Stainless Steel Installation Care
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To maintain the original appearance of the sink, a regular cleaning routine should be carried out. The best form of
maintenance is frequent regular cleaning.
Note: Surface scratching will appear more frequently as the sink is used, as no material is scratch resistant. The scratch
marks will not be as noticeable on linen or dull finishes and overtime the scratches on stainless steel sinks will blend into
the existing grain lines. Scratching will be most noticeable on the drainer area of the sink where most objects are likely to
be placed.
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After each use, wipe the sink with a soft, slightly wet soapy cloth and rinse with warm water. This should remove
most substances encountered within the kitchen environment. For daily cleaning, use harmless detergents such
as Palmolive dishwashing liquid.
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If required, wipe down the sink after cleaning with a microfiber cloth, soft cloth or towel to avoid water deposits
sitting on the sink or water marks.
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After use, always remove wet cleaning-aids (such as cloths, pads, containers or brushes) from the surfaces to
avoid the formation of water marks/stains.
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Do not allow liquid soap or other household cleaners to dry on the surface of the sink. Most brands contain
chemical additives which will affect the original luster of the sink.
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For more tenacious deposits including oil, grease and waterborne deposits on stainless steel sinks use a
multipurpose cleaner (such as Jif or Polaris) and apply with a soft damp cloth. This should be followed by rinsing
with fresh water as above. Note: Jif and Polaris are abrasives and should not be used too aggressively or too
regularly.
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Harsh abrasives, steel wool pads and scouring materials should not be used for cleaning the sinks, as they will
leave scratch marks on the surface and damage the appearance of the sink. Likewise do not use wire brushes,
scrapers or contaminated scouring pads.
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If the sink has a directional polished grain, any cleaning with abrasives on stainless steel should be carried out
along this grain and not across it.
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If you use rubber mats or dishpans in your sink remove these after use and do not leave in the sink to avoid
surface rust or pitting from appearing.
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Do not put hot items straight on to the sink e.g. hot pot from the stove top. Let the hot item cool before placing
on the sink.
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Do not change the water temperatures dramatically between hot and cold e.g. using cold water and then using
boiling water.
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Silver dip cleaners should not come into contact with the sink. If this type of cleaner comes into contact with the
sink, it should be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed with clean water.
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Do not let foodstuffs remain in contact with the sink for a long period or dry on the sink. This includes tea bags,
concentrated salt and vinegar mixtures, highly acidic foods such as tomatoes, pickles, lemon, etc. It is always
good practice to wash down the sink surfaces after food preparation.
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Strong acids such as sulfuric and hydrochloric are very corrosive and should not come into contact with the sink.
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The quality of your water can affect your sink appearances. If your water has a high iron content a brown surface
can form on the sink giving the appearance of rust. In areas with high concentration of minerals or over-softened
water a white film may develop on the surface of the sink. To combat these, we suggest the sink should be towel
dried after each use and cleaned thoroughly once a week.
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Plastic kitchenware (buckets, colander, plastic tupperware, etc.) can sometimes scratch the surface of the
stainless steel sink from sharp edges or minute particles that adhere to the bottom of the plastic kitchenware.
Corrosion
The two most common types of corrosion that may be encountered, particularly on stainless steel sinks, are rust marks
and pitting of the surface.
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Rust Marks. When this type of staining occurs, it is unlikely that the marks are caused by the rusting of the stainless
steel itself (the material used is a high quality 18/10 chrome nickel steel which is metallurgical incapable of rusting or
corroding in normal household conditions. Similar marks can be found with both porcelain and composite sinks).
The rust marks are more likely to be the result of small particles of "ordinary steel" which have become attached to the
surface which have subsequently rusted in the damp environment of the sink.
The most common source of such particles is from "wire wool" scouring pads, or wire wool used by the plumber during
the installation of the sink. Contamination may also occur from carbon steel utensils and old cast iron water supply pipes.
These brown marks are only superficial stains, which will not harm the sink; they should be removed using a soft damp
cloth and a multi purpose cream cleanser (such as Jif).
Occasionally, it may be necessary to resort to a proprietary stainless steel cleanser to return the surface of the sink to its
original condition. To avoid reoccurrence of any "rust-staining" it is essential that the source of the contamination is
eliminated. In cases where contact cannot be avoided, it is even more important that the sink is given a thorough
cleaning treatment after use.
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Pitting. Another form of corrosion, which occasionally occurs in stainless steel sink bowls, is pitting of the surface. In
extreme cases this may lead to perforation of the metal. The reason for this corrosive attack can usually be attributed to
certain household products, for example: Bleaches (most common domestic bleaches/sterilizing solutions contain
chlorine in the form of sodium hypochlorite). They should always be used to the strengths prescribed by the
manufacturer and should be thoroughly rinsed off with clean water immediately after use. Any cleaning agents
containing hypochlorites are unsuitable for long term contact with stainless steel and even when used in the highly
diluted form, they can give pitting under certain conditions.