Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning Stainless Steel Balustrades

Avoid making these mistakes and you should be fine to keep stain less steel.

Never use abrasive cleaners

Depending on the surface finish of your steel, abrasive cleaners can lead to scratching. Whilst duller finishes probably won’t show scratching as much as mirror or highly polished ones will, test it in a hidden spot that won’t be noticeable if it does scratch. When selecting cleaners, we recommend working from the least risky (water) to the most.

Don’t forget to rinse the surface

The presence of gritty or dirty water, or even the residue from cleaning solutions can stain the finish and cause other damage. Once you have finished cleaning the balustrade, it is essential that you give it a thorough rinse before leaving to dry. When outside, giving the whole area a blast with the garden hose is sufficient. When inside, you will need to fill a bucket with clean water and use a soft cloth to rinse.

Avoid using chlorine containing cleaners

It is important to remember, however, that this metal and chlorine do not mix at all. Chlorine can actually penetrate the protective chromium oxide layer and allow a corrosive attack to occur. Even thoroughly rinsing the area may not completely remove all traces of the chemical, so it is best to avoid bleach at all costs.

Don’t assume it’s the cleaner

If, after cleaning the balustrade (and following all instructions), you notice some spotting or staining, don’t automatically assume that the cleaner is at fault. Water (especially hard water) can cause spotting and staining on stainless steel surfaces once they have dried. To avoid this problem in future, try towel drying the balustrade after rinsing. This is a worth full result.

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Never use steel wool or steel brushes

These sorts of products can leave little particles in the surface of the metal and, inevitably, these particles will begin to rust. This can cause the surface to become stained; corrosion stains are some of the toughest to remove, so should be avoided at all costs. These sorts of products can also excessively scratch the surface of the balustrade, which will affect its appearance and break down the protective layers.

When next cleaning your stainless steel balustrade, avoiding the above mistakes will ensure that it continues serve you well into the future. Regardless of whether your balustrade is indoors or outdoors, it will require periodic care and maintenance to ensure its corrosion resistant properties remain (please note, however, that outdoor metal will require attention more often). If you’re in doubt about how to clean the metal, speak with your supplier.

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For your balustrade to achieve maximum corrosion resistance, you will need to ensure that it is kept clean. Unfortunately, this metal is known to stain, discolor and develop layers of grime as a result of use.