Chemical cleaning and maintaining solutions for stainless steel of all types.

There are literally hundreds of stainless-steel variants, each with a set of characteristics that sets it apart from the others. What is generally common with them is that they will contain a high percentage of Chromium and Nickel. It is these two elements that largely contribute to the ‘stainless’ character of stainless steel. The ‘grades’ of stainless steel most encountered by the general public would be 304 and 316 as these are widely used for handrails, balustrades, light fittings, etc. These grades are easy to work, readily welded, have high corrosion resistance, and are generally non-magnetic.

Different grades of stainless steel will be found in kitchens. Knives, for example, will need to hold a sharp edge, while pots and pans will need to be tolerant to heat.

One negative characteristic that all stainless steels share is that they will show signs of corrosion under certain circumstances. Most commonly, this corrosion will show in the form of ‘tea staining’, which is a nice way of describing light surface rusting. While this rusting is unlikely ever to be anything more than just unsightly, it is worth preventing or addressing if it has already occurred.

Stainless Steel Cleaning Chemicals

At Chemron, we have two products designed to clear ‘tea staining’ away. Stainless Steel Cleaner is a highly concentrated solution intended for large areas or smaller stainless-steel products that can be submerged in a vessel containing the diluted solution. For small areas or parts adjacent to delicate surfaces, we recommend Stainless Steel Rejuvenating Paste. This paste allows you to be more precise with your treatment and to ensure only the stainless-steel area you intend to treat is affected.

Highly polished stainless steel must be handled carefully to ensure that micro-scratches aren’t introduced during the cleaning process. For this reason, a softer application cloth or method is recommended.

For brushed stainless steel, a scourer can be used and will assist in removing the tea staining. Although when using the scourer, you should ensure you follow the grain of the brushing to help preserve this finish.

Stainless Steel Polishing Chemicals

Of course, cleaning stainless steel is only half the problem; the other part is preserving the newly cleaned surface. Two Chemron products can help with this. Stainless Steel Sentry is a unique blend of silicones that will form a lasting barrier against weathering, tea staining, etc. Importantly it is non-oily or tacky and so is suitable for handrails etc. Stainless Steel Polish provides good atmospheric protection for stainless steel in parts and equipment. A light oily barrier offers good long-term protection for stainless steel parts in transit or storage. It is also a good option for longer-term protection for hard-to-access areas that are not subject to strong weathering or abrasion, such as undercover manufacturing equipment.