Everyone wants their home to be flawless and luxurious. One tries to use inexpensive and durable home accessories. We think of stainless steel in terms of durability and ease of use. Stainless steel is preferred not only in a variety of household, but also in industrial products. However, the name "stainless steel" is somewhat misleading. Many believe that stainless steel is completely rust or dirt repellent, where it says "less stains".
Although it is rust-resistant, it can corrode if not cared for properly. There are some things that can affect the aesthetics and function of our durable stainless steel items.
What makes stainless steel "less stained"?
You may have been wondering if you see stains or rust on stainless steel objects. If you use a certain thing, you should know a little bit about how it works to maintain its durability. Let's talk about the composition of stainless steel that makes it ideal. Steel is an iron alloy. The chrome in this alloy is actually the magic element that makes stainless steel, rust and tarnish resistance. When oxygen and chromium come into contact, a reaction also occurs that creates a layer of chromium oxide. This chrome oxide layer serves as a protective layer over the stainless steel.
What causes stainless steel to corrode?
Now that you've figured out what makes stainless steel tough, it's time to meet the culprit behind the grate. When we talk about the stainless steel sinks in our kitchen, cans or cast iron cookware that stays in the sink for a long time can cause rust stains.
You need to know that the most common causes of rust in stainless steel items are:
- High salinity environments
- Use of aggressive chemicals and cleaning agents that contain ammonia, chlorides etc., and
- Very humid environment
- Use of steel brushes and steel balls.
Do you remember the magical element we talked about earlier and the protective layer it forms when it comes in contact with oxygen? Yes, this chrome oxide layer. If this chromium oxide layer is damaged, stainless steel begins to corrode.
Lucky you! This chromium oxide layer repairs itself. This means that the chromium oxide layer can be developed again. You can remove the problematic stains by simply washing the stainless steel sink with water or mild detergent. When water takes away chemicals and chrome comes in contact with oxygen, this rust warrior, chrome oxide layer; develops again.
However, if for some reason rust stains are left unattended and the large surface of the stainless steel sink has been compromised, there are few methods to remove these stubborn stains.
Effective methods for removing rust from stainless steel sinks:
Fortunately, there are always some miracle ingredients in our kitchen that you can use for this purpose. These ingredients include baking soda, lemon, vinegar, tartar, etc. All of the above ingredients can be used to remove small rust spots. Follow the instructions below to remove rust:
Sodium bicarbonate:
Baking soda has a wide range of uses. In addition to using baking soda in cooking, it can also be used to clean rust and open drains. Some people also use it on the face and hair.
- To use baking soda to remove rust, mix 1 tablespoon of sodium bicarbonate with 500 ml of water until a paste is formed.
- Apply this mixture to the affected area and scrub it gently. You can also use a brush with soft bristles or a kitchen sponge.
- If the above process doesn't work due to rigid stains, sprinkle the soda on the surface and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then scrub it off.
Since baking soda is a very mild abrasive, you can remove rust without chemicals without scratching your stainless steel sink.
Lemon:
Mixing lemon and baking powder creates an alkaline solution with remarkable properties for removing various stains. Mix equal amounts of baking soda and lemon and follow the steps above to remove rust with baking soda. If no lemon is available, you can alternatively use lime juice.
Vinegar:
Similar methods are used for all of the ingredients mentioned. Spray some vinegar on the rusty area of the stainless steel sink and leave it there for about five minutes. Wipe the grate with a soft scouring pad or a damp sponge. Distilled white vinegar does the trick.
Cream of tartar:
Lemon comes to the rescue here.
- Mix a few drops of lemon with a tablespoon of tartar.
- Apply this paste to the rusty area of the stainless steel sink.
- Rub the paste with a scrubbing sponge and wipe off the rust.
If you're exposed to more rust on your stainless steel sink, there are also some high-performance cleaning agents like oxalic acid, phosphoric acid, and acetic acid.
Removing rust from the stainless steel sink with oxalic acid:
- Use a cleaner that contains oxalic acid. Apply the liquid cleaner to the rusty area of the sink.
- Let it be there for 60 seconds.
- Rub the area with a damp sponge.
- After cleaning the grate, rinse the area with fresh water.
- Dry carefully with a clean towel.
In addition to oxalic acid, you can also use phosphoric acid and acetic acid.
- Phosphoric acid is inherently non-aggressive and readily available. Other steel components are not affected.
- Acetic acid is slower than phosphoric acid. After using phosphoric acid or acetic acid, rinse the surface with deionized water. Deionized water removes all traces of acid.
Sometimes, if rust doesn't seem to come off, you may be tempted to use abrasives. Avoid cleaning agents that contain chlorides and solutions that contain sand.
Conclusion:
Everything that is used requires care and maintenance to be durable and functional. However, if your stainless steel items have rusted, you can replace them in no time for some reason. With the above methods, you can now make your stainless steel equipment and surfaces look new and shiny forever.
