Stainless steel corner guards have excellent corrosion resistance, luster, strength and durability. However, stainless steel is not completely stain or rust proof. Regular maintenance is required to keep stainless steel clean and free of contaminants. In most applications, stainless will not rust or stain even after many years of service. Nevertheless, as with any surface scratches and blemishes are inevitable. To clean stainless corner guards, here are a few guidelines to follow ...
Stainless Steel Cleaning | Do's & Don'ts
- Do clean stainless steel corner guards frequently with soap and warm water. Any cleaner safe for glass is usually safe for stainless; apply with a cotton cloth. In the absence of glass cleaner use ammonia thoroughly rinsing and drying with soft cloth.
- Do remove discoloration or rust spots as soon as possible. Apply a mild abrasive cleaner such as Bon Ami, Ajax or their equivalent with a wet cotton cloth in the direction of the grain of the finish. Rinse thoroughly and wipe dry. Stains which resist the above treatment may require scouring in the direction of the grain with stainless steel wool and a mild abrasive cleaner in creamy paste form. If scraping is required, use stainless steel pads, sponges, wood or plastic tools. If scouring or scraping is required it is suggested that you have a professional stainless steel manufacturer perform any repairs. If that is not practical then practice the specific technique on a small out-of-sight area first.
Don'ts
- Don't use coarse abrasives like sandpaper or steel wool on stainless steel. These may actually cause rusting.
- Don't clean with mineral acids or salt solutions.
- Don't leave stainless in contact with iron, steel or other metals which cause contamination leading to rust or corrosion.
- Don't store any chlorine product near the stainless steel item.
- Don’t use chloride based cleansing liquids, such as bleach. Using these types of cleansers can permanently stain and corrode the stainless surface.
- Don’t use hard abrasive scouring powders (e.g. VIM) will leave scratch marks.
- Don’t use wire wool pads made of "ordinary" steel (e.g. Brillo pads) are totally unsuitable for stainless steel as they will impair the self-healing capability of the stainless steel surfaces. Only use special stainless steel wire wool pads for any scouring.
- It is very important to remember that there are many different cleaning procedures suggested by a multitude of different organizations and individuals including: stainless manufacturers, designers, homeowners, etc. For stubborn stains and other blemishes doing a simple search on the internet will yield a number of proven cleaning techniques.
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