”.
Stainless steel or metal polish (recommended for stainless steel) can be used sparingly to tackle persistent stains. |
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WATCH OUT FOR SCRATCHES |
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The important thing to remember is that stainless steel can be scratched by careless handling or aggressive scrubbing. Just like you would take care of a polished timber surface, avoid dragging rough items across the surface and be aware that grit trapped under other objects can be the culprit. |
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AVOID BAD CHEMISTRY |
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Stainless steel may discolour if left in contact with salts or acids for extended periods. Also avoid leaving carbon steel items in contact with stainless steel, particularly if wet. But if you observe ordinary hygiene measures, like timely cleaning- up in food preparation area’s, you won’t have any problems. |
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DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT |
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Rubbing with steel wool (wire wool) or scraping with steel wools. |
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Using scourers and cleaning cloths that have been used on ordinary steel. |
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Rubbing plastic scourers across the grain of brushed surfaces. |
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Using concentrated bleach or hydrochloric acid-based cleaning products. |
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Using cleaners containing harsh abrasives or high bleach contents. |
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HOW TO HANDLE THE TOUGH CUSTOMERS |
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Sometimes you need a tougher approach. Here’s how to get rid of the most common offenders.
Fingerprints, oil & grease marks
If a mild detergent or dishwashing detergent doesn’t shift unsightly fingerprints, get rid of them with a bit of glass cleaner on a soft cloth. You can also use a small amount of alcohol, methylated spirits, acetone or mineral turpentine. Lemon juice in water can also useful.
Then rinse with clean water and dry. You can give longer protection to high traffic area’s by lightly rubbing with olive oil or baby oil followed by a polish and shine using a soft cloth.
Tea & coffee stains
Discolouration from tea and coffee stains can be removed soaking in a solution of boiling water and baking powder. Remember to rinse well and wipe dry.
Sticky labels
Remove sticky labels as soon as possible. Gentle heat from a hair dryer or glue gun generally softens the glue for easy removal, or you can warm stainless steel pots and pans in the oven before peeling off the labels. Eucalyptus oil based cleaners (or eucalyptus oil on it’s own) often work well to remove adhesives. Ensure you don’t leave any glue on the surface as it could trap dirt or break down and cause staining.
Rust marks
Apply cream cleanser with a soft damp cloth and rub gently. If the mark still won’t shift, it might be necessary to use a proprietary stainless steel cleaner. These are usually based on dangerous chemicals (such as phosphoric, oxalic or sulphamic acids) and must be handled with care according to the manufacturer’s directions. After cleaning it is important to neutralise the acid with a 1% ammonia or baking powder solution, rinse with clean water and wipe dry. If the rust has worn away the surface, don’t despair! Bad rusting can be repaired with professional polishing but, you will need to get expert advice.
Paint
Apply paint stripper, taking care to follow the safety instructions. You may need to use a nylon brush or scouring pad, but avoid metal scrapers at all costs as they will damage the surface.
Hard water scale
Heavy lime scale from hard water can be loosened by soaking in a hot water and 25% vinegar solution. Rinse well with a solution of baking powder or 1% ammonia and then clean water. Always wipe dry.
Cement and mortar
Cement and mortar splashes should be washed off before they set. Mild acids such as vinegar may be needed but not those using chloride rich chemicals. Never use brick cleaning liquids which contain hydrochloric acid. Be vary careful that loosened particles don’t scratch the stainless steel surface.
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Useful Advisory Chart |
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Situation/Problem |
Solution |
Notes and Comments |
Routine cleaning. All grades and finishes |
Inox creme applied with soft cloth or sponge.
Rinse and wipe dry. |
If possible, use a warm to hand-hot solution.
A 5% addition of ammonia is beneficial |
Fingerprints.
All finishes |
Pre treat marks with alcohol or organic solvent. Follow immediately with Routine Cleaning. |
Minimise re-occurrence by applying a wax or silicone based household polish to the clean, dry surface. |
Stubborn stains and discolouration |
Use a small amount of a creamy paste of mild household abrasive cleaner on cloth wetted with detergent solution as for Routine Cleaning. Rinse and dry. |
Repeat several times rather than resorting to a single aggressive cleaning method. If some stubborn stains persist use a fine synthetic scourer pad instead of a cloth. Rub gently. |
Lime scale deposits from hard water |
Prolonged soaking in a 25% vinegar solution or a 5% nitric acid solution. Periodically rub with a nylon bristled brush or fine synthetic scourer pad. Follow by Routine Cleaning. |
Can usually be prevented by regular Routine Cleaning. Do not allow excessive build up before treating |
Grease, fats and oils. All finishes |
Wipe off excess with soft cloth or paper towel. Use a water borne or water soluable degreasing agent.
Follow by Routine Cleaning. |
Use simple regular Routine Cleaning rather than occasional aggressive single cleaning. |
Non-washable deposits |
Do not use steel wool. Stainless steel wool may be used. Rub in straight lines along the polish pattern. Avoid scratching. |
Use domestic cleaning powders such as Bon Ami, Jiff etc. Recommended stainless steel cleaners are supplied by some saucepan manufactures. |
Rust marks due to presence of or contact with ferrous materials. |
If heavy, swab with a sponge wetted with a diluted (10-15%) solution of nitric acid (HNO3). Follow by Routine Cleaning. |
Avoid any contact of ferrous (iron) containing materials with stainless steel. Dilute nitric acid (HNO3), in strengths of up to 20%, is a “friendly” acid to stainless steel. It is the ONLY acid which may be used with no risk to stainless steel. |
Dark oxide scale from welding or heat tints. |
Pickling and passivating plus thorough water rinsing as outlined previously.
Follow by Routine Cleaning. |
Slight heat tints may be removed by repeated applications as for Stubborn Stains and Discolouration. |
Scratches on polished (lined) finishes. |
Slight scratches. Use a nylon pad loaded with an iron free abrasive polishing compound. Follow the direction of the original polish lines. Follow by Routine Cleaning.
Deep scratches. Coarse abrasives should be used initially. Follow as for Slight Scratches above. |
Deep scratches will be difficult to remove completely. Do not use metal scourers or wire wool unless they are made from stainless steel. |
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It must be appreciated that some of the above suggested procedures will alter the surface appearance of the treated area compared to that of the original surface finish. They should therefore be applied only with due consideration and care.
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CLEANING PROCEDURE |
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Clean the stainless steel as often as experience dictates (ie. When noticeably dull or dirty) and use the simplest cleaning procedure that will effectively “do the job”. |
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Stainless steel’s best friends are clean water or mild detergent solutions, applied with a soft cloth or sponge, rinsed well and wiped dry. |
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Routine simple, gentle and inexpensive cleaning retain both the corrosion resistance and appearance of stainless steel through the years of exposure and use. Occasionally a small amount of Inox Creme may be used on a soft cloth wetted with the detergent solution to remove stubborn dirt or slight incipient stains. Rub gently |
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CLEANING DO’s |
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Employ regular routine cleaning rather than an occasional aggressive single cleaning. Only use propriety brands of cleaners that state “SUITABLE FOR STAINLESS STEEL”, such as Inox Creme. |
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Always rinse and dry as the final step in a cleaning procedure. |
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CLEANING DON’Ts |
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Do not use coarse abrasive powders. |
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Do not use metallic scourers or brushes with metal bristles. |
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Do not use steel wool (wire wool). |
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Do not use the so termed “silver cleaners”. |
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Do not use acids (except nitric acid in specific instances). |
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PRECAUTIONS |
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Proprietary brand formulated cleaners and agents mentioned within these cleaning procedures are often available from various suppliers. Care should be taken with all cleaning agents to avoid damage to any associated non-stainless steel components.
Ensure all necessary Occupational Health and Safety measures are complied with and read relevant Material Safety Data Sheets prior to commencing work.
Fire safety environmental protection and protective clothing regulations should be closely adhered to. |
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All details are correct at time of printing. Trent Refrigeration Pty Ltd reserves the right to change details. |
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