cleaning stainless steel performer table with steel wool

[toolhead]

Just cleaned ss table with 0000 fine wool...

Also read afterwards that the steel wool can leave fibers in the metal and cause rust.

Anyone else clean ss peroformer table with 0000 steel wood and get rust...?

Also anyone ever sand out black pitted spots...on ss ...read that you can use 2000 grit sandpaper to sand out black pit marks

[Taz]

Good question. I'm pretty sure I saw the sandpaper approach and I did wonder about 0000 wool. Following this to see what the fellas say.

[ClubChapin]

Not sure what you are up against, but for me a little dish soap and a scotch brite or scrubby sponge work well.

Similar question, any ideas how to get a rust stain out of stainless?  I left some cast iron on my stainless outdoor counter over the winter and cannot figure out how to remove the deep stain.   0000 May be my next try.

[Hell Fire Grill]

Iv never had rust on any of mine but i clean the SS with dish soap and scotchbrite when it need the grease scaped off and that does what needs to done for maintainance. Plain white Vinegar has been used to help clean rust off cast iron since the iron age began (carfull Im a lyer and a lier).

So i dont see any problem using a fine grade scotchbrite and let some vinegar soak on that for a few then scrub it a bit and see what happens to the rust and black pits.

[toolhead]

Regarding rust removal...

Ive soaked grates in vinegar and baking soda...it will soften up gunk and rust and then scrub with ss brush and or rough aide of kitchen sponge

[toolhead]

Also barkeepers friend removes rust with ease...

It is also great for glass shower doors...just about anything

[toolhead]

Barkeepers friend is at home depot..krogers etc...cleaning aisle...

Cheap...2.00 or less

[addicted-to-smoke]

I think you have the right idea for how to clean it up, and there are threads here about that in some of the restoration projects.

There are also of course "stainless steel cleaners" in spray bottles etc but might only be good as a final step. Usually sold to get rid of fingerprints off the kitchen appliances.

[toolhead]

Thanks ats...

Im really looking to hear if anyone experienced issue of using 0000 steel wool to clean ss and seeing rust afterwards

Allegedly..the steel wool will leave fine fibers in the ss and those fibers will rust.  You can sand down the ss to correct this...but hoping to avoid more work....lol

[mike.stavlund]

I haven't had any trouble with rust following steel wool use on SS, no. 

The best cleaner I've found for SS is Barkeepers Friend (I've done experiments, and interestingly found the powdered product to be LESS abrasive than the liquid version of Barkeeper's Friend).  It does a good job of removing stains.  I usually use it with a Scotchbrite pad, and am careful to use it with the 'grain' in the SS.  (NOTE:  I would NEVER use Barkeeper's Friend on an actual kettle-- it will put tons of micro-scratches on the surface.)

I've also removed scratches from SS by sanding them with wet-or-dry sandpaper lubricated with cheap 'SS cleaner' sprays.  What you're actually doing is not removing the scratches, but disguising the scratches by putting fresh 'grain' on the SS.  The point being that it's essential that you very carefully sand in a very straight line, and very consistently across the whole surface. 

[toolhead]

Thanks...that is helpful to know.

I did wet sand a small section with 2000 grit last nite and it did remove light scratches...and removed oxidation.

Interesting you say that about barkeepers friend...ibe used it on kettles and didnt notice any scratches

[ClubChapin]

Tried vinegar and bar keeps friend to remove rust stains. Worked like a charm.

I suspect it would work if there was any rust after using 0000.

[JayCee]

@Golly should be able to shed some light on this. He worked wonders with the SS I now have.