Removing stains on stainless steel

[Cherokee]

The kitchen SS sink has some spots on it that will not go away with everything my wife has tried. The spots look like dirty water spots on paint that should just wipe off...but they don't. She has tried SS cleaner, and the usual household cleaners. I am afraid to use any harsh abrasives ( rubbing compound, brass polish, and such) that I have. Anyone have any suggestions.

 

[Pistolero]

No reason to be afraid of abrasives. The SS goes all the way through, it's not a coating that can be rubbed off.

Sandpaper is perfect. Pick the right grit of wet or dry, sand it out. The final finish roughness/polish can be
matched with various grits of sandpaper and or 3M abrasive pads.

Same thing is done for SS firearms.

You might try a poultice of Lemishine (citric acid, harmless to people) if you are unwilling to polish it out.

edit: correction; I KNOW it is citric acid....brain fart

 

[Brad]

Lemishine has citric acid. Acetic acid is found in vinegar.
A Scotchbrite pad would be my first choice.

 

[Ian]

Edit...got interrupted by my real job and didn't get this posted.

Make a thin paste out of Lemishine and water and paint the sink with it, massage it in with a sponge and let it sit for a while, massage again and rinse off. The citric acid reduces the oxides and passivates the surface.

Further addendum, I don't recommend abrasive pads on SS sinks unless absolutely necessary because it's tough to get the same pattern as the sink was sanded to originally and it will look like crap if you scratch it across the grain. I restored a bar sink from a remodel and painstakingly block-sanded the scratches out of it to coincide with the original pattern and then blended it with scotch-brite light grey (mild). It looks great now and is constantly maintained by me dumping brass wash water down it.

 

[Rick]

Edit...got interrupted by my real job and didn't get this posted.

Wasting time in the frivolous pursuit of earning a living huh? Sure glad I saw the light and gave up on that nonsense.

 

[Pistolero]

If you do what Ian says, and is fairly obvious, if you look, matching the scratch pattern and grit isn't that difficult.
Just randomly sanding it will not be a good look, but following the original scratch pattern will get you a nice look.

 

[462]

I use Nevr-Dull (cotton wadding impregnated with some rather spiffy chemicals) to remove powder fouling from the front of stainless steel revolvers. It's not gritty and doesn't bother the original finish, unlike the super-fine grits of Mothers Mag Polish or Flitz.

 

[Cherokee]

I new I would get some good info. Thanks, I'll see what my wife wants to try, want to maintain the brush finish for sure.

 

[Ian]

She can also try scrubbing the stains with Melamine foam.......AKA Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. In any event, finish the job with Lemishine or citric acid powder to passivate and minimize further staining of the fresh, bare surface.

 

[Pistolero]

Ian is exactly correct. Citric acid (well any acid will work, but nitric is nasty stuff, and citric is pretty much harmless)
will passivate the stainless surface, making it less likely to stain (corrode) in the future.

 

[Cherokee]

The Magic Eraser did not remove the spots. I do not know what "passivate" the stainless surface means.

 

[Ian]

Chemical reaction between the weak acid and the metal leaves a durable, microscopic surface layer which prevents further oxidation reactions. Kind of like rust bluing, but not as severe.

 

[KeithB]

Passivation pre-oxidizes the surface a few molecules deep so that stains that cause a chemical change to the surface can’t occur, all the metal ions are tied up.

 

[KeithB]

Posted at same time as Ian.

 

[Cherokee]

Thanks, learning a few things.

 

[fiver]

it does the same thing to your brass cases.
they might tarnish after using the citric acid but it's so super shallow it polishes right off very easily.

 

[2011redrider]

Ha e you tried beekeeper's friend? It's a powder usually next to the comet or Ajax cleansers in Wal-Mart or your market. It's what I use on the stainless liner in my instant pot pressure cooker. Removes all the stains from cooking and puts a shine on like it was new!

 

[Winelover]

Most of the time we use a weak vinegar and water solution, in a spray bottle.

Did you try WD-40?

Plus one, on Barkeepers friend.

 

[CZ93X62]

I don't scrub off the scorch rings on my S/S revolver chamber mouths. I clean the powder fouling out, and if I do the casting and sizing right there is no discernable leading present. I don't sweat the small stuff-and most things are small stuff.

 

[462]

Allen,

No leading, here, just powder fouling.