Almost everyone in the house has items from of stainless steel, which over the years lose their attractiveness and fade under the influence of sunlight, dirt and other factors. This material actively used for both external and interior decoration. In this article we will try to talk in detail about how to polish stainless steel.
2 How to polish stainless steel?
There are two options that will make it possible to polish stainless steel products.
2.1 Option No. 1. Specialized assistance
Now there are a lot of companies that provide assistance when problems arise with stainless steel corrosion. If you do not have enough time to get rid of stains on the product yourself, you can contact a specialist.
2.2 Option No. 2. Polishing at home
At home, you can also carry out all the necessary manipulations for a positive effect and restore the appearance of the product. There are also several ways to do this. Next, we will look at how you can polish stainless steel at home.
3 Polishing process
To polish stainless steel at home, you will have to spend enough a large number of time and effort. If successful, they will be fully justified, and you will be able to restore the former shine to the products.
3.1 Primary processing
Before starting work, be sure to thoroughly clean the product, as it may contain grease and other substances that clog the cracks in the metal. To do this, you can use a simple dishwashing gel:
- The detergent must first be diluted with water to obtain a soap solution.
- Wipe the surface of the metal product without leaving it until completely dry.
- Apply the solution to continue wiping.
- Rinse the soapy area with running water.
- The product must be dried naturally so that streaks do not appear on it.
Some foods, liquids with chemicals, and even household tools will help you polish products at home. With their help, you can polish stainless steel to a mirror.
3.2 Olive oil
This method is suitable for use on products that have lost their brightness. You will need olive oil and a soft cloth.
- The oil should be applied to a clean cloth.
- After this, spread the oil over the surface in a circular motion, distributing it evenly.
- The oiled cloth must be pressed tightly and the previous procedure must be repeated several times.
You need to polish using this method until you feel a change in the structure of the product.
Be careful as oil may dull the surface. Its excess must be removed immediately upon completion of the above operation. Using a dry cloth in a circular motion, you can easily remove any remaining oil.
3.3 Flour
You can polish stainless steel using flour only on the condition that the work will be done on flat surfaces. In particular, you can try it on pots and sinks.
Mode of application:
- The product must be sprinkled with flour, covering the entire surface.
- Spread the flour evenly over the metal.
- Polish the stainless steel in a circular motion using a dry cloth.
- Once the process is complete, remove all flour from the surface using a toothbrush.
4 Small mechanization
You can polish stainless steel to a mirror not only in special companies or at a factory, but also at home. A little mechanization will be enough for this.
This method is suitable for making products attractive and presentable. appearance after removing blemishes.
To polish stainless steel you will need to use the following:
- “grinder”, or corner Grinder;
- felt or felt circles;
- stone or sandpaper;
- polishing agent;
- grinding wheels with different grain sizes.
4.1 Polishing steps
Polishing of products takes place in several stages. Initially, you need to remove all excess metal from the seams. Great for this corner will do Grinder. For it you will have to purchase a fiber-based circle. Its grain size should not exceed P60.
If the surface required product smooth, this intermediate step can be ignored.
Next, you need to grind the metal with another wheel, the grit of which is P120. This will allow you to get rid of streaks that appear after working with other grains.
The size of the abrasive must be reduced each time, which will make it possible to make the surface smoother.
If you don't have the circle you need, you can easily make one yourself. To do this, you will need a felt or felt circle, onto which you need to apply wood glue. You can also simply rub sandpaper and stone together.
After the work is completed, all traces of sanding must be removed.
Take the polish and apply it to the surface.
Next, you need to grind the material or product using paste. Risks must be removed consistently. If over time the surface does not become smoother, the speed of the grinder can be gradually increased. Do not overuse the speed, as this can lead to overheating of the metal and the appearance of stains on it.
4.2 Mechanical polishing by hand
Due to the presence of various irregularities on most products, it is often necessary to polish them manually. You will have to be patient, as polishing stainless steel to a mirror using the method described below can take a lot of time. During the work you will need:
- abrasive paste;
- soft felt.
Polishing stages
- You need to apply paste to the felt.
- Polish the product to a shine, carefully treating the most problematic areas.
In order to protect yourself from the negative effects of the substances that make up the paste, use a face mask and gloves.
5 Chemical method of polishing stainless steel
This method is perfect for working with small parts that are difficult to polish by hand. The method requires no effort and physical labor. There are several methods for preparing chemical liquid for polishing products at home.
5.1 Option No. 1
The solution must be prepared with the most accurate dosage:
- Sulfuric acid – 230 milliliters.
- Hydrochloric acid– 70 milliliters.
- Nitric acid – 40 milliliters.
To 1 liter of solution you need to add 6 grams of black acid-based dye, 6 grams of sodium chloride, 10 grams of wood glue.
It is important to keep the liquid temperature between 65 and 70 degrees.
Stainless steel should remain in the composition for up to 30 minutes, depending on the degree of contamination.
5.2 Option No. 2
This solution also needs to be prepared in compliance with the proportions in the total volume:
- Methyl orange – 1.5 percent.
- Nitric acid – 4-5 percent.
- Hydrochloric acid – 3-4 percent.
- Phosphoric acid – 20-30 percent.
The part should be kept in the solution for up to 10 minutes, depending on the degree of contamination, at a temperature of 18 to 25 degrees.
5.3 Option No. 3
The solution is made according to the recipe for one liter of volume of the finished liquid:
- Hydrochloric acid – 660 grams.
- Sulfuric acid – 230 grams.
- Acid orange dye - 25 grams.
The solution must be brought to a temperature of 70-75 degrees and keep stainless steel products in it for about 3 minutes.
All of the above components react aggressively when they come into contact with the human body. Provide full protection for your respiratory system, face, hands and eyes.
Polishing stages
- The part, which has previously been cleaned of contamination, must be immersed in a solution consisting of reagents and clean distilled water.
- The solution must be constantly stirred to ensure a complete chemical reaction.
- After the time specified in each option has expired, the product must be removed and all reagents washed off from it. After this, it is recommended to wipe the item with polish applied to a napkin.
- Under the influence of reagents that remain in the pores on the surface, the roughness on the stainless steel will completely disappear.
Before starting work, you need to find out the grade of the metal, since its composition may depend on it. According to it, it is worth selecting reagents and determining their concentration in the solution.
6 Care of stainless steel
After polishing, steel looks beautiful and impressive. In order for her to save visual qualities, it must be constantly monitored, as abrasions and stains may appear on it again in the future.
To prevent the appearance of defects on products, polishes are most often used. These types of substances are best used immediately after polishing stainless steel. In addition, it is recommended to use them at certain intervals. This will make it possible to maintain a glossy surface for a long time.
The product must be applied to a napkin and distributed over the surface. It is important to do all movements in a circle to avoid streaks.
Excess product must be removed, as it may leave stains.
If you decide to use special tool, you should not set the rotation speed on it to more than 1500 rpm, as this may damage the product.
6.1 Frequency of care for stainless steel products
- If you are planning to purchase for your car chrome parts, they should be polished no more than 2 times a year. If you do this constantly, the coating will simply wear out, and traces of corrosion will begin to appear on objects faster.
- It is often not recommended to use mechanical impact devices on stainless steel, as microcracks may appear on the parts. This is where liquid most often gets in.
- Use chemical substances It is recommended to clean and polish stainless steel at home no more than once a year. Vapors from reagents negatively affect human health, even if he adheres to safety standards.
- GOI paste (“Paris greens”) has relatively low efficiency, which is why it is recommended to use it only in the absence of other substances or solutions. She is providing negative impact on the body, which is why it is important to use a protective face mask and gloves.
7 Expert opinion
“It’s best to immediately take a smaller skin and work with it for a long time. This will get rid of large scratches on the surface and preserve the structure of the metal. Can be wound on a drill wool thread, which will become an analogue of the “grinder”. You can also spread it with a paste, which will enhance the effect and speed up the process.”, writes Internet user Vladimir.
It can be different. After all, it contains several different metals. The basis of stainless steel is iron, titanium, nickel, molybdenum, manganese, and this is not the entire list. Chromium, which is also present in its composition, helps this steel resist corrosion.
What prevents steel from rusting
When chromium reacts with oxygen, it forms protective film on the surface of stainless steel, it is this that protects the alloy from exposure to aggressive environments.
The amount of chromium will determine the degree of corrosion resistance of steel.
For example, in the manufacture of refrigerators, an alloy with an average chromium content (10-17%) is used. But if the device is constantly in contact with water or is subjected to temperature loads, then an alloy with a high chromium content, up to 26%, is used. Such appliances include washing machines, dishwashers, sinks, hoods, hobs and teapots.
Where can I polish?
In order for the surface of the alloy to be beautiful and smooth, you need to polish the stainless steel. Nowadays, there are many companies whose specialization is this particular procedure; they put things in order various products from this alloy. But it turns out that you can polish stainless steel at home.
Of course, if you need more quality work, then it is better to seek help from specialists. For example, polished square pipe stainless steel will look much more impressive after factory processing than after home processing.
Any company that specializes in polishing will easily perform this procedure.
How to process steel
How to polish stainless steel to a mirror shine? Here is a list of everything you will need:
- polishing paste;
- circles made of felt or felt;
- wood glue;
- grinding wheels with different grain sizes;
- sandpaper or stone;
- Bulgarian.
Main stages of the process
The process takes place in several stages. First you need to do some rough cleaning. Next comes a wheel with a fiber base and an angle grinder. But this procedure can be skipped provided that the surface of the product is already quite smooth.
Next they come into play grinding wheels. The surface must be processed several times, and each time the size of the abrasive should decrease.
If such circles are not available, then you can easily make them yourself. To do this, you can use a felt circle or felt. You need to apply wood glue to it with a spatula, and then rub it over the abrasive chips.
This operation will make the steel surface perfectly smooth. Under no circumstances should any roughness remain. After all, after polishing it will be much more difficult to seal them.
On next stage polishing paste and a felt wheel are used. Here it is better to consult a specialist, since a specific brand of alloy requires a specific paste. Of course, it is best to use diamond, the grit of which is suitable for the metal intended for processing. Final polishing is carried out until there are no visible flaws left. A polished stainless steel pipe should look just perfect.
Stainless steel in everyday life
No kitchen is complete without stainless steel appliances and interior parts. This is not surprising, since this particular alloy is quite strong and durable, especially since it does not require special care. Stainless steel is often used to make dishes, cutlery and stoves, as this metal has a fairly high thermal conductivity.
But there are also some disadvantages to stainless steel: with regular use, it noticeably tarnishes. The kitchen is losing its shine. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to periodically polish the stainless steel. There are many in various ways solutions to this problem. An important point in this procedure is correct selection polishing agent for stainless steel.
When cleaning steel products, you should never use bleaching agents or use metal sponges or brushes with stiff bristles.
There are several alternative ways polishing
Olive oil
This method is just for those who are thinking about how to polish stainless steel at home. Tarnished dishes will begin to shine again, like new. All you need is oil and rags, preferably made of soft fabric.
- First of all, you need to moisten a rag with oil.
- Using this cloth, it is necessary to apply oil to the product so that it is completely covered with an oil film.
- Next, you can begin polishing by pressing the oiled rag firmly against the metal.
- To prevent the steel from becoming dull again, excess oil is removed using dry towels or napkins. They need to rub the surface until the product is completely dry.
Polishing with flour
For polishing metal products You can also use flour. It is good for cleaning flat surfaces, such as a sink or pan.
- The product is sprinkled with flour so that there are no gaps left at all.
- The flour should be distributed evenly.
- Using a dry cloth, polish the surface in a circular motion.
- Next, the flour is very easy to remove from the surface.
Mechanical method
Some devices and fixtures have hard-to-reach areas. This is where the question arises, how to polish stainless steel to a shine. There is a way, but you will have to spend a lot of time and make every effort.
You need to purchase a piece of felt and abrasive paste. Apply the paste to the fabric and polish the surface until the metal becomes bright and shiny.
Polishing with chemicals
This method is most often used when you need to clean small items. The main thing is that polishing takes little time and is very simple to do. Below are several recipes for solutions.
Recipe 1
It is important to maintain proportions here. Contains: 230 ml of sulfuric acid, 70 ml of hydrochloric acid, and 40 ml of nitric acid. The rest is water.
For one liter of solution you need another 5 g of sodium chloride, 5 g of acid black dye and 10 grams of wood glue.
The resulting liquid must be heated to 70 degrees Celsius and the part must be lowered there. The product can be left in the solution for a maximum of half an hour.
Recipe 2
You will need orthophosphoric acid, it should make up 20-30 percent of the total volume. Hydrochloric acid (3-4%), nitric acid (4-5%), methyl orange (1%). The rest is water. The solution should be room temperature, keep the product in it for no longer than 10 minutes.
Recipe 3
Polishing rules are given below:
- The metal must be thoroughly cleaned before polishing. Next, place the product in the solution. It should be remembered that only distilled water can be used here.
- During the procedure, the solution must be stirred constantly, only in this case chemical reaction will pass 100%.
- When right time passes, the part is removed and washed well with running water. After this, the product must be well rubbed with a napkin soaked in polish.
After this treatment, all roughness is eliminated.
It is not enough to polish stainless steel correctly; it also needs to be cleaned regularly.
Cleaning the sink
Often stains remain on sinks - this is limescale. It is very easy to remove with a vinegar solution. You need to dilute the acid one to five and wipe the surface with it, and then rinse with running water. To give the metal a bright shine, the surface must be rubbed in a circular motion.
Cleaning the stove
Stains from sauces, fat and burnt food remain here. They will have to be removed special means for polishing steel. Be sure to remove the heating elements before cleaning. It is best to use the polish while wearing gloves. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting burns on the skin of your hands. After the procedure, it is advisable to rub the surface well with a dry cloth.
Cleaning the hood
This is not an easy task. But quite doable. To prevent dirt and soap from staining the stove, it is better to cover it with newspapers or old towels.
To clean the hood, you can use a specialized product or prepare a solution yourself. You will need bicarbonate of soda, lemon juice and water. The product must be rubbed in carefully so as not to damage the surface. It is enough for the solution to remain on the hood for several minutes, after which it must be washed off with clean running water. Next, you need to polish the surface well with a dry cloth. After this procedure, the hood will shine like new.
Many housewives complain that a stainless steel sink is very difficult to care for. Cleaning causes scratches to appear on the surface of the product, and traces of water drops are clearly visible on the shiny metal. However, with the Omoikiri stainless steel sink, you won't have such problems thanks to the special matte finish that is applied to each product.
Durability and easy care
Buyers choose Omoikiri stainless steel sinks for several reasons. Firstly, despite the affordable price, the products are of excellent quality. They are made from a single sheet of durable Japanese chromium-nickel steel 0.8 mm thick (solid drawn). Finished sinks have no seams, so there is no risk of leaks. Additionally the body is processed special composition, which reduces noise from flowing water.
The big advantage of Omoikiri stainless steel sinks is the presence of a special matte coating, which has high resistance to mechanical stress and scratches. Sinks with a matte surface have another advantage - fingerprints are invisible on it. Therefore, if you purchased a model with a wing, you will not have to constantly wipe it dry.
Tap water contains a large amount of mineral salts. If, after washing dishes, drops remain on the surface of an ordinary stainless steel sink, the product becomes covered with a white coating and loses its shine. However, thanks to the matte polishing, no water marks remain on Omoikiri sinks.
Even if you don't use abrasive cleaners to clean your sink, scratches will still appear on its surface over time. As a result, the metal becomes dull and the sink looks completely unattractive. One of the functions of the matte polish used by Omoikiri is to provide scratch protection. Thanks to the coating, stainless steel sinks last much longer.
Omoikiri company offers customers steel sinks of the most different forms and sizes. Our catalog includes round, oval, square, rectangular models, with and without a wing. Sinks can have one or two bowls and can be installed flush with or under the countertop. Some models are made of blued steel, which also has a matte finish.
From us you can purchase Japanese brand products at very favorable price by ordering delivery to your locality. If you live in Moscow, we recommend using the services of a courier service to receive your order as quickly as possible.
Any thing, if it is not a museum exhibit, bears traces of use. A new steel sink looks very impressive, but no matter how carefully you treat it, micro-scratches will inevitably occur over time. They are almost invisible, but can really irritate perfectionists.
The beauty of a steel sink is that the shine of polished metal can be preserved for long years. The easiest to care for models with smooth mirror polished, sinks with a matte finish will require more care, attention and patience.
Let's try to figure out why metal loses its appearance and how to avoid it. minor damage and mitigate the consequences.
Typical problems in caring for a steel sink
- The sink may lose its shine due to the deposition of hardness salts after water evaporation, the use of soap-containing detergents, grease and other difficult-to-remove contaminants (tea, coffee, vegetable and fruit juice, etc.). Salts are most often deposited more heavily around the faucet body, in the interfaces between the textured elements of the sink - in places where the outflow of water is difficult.
- Dark spots may appear after using aggressive cleaning products to remove limescale. They contain strong acids that etch steel.
- Traces of rust on high-quality sinks can only appear in places of contact with highly oxidizing metal products or in the form of drips if tap water contains a high concentration of iron. The steel sink itself cannot rust.
- Microscratches are not associated with errors in care and occur inevitably. Products made from real high-quality stainless steel resist microdamage better than cheap ones. To reduce the visibility of scratches, manufacturers offer sinks with unidirectional grinding.
An easy way to clean your sink
Important: Sinks with a smooth polish can be treated in a circular motion, but sinks with a matte finish should only be cleaned along the factory sanding lines.
Take liquid dishwashing detergent. Wet the sponge, sprinkle a little citric acid on it and rub the edges of the sponge together so that the granules begin to dissolve. Clean the sink in the usual way. If we are talking about clouding of the surface due to limescale, the problem is solved literally in a matter of seconds. If there are serious deposits, leave the product on for a few minutes, check the result, and repeat the treatment if necessary. Rinse the sink well with water and wipe dry soft cloth.
Ways to combat micro-scratches on steel sinks
Please note that micro-scratches and dark spots due to exposure to aggressive agents are not covered under warranty. What to do if traces of use become too noticeable?
Manufacturers household chemicals offer a variety of products for the care of steel surfaces. However, they serve only to mask existing shortcomings and protect against the emergence of new ones. It is the misunderstanding of this point that leads to disappointment.
Most affordable option to remove scratches and dark spots - soft sanding. At home you can use regular toothpaste, which acts as a gentle abrasive. If the problem is more serious, GOI paste No. 2 (for grinding) or No. 1 (for polishing) is suitable.
The paste is applied to felt or felt. Smooth surface should be processed in circular motions that overlap each other. Matte - with reciprocating movements along the factory grinding, moving from vertical to horizontal and to the opposite vertical surface. From time to time, the composition is washed with a dry soft cloth such as microfiber to check the result. If the problem is solved or has become less noticeable, the sink is thoroughly washed with detergent and wiped dry.
It is possible to restore the original appearance of a stainless steel sink. If this were not so, then other steel objects would not be subject to grinding and polishing. The only question is desire and patience.
Cleaning stainless steel
Some people think that being a housewife is easy, they think that a woman sits on the couch all day long, watching TV and enjoying life, but in fact, they are mistaken.
Even if you don’t have small children who constantly need to be looked after and cleaned, there are still a lot of things that need to be done: washing dishes, washing clothes, cleaning the house, preparing dinner. This is a very long list that can be continued for a long time. Some of these things are easy, others not so much, but there are things that are very difficult for a fragile woman to do alone. For example, . Yes, you heard right, because many housewives are racking their brains over how to choose the right one. stainless steel detergent. This article will give you some tips in this difficult matter.
Detergents for stainless steel. How to wash a stainless steel sink?
Let's say you need to find detergents for stainless steel kitchens. Most women start looking for detergents for stainless steel, but instead of choosing one of them, they try “folk” methods that our Internet is so rich in. Believe me, washing stainless steel kitchen sinks ammonia or citric acid, is far from the best solution. IN best case scenario You will lose a couple of hours of your precious time, get tired of scrubbing the stove or sink without any result and fall into despair. At worst, you can damage the stainless surface you are washing.
There are many products designed to help you make a dirty stainless steel surface clean and shiny. Of course, there is always a chance to come across a remedy from unscrupulous manufacturers that you can’t wash off even a small stain; such “miracle remedies” only help you throw money away. Any experienced consumer knows that it is best to give your choice to a trusted manufacturer who has been on the market for quite some time and is an authority in their field.
These brands include the Kenolux brand. Kenolux is subsidiary company CID LINES. Most likely, this doesn’t tell you anything, and it’s not surprising, because most manufacturers don’t really like to distribute any information about their company. Some sell low-quality goods, others are young companies that, while earning recognition and reputation in our domestic market, maintain confidentiality for the time being. But Kenolux is neither the first nor the second. This company sells residential cleaning products and industrial enterprises from stainless steel for more than 20 years, having managed to gain general recognition among consumers, both in our and in the European market. After all, the main research center of CID LINES is located in Belgium, whose legislation has strict standards and requirements for its products, including detergents. Some stainless steel detergents do not wash dirty surfaces well enough; some remove stains, but do not restore the former shine to your sink or stove. Over time, this becomes noticeable and spoils the impression of your kitchen. You should be wary of such things unless you use Kenolux Shine, which is one of the best in its field. Many products need to be further diluted, mixed with others, dissolved in water and wait until they infuse, but not with Kenolux Shine - this product is ready for use immediately after purchase, it does not require any additional operations, thereby saving your time.
How to wash stainless steel. Area of application for Kenolux Shine
One of the main features of this product is that it is designed specifically for stainless steel surfaces. You see, there are many manufacturers who make their detergents truly unique properties. If you believe everything that is written there, then their products can handle literally everything (from drips in the bathroom to stains on laminate flooring), but this, of course, is a lie aimed at ordinary consumers. Kenolux Shine is intended only for stainless steel items: refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, etc. You also don’t have to worry about the shine of washed surfaces. Special blends of the oils that are added to Kenolux Shine will make your kitchen shiny and delicious. This mixture also protects stainless surfaces from the appearance of further defects. No, it will not be able to protect your stove from coffee stains, but will make it so that you can quickly remove them, without using any auxiliary means. Such high efficiency is achieved due to the fact that the CID LINES company has built a large research center in Belgium, where the best specialists in the field of household chemicals work to create new detergents and improvements to existing ones. Also, CID LINES products have received many awards and prizes at annual international competitions, at which leading companies present their latest achievements in the field of household chemicals.
How to use Kenolux Shine
As mentioned above, Kenolux Shine is a ready-to-use product that does not require any additional operations before use (dilute with water, add catalysts, etc.). The washing process itself is very simple and fast, it will not take your effort or your time. To begin, spray the product onto a clean surface and wipe it dry. Then apply it again, this time to a dry surface and polish thoroughly. This will allow you not to worry about the appearance of stains or loss of shine of your dishwasher for a long time yet.
Of course, Kenolux Shine is not a universal detergent or the most better protection for your kitchen. This is just one of many detergents that our beloved housewives use, but it is a product of a trusted manufacturer who values its reputation in our market, and has quite high characteristics, which puts it on par with other brands in the field production of detergents.