How To Remove Surface Rust From Stainless Steel Appliances

Baking soda and water or baking soda and lemon juice.

How to remove surface rust from stainless steel appliances.

You can get rid of rust spots with a stainless cleaner or stainless brightener such as bar keepers friend. You can also scrub the grates with half of a potato which contains oxalic acid. Move the scouring pad in a straight line matching the direction of the grain. Or you can make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it with a soft cloth rubbing.

Continue scrubbing until the rust stain is no longer visible. The simple explanation is that when the chromium in stainless steel is exposed to oxygen found in the atmosphere it forms a very thin layer of chromium oxide. Baking soda is a very fine abrasive that is unlikely to seriously scratch the stainless steel surface. Never use wire brushes or steel wool because these can leave behind minute particles of metal which can then rust.

Removal of oxidized stains and even surface rust can be done by using a paste made from baking soda and water or a cleaner that contains oxalic acid such as bar keeper s friend soft cleanser. It is this invisible layer which covers the entire surface of the stainless steel appliance which gives it its ability to resist rust and stains. How to remove stains with baking soda and dish soap baking soda mixed with liquid dish soap can make a good paste to gently rub out stains. Rub the scouring pad across the rust stained surface of the stainless steel appliance.

Wipe off the paste with a clean damp cloth or rinse the paste off with clean. Rinse the surface with clean water and then dry the steel with a clean cloth. If the rust spots on your fridge are tiny and hardly noticeable as rust unless you squint at them you should be able to use baking soda and water. Rinse the larger surface area be it the basin of your sink or a section of your stainless steel counters thoroughly to remove any debris and dampen the surface.

Oxalic acid is the ideal product to remove rust from grill grates if you have that problem.