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  for Metal Finishing since 1989
  

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Help with polishing stainless steel please

We have just bought several stainless steel appliances for our kitchen but we are having a tough time deciding how to polish the surfaces.The instructions from the manufacturers are quite different from each other. Any suggestions?

art hister
- Canada
1999

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It wouldn't hurt to try each one, then respond back to this letter with your methods and results. I have found the Soft Scrub [affil links]® type of liquid non abrasive cleaners are good for a clean surface. Once you have pits in sst, you won't get them out, so keep the surfaces clean and dry, (no grease, salt, wet rings etc,)

The poorly manufactured and passivated grades of stainless steel will pit just by looking at them, so don't be too hard on yourself or your family if your appliance or sink starts to pit.

  
Tom Pullizzi
Falls Township, Pennsylvania
1999

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I am involved with detailed polishing of mould sections. We spend hundred's of hours polishing different types of steel, including stainless. My wife also has stainless steel appliances and I see no reason that these surfaces should ever require polishing. Cleaning of the ss should be done with a fine cloth only. I would try and not use any chemical on the surface. Tough stains use Ajax ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and water and polish/wipe in the same direction as the current pattern. However, if you still want to improve the polished surface and don't mind how much it would cost you could use diamond polishing compound and a floppy wheel and apply a mirror finish to your ss surfaces.

Stephen C. Ward
- Canada
1999

What kind of tool and surfacing material do I need to make a mirror finish on stainless steel. I am going to be polishing stainless steel handrail, some sheetmetal and welds.

Barbara Marshall
- Goldendale, Wa USA
2000

I have recently purchased stainless steel appliances (sink, trash compactor, dishwasher, oven and microwave). I have used several cleaners but still have streaks on the surfaces. I have been told to use baby oil to coat these appliances. What do you think?

Grace Fronduto
- Woburn, Massachusetts
2002

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There are many advertised cleaning products for Stainless steel appliances. Through trial and error, the simplest and most effective results I found was by using a sheepskin chamois ⇦[this on eBay or Amazon affil links] rinsed and wrung out in clear warm water. Streaks and spots wipe away easily.

Sam Wesson
retired from appliance sales - Kelowna, BC, Canada
2005