Stainless steel is the best material for cooking utensils, kitchen utensils, sinks, fittings, and other items in the home and workplace. This material is very strong, has a modern look, and is great for warding off stains and other damage. However, stainless steel is not perfect and can still be scratched. Although notches, dents, and deep scratches need to be repaired by a professional, minor damage can still be repaired on your own.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Rubbing Light Scratches
Step 1. Determine the direction of the stainless steel grains
The most important part of the stainless steel repair process is scrubbing in the direction of the fine grooves. Look carefully at the stainless steel and determine the direction of the groove. This is what is called a grain.
- If rubbed against the direction of the small groove, the scratches on the stainless steel can get worse. This is why you should know the direction of the stainless steel grooves before starting.
- The small grooves of stainless steel usually lead sideways (horizontally) or up and down (vertical).
Step 2. Choose a non-abrasive compound or cleaner
There are several compounds or cleaners that can be used to fill and smooth minor and very small scratches on the surface of stainless steel. Some of them:
- Bar Keeper's Friend
- Rubbing Compound Perfect-It
- Stainless Steel and Copper Cleaning Revere
- Whitening toothpaste
Step 3. Mix the compound powder with water
Some stainless steel compounds and cleaners are sold in powder form and must be turned into a paste before being applied to steel. Mix 14 g of cleaning powder with a few drops of water. Stir until smooth, and add a few drops of water until you get a smooth paste-like consistency.
The consistency should be like toothpaste
Step 4. Rub the cleaner on the scratches
Pour a few drops of the cleaner on the washcloth. For pasta, spoon a quarter of the paste onto the cloth. Apply to the scratch in the direction of the small groove of the stainless steel. You can use a back and forth motion as this paste is not abrasive.
Keep rubbing, and adding cleaning paste if needed, until the scratch disappears
Step 5. Wipe off any residual cleaner
Soak a clean microfiber cloth in water. Squeeze out any excess water so the cloth is only slightly damp. Wipe off the remaining cleaning paste on the stainless steel with this rag until it's shiny.
Step 6. Dry and inspect the steel surface
Wipe the stainless steel surface with a microfiber cloth until dry. Check the stainless steel surface to see the results of your work.
- Repeat scrubbing if the scratch has reduced but is still visible.
- If the scratches are still visible, we recommend using a harder method, such as sanding.
Part 2 of 3: Sanding Deep Scratches
Step 1. Choose a sanding tool
If the scratch on the stainless steel is deep enough, the repair effort will be a bit more difficult. You have three choices of sanding tools, namely:
- Coarse (maroon) and fine (grey) scouring pads
- Sandpaper with grit (roughness) 400 and 600
- Scratch removal device
Step 2. Wet the sanding tool
Sanding tools are usually accompanied by a lubricant or abrasive compound. Drop a few drops onto the roughest pad. For sandpaper, soak 400 grit paper in a bowl of water for one minute. For scouring pads, fill a spray bottle with water and splash it on the surface of the pad.
The compound fluid acts as a lubricant, and helps the sanding product move across the metal surface
Step 3. Scrub the surface with a scouring pad or paper
Follow small grooves in the stainless steel, and rub the product across the stainless steel surface in one direction. Press your sandpaper or scouring pad gently and evenly, and scrub in a longitudinal motion
- You should scrub in one direction as small abrasions can appear on the metal surface if you scrub in a back and forth motion.
- To give your pressure even distribution, wrap a pad or sandpaper on the block of wood before starting.
- To find the direction of the grooves in the metal, look carefully and see if the surface is grooved horizontally or vertically. This is the grain of stainless steel.
Step 4. Sand the entire surface of the stainless steel
Rub the entire surface; You can't just scrub the metal that's scratched, because the area you're rubbing against will look very different from the rest of the metal surface. The sanding process actually creates a new surface on the metal. So, the surface of the stainless steel must be thoroughly scrubbed.
- Continue sanding until the scratches have been rubbed off and gone.
- Depending on the size of the area to be sanded, this may take a minimum of 15 minutes.
Step 5. Repeat the sanding process with a smoother scouring pad or paper
When you are done sanding with a rough pad/paper, switch to a smoother scouring pad/paper. Use a polishing compound product, moisten 600 grit abrasive paper, or moisten a gray scouring pad with water. Sand the metal surface in a gentle, long, even motion.
Continue sanding until the scratches are gone
Part 3 of 3: Cleaning and Polishing Stainless Steel
Step 1. Wipe the dust off the metal surface
Wipe the surface you sanded with a microfiber cloth. In this way, sandpaper and metal dust, as well as residual compounds and water are removed from the steel surface.
Even when cleaning steel, you should scrub and polish the steel in the direction of the fine grooves. Make sure you rub in the same direction
Step 2. Clean the entire surface of the vinegar
Put some vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray the metal surface with vinegar several times. After that, dry the metal with a microfiber cloth.
- The vinegar will clean the metal and remove any residual compound or cleaner.
- Do not use bleach, oven cleaners, abrasive cleaners, or abrasive pads with stainless steel cleaners.
Step 3. Polish the stainless steel
When your metal is clean and dry, apply a few drops of oil to the microfiber cloth. You can use mineral, vegetable, or even olive oil. Rub the cloth against the steel in the direction of the small grooves until the metal is shiny.
