If you’ve ever had a close look at your stainless steel kitchen utensils you may have noticed the occurrence of water marks and a slight fade in shine over time. It might come as no surprise then that, yes, stainless steel does need polishing! This article will look at some of the main ways to polish and clean up your stainless steel items. Please note: this is not a how to or instructional piece, solely for basic informational purposes only.

Basic home polishing of stainless 

Dull and stained objects around the house are a breeze to touch up and can usually be polished while going through the usual chores. Whether it’s a stainless steel sink or a water stained knife a little bit of elbow grease and a cloth should be enough to get these items looking like new again. For flat and dull stainless steel items either vinegar, baking soda (and water) or a glass cleaner such as Windex can be used to remove water stains and brighten up the steel. Items can be cleaned by applying and smearing the solution on the stainless steel, then rinsing under water and drying with a polishing cloth.

Mechanical polishing of stainless

For automotive parts or other mainly decorative stainless steel items then your best bet is through mechanical polishing. This is the usual process of grinding, polishing and buffing. This method is quite labour intensive and can be considered to be an art by those in the know. It begins with the grinding (or sanding) out of any scratches. Each mark from the previous abrasion must be taken out before going to the next grit level. The stainless steel is then polished with a wheel or belt. This step improves the surface finish from the grinding. The steel is then buffed. One disadvantage of this method the miniscule amount of damage done through the abrasion of the metal (which is often unseen to the naked eye).

Electropolishing stainless

For a polished stainless steel that must keep its purity (such as pharmaceutical appliances and semiconductors etc.) then electropolishing is the preferred method to get that bright shine back. Electropolishing, as well as creating a smoother surface also strengthens the naturally occurring Chromium Oxide Passive Film which is extremely important in a marine environment. See the Tea-staining on some mechanically polished Stainless Steel which could have been avoided by Electro-polishing. It is this film that prevents the Iron content in the Stainless Alloy from combining with Oxygen and rusting.  For both these reasons Electropolishing is the ideal finish for Stainless Steel in a marine environment. This form of polishing basically immerses the object into a phosphoric and sulphuric acid solution and then subjects it to an electrical current. This method should be completed by a professional.

For more information and for the best results when polishing stainless steel consult your nearest stainless steel specialist, like Brisbane based company Anzor, for all your stainless steel and stainless steel polishing needs.

Click the links below to view more information about Stainless Steel:

How to clean and maintain your Stainless	How Stainless Works	Which Stainless is right for me?