# Surface rust on stainless steel



## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

I have a used 3 compartment sink we are installing at my VFW post. It sat outside for a while and has some surface rust. What is the best way to clean it up? And how do I protect it so it will not rust in the future? Thanks for any help you can offer.


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## cocobolo (Dec 16, 2008)

rjniles:
As you are finding out, there are different grades of stainless steel. The operative word here is stainLESS not stainFREE. You should be able to clean it off with one of the commercial brands of stainless steel cleaner. We occasionally have similar stains showing up on our boat, and marine fittings are usually of a very high quality of stainless. Sinks are almost always of a lower quality. I cannot remember the product name - it's on the boat!


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## ultra800_96 (Mar 29, 2009)

*Surface rust on Stainless steel*

My girlfriend has a container of "Bar Keepers Friend". It's powder, & comes in a shaker container like Ajax cleaner, etc. It works great on her sink for stains, etc. I've never seen it previously & can't tell you where to buy it tho.


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## skymaster (Jun 6, 2007)

I believe Bon Ami will work. Any grocery store carries SS cleaner. Even glass cooktop cleaner will work


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## kennzz05 (Nov 11, 2008)

Scotch brite pad


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## Speedball (Nov 2, 2008)

Bar Keepers Friend as mentioned above or liquid called Brasso. Leave each of the chemicals on for a few minutes to do the work and it may do the trick for you.


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## Chemist1961 (Dec 13, 2008)

If Brasso works, Silvo, the silver polish may as well. These are two cleaner polishes for metals from one company I believe. There are also stainless steel applinace cleaners out now. You mayeven find an automotive wheel cleaner that works. Observe the polish on the sink before you start. There is usually a linear pattern. If you use something too agressive you might end up with swirls in the "grain" of the sink.


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## Aggie67 (Dec 20, 2008)

Whatever you do, just make sure the product or device doesn't have carbon steel in it. It'll just rust again. You'd be surprised how many pros screw that up.


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## hychesee (Oct 31, 2008)

All the above advice is good and would also recommend navel jelly - who on a DIY forum would not have navel jelly handy?
Anyways I just bought a new USA made stainless sink, the care for instructions made it sound like it was made out of paper mache' when telling you how to clean it, god forbid you use anything but the mildest soap and the softest sham wow towel. It also said to dry it after every use, should I line it with a plastic bag too?

Both 300 (good?) and 400 (bad?) series stainless can be paramagnetic, so a magnet is not always an indication of a cheap sink, my sink is non-magnetic however some of my good stainless pots are para-magnetic and have never rusted even under extreme heat.

Even the best stainless can corrode, if you care - research hydrogen embrittlement or water line corrosion. My chemistry days are 27 years past so I admit to nothing and am surprised I remembered this much.


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