KEEPING STAINLESS STEEL STUNNING

August 2010 - Author: Maureen Logan

Stainless steel has become popular in many homes, with kitchen and laundry appliances adding an almost industrial yet highly engineered aesthetic. At the very least, almost every home has astainless steel kitchen sink and wash trough in the laundry. If you are in the process of preparing your home for sale, or just like everything in your home to look well presented, then keeping stainless steel appliances and surfaces clean is going to take significant priority because it is such a feature. Stainless steel is one of those wonderful materials that looks absolutely fabulous when it is clean, and a real showpiece, but like most materials that look great clean, they can look dirty and marked very easily. The first thing to determine with any appliance is whether the manufacturer has applied a clear coat lacquer finish during the manufacturing process. This coating is designed to protect the stainless steel surface and should only be cleaned as per the manufacturer’s instructions. If the stainless steel is uncoated then the process is reasonably straight forward. Wiping over the surface with mild soapy water and then drying off immediately with a dry towel to eliminate water marks may be all that’s needed. Finger marks are always a problem on stainless steel, but can be easily removed using glass cleaner or even vinegar. There are also stainless steel cleaners available that not only clean the surface, but coat it to minimise future marking. Some enthusiastic homeowners buff stainless steel surfaces with a light coating of olive oil, leaving a nice shiny finish. Any stainless steel surface can eventually start to look dull no matter what you do, which is due to tiny scratches and abrasions. Sinks and troughs are particularly prone to this sort of damage through years of daily use, and the only way to restore the bright sparkle once again is for the surface to be polished. Stainless steel polishes are readily available but generally require a significant amount of work to restore the surface. Alternatively, you can call in a professional metal polishing specialist, who will come to your home with the equipment required to bring your stainless steel surfaces back to new. Source: Property Informer Issue Two -2010 - Bowden Printing Pty. Ltd.

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