Stainless steel is a combination of iron and chromium, which are its major components. It’s a choice household and industrial material, due to its resilience and it’s unique resistance to corrosion.
With the presence of chromium, stainless steel will remain immune to rusting, but once it’s low in chromium or finished, it begins to rust. Rust stains will not only make your stainless steel look ugly and dull, they will also rob it of that pristine perfection and natural shine.
Well, in the course of using your stainless steel sink, and you discover those ugly rusty stains on them, don’t panic. Changing them would only incur extra and unnecessary cost on you.
Follow these useful tips for How to Get Rust off Stainless Steel Sink
- Mix 1tablespoon of baking soda in two cups of water: Get a clean bowl, two cups of clean water and baking soda. Remember baking soda, right? Mix the baking soda and water in the clean bowl. Stir until the baking soda and water have blended well and formed a solution. If it’s watery, it might wash down the drain.
- Rub the baking soda solution on the rust stain: After getting a solution, locate the area where the rust is and apply the solution on it with a toothbrush. Baking soda is non-abrasive. It will gently remove the rust stains from your stainless steel sink without damaging the surface or replacing the rust with scratches.
- Leave for some minutes: After applying the solution, you don’t wash it off immediately. Depending on how many places are rusted, generally, it takes 10-15 minutes before the rust is removed. You can also use your discretion to decide when to rinse it off.
- Rinse and wipe the spot with a wet paper towel: Rinse the sink thoroughly and wipe with a dry paper towel. Leave it to dry.
- If after using this method, the rust won’t budge, try making a paste of lemon juice and salt. Add this paste to the affected area and leave for 15-20 minutes, then scrub with a soft brush and rinse.
- You can also try sanding it with 600 grit sandpaper. Soak the sandpaper in rubber sand block, add warm water and liquid wash, then scrub the surface with the sandpaper.
- After trying all these processes, remember to rinse your stainless steel sink with water and dry with a clean and dry lint towel or cloth.
Preventive measures of rust stains.
An ounce of prevention is also as important as the curative measures. If you have never had a rusted stainless steel sink before, or, you just removed the rust stains from your stainless steel sink, this is very useful to you
Prevention they say is better than a cure. The beauty of stainless steel lies in its ever sparkling and shining state, once it’s scuffed and rusted, it becomes less of beauty to behold. To keep your sink from rust stains free, use the following preventive measures.
- Clean your stainless steel regularly: Make it a daily habit to clean your stainless steel sink. Make sure the material you are using to clean your stainless steel sink is almost nonabrasive (can’t damage the surface of the sink). Cleaners like Bon Ami, Comet and other household cleaners will do a good job. For effectiveness, use them with warm water.
- Keep the sink dry when not in use: When you are not making use of your stainless steel sink, make sure you clean it with a dry and clean towel. This will stop water from hanging on the surface and cause surface rust marks.
- Avoid placing metal objects in and on the sink: Always avoid the temptation of placing dampened metals in your sink, this will cause new rust. It might also prevent the sink from drying well, thereby depriving it of enough air.
- Avoid steel wool and carbon steel brushes: Avoid steel wool and carbon steel brushes, they can leave particles that can cause your stainless steel sink to rust or corrosive.
- Most soaps and detergents contain chloride: Chloride is known to leave rust stains on objects. Rinse immediately, preferably with warm water, after applying any of these soaps to clean your stainless steel sink.
- Avoid using oily and greasy rags on the surface of your stainless steel sink. Wash your rags, hand towels and other linen regularly and dry well. Dirty rags should not be used to clean your stainless steel sink, it will cause stains.
- Avoid strong abrasive scouring powder, as they are known to scratch the surface and remove the finish.
- Lastly, who says apart from keeping your stainless steel sink from rust stains and scuffs, you can’t leave it shining and sparkling all day long? Vinegar is known to be a natural disinfectant. You can apply a few drops of vinegar to help remove hard water stains. You can equally apply olive oil to a lint-free cloth, use it to wipe the edges and surface of your sink thoroughly and watch it bring out that pristine perfection.
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