Maintain and clean stainless steel door fittings

Just like us, you probably want your stainless steel door fittings to be maintained and shine beautifully. Stainless steel is a very beautiful and practical material, but maintaining and cleaning it requires little time, but quite a bit of attention. Fingerprints, stains, scratches, incorrect use of certain cleaning products and possibly even rust can make your stainless steel door fittings look less attractive. Below you can read what you can do to maintain stainless steel door fittings and keep them beautiful and shiny again!

Maintaining supplies for stainless steel door fittings

Tools

• A soft cleaning cloth

Materials

• Soapy water with degreasing and non-abrasive cleaning agent
• Olive or salad oil
• Cif, preferably especially for stainless steel
• Stainless steel cleaning agent, we always recommend this.

What exactly is stainless steel?

Stainless steel is an alloy (a mixture of different metals) consisting of iron, chromium, nickel and carbon. Contrary to popular belief, stainless steel does not stand for stainless steel but for stainless steel. This certainly means that stainless steel can rust! However, a protective layer is created on the surface of stainless steel that keeps rust formation above the surface and slows down rust formation.

If the protective layer (also known as 'oxide skin') is damaged, rust may appear beneath the surface. As long as the protective layer is sealed, no reaction with other substances can take place and the stainless steel interior will therefore not rust. It is therefore important to prevent this and treat stainless steel with care. Damage to the protective layer can be caused by using the wrong chemicals (in cleaning products, for example) and scratches with sharp objects. The protective layer recovers naturally, but this can be helped by using the right stainless steel cleaners and maintenance products.

Stainless Steel Door Hardware Maintenance Tips

1. Remove fingerprints

With stainless steel you will have to deal with fingerprints, especially in the beginning when it is still new. However, fingerprints are fairly easy to remove using:

• A soft cleaning cloth and soapy water with a degreasing and non-abrasive cleaning agent. Don't get the cloth too wet and don't use too much soap. You can brush off the fingerprints this way.
• Use a polish specifically designed for stainless steel. These are available in hardware stores or on the internet.
• To get it nice and shiny you can use a little bit of olive or salad oil to polish it. A few drops are enough.

2. Remove stains

In addition to (the common) fingerprints on your stainless steel, other stains can also occur. These are easy to remove with some Cif (intended for stainless steel). Again, use a soft cleaning cloth and not rough materials, such as a scouring sponge or a wire brush! After cleaning, you can also polish the stainless steel with some olive or salad oil to give it a nice shiny appearance.

3. Protect for a longer period of time with a stainless steel polish

In addition to cleaning afterwards, you can also use protective agents that prevent the formation of stains. There are many products available in hardware stores and on the internet that will help you prevent stains on your stainless steel door fittings . If you don't know which product you need, please ask the store for advice.

Be careful with the following when maintaining stainless steel door fittings!

• Dishwashing detergents . Low-quality stainless steel in particular can be damaged by its use.
• Salty/Acidic substances . For example, vinegar or lemon juice. The use of this can lead to the appearance of imperfections or spots on the stainless steel.
• High temperatures . Avoid contact with high temperatures. This can cause streaks to appear on the stainless steel that are difficult to remove.
• Dishwashing detergents . Low-quality stainless steel in particular can be damaged by its use.
• Harsh cleaning products . Do not use a wire brush or scouring pad! This will cause scratches if you maintain your stainless steel door fittings.

More information about how your stainless steel door fittings are maintained? Then look for all our articles in our knowledge base . For the best range of door fittings, look at the relevant categories, such as door handles , door knobs or door cameras. Are your questions not completely answered? Let us know! We are happy to answer all your questions by phone, live chat or as a comment below. Contact Door Hardware Expert Slotenspeciaalzaak .