Cleaning and Stain Removal - Rust on stainless steel?

anyone have a good tip for dealing with rust on stainless steel? I have a stainless fireplace glass door unit that developed a number of rust spots. I've "sanded" the rust off, using a synthetic abrasive pad, and now, of course, the spots are visible from the abrasion, as oppsed to the rust. Should I try the abrasive again, but with mineral oil, mineral spirits, or some other solvent or compound?

Stainless steel doesn't rust and shouldn't be sanded. If it is indeed stainless the rust stains are probably from steel fastners that have rusted and stained the stainless. These will usually scrub off with the use of a lot of elbow grease :eek:

Since you have already sanded, rubbing it down with mineral oil might bring back the lustre.

Some of the lesser types of stainless steel or so called stainless will actually rust.It has to do with the exact alloy or type of stainless and I've actually seen this in cheaper stainless steel sinks and even bolts (actually had so called stainless fasteners rust on the shelf).Usually it's just a light sort of haze of rust not something heavy or crusty.I would try metal polishes that list stainless steel as metal they can be used on and stay away from any sort of abrasive pad or applicator.

I'm glad you said that, as I wouldn't want to disagree with marksr about whether ss rusts. It WAS a relatively cheap item, at about $150 for a fireplace door setup. Thanks for the tips.

as I wouldn't want to disagree with marksr about whether ss rusts.

Gee can't get anyone to fight these days :D :D ;)

That's why stainless steel often has those grading numbers after it. Lesser grade stainless does not have as much of the stuff that causes it to be stainless. (Is it chromium?...can't remember.) Elements that give off radiation are numbered also, like strontium 90.

Stainless is stain * less. Not stain * proof. :)

OH. Never let acid (like an acid based cleaner) stand on stainless for any length of time, because it will...(drum roll)...STAIN. It wil turn it gray, where the acid ran. Then to solve your dilema, you will have to intentionally smear the acid on the whole thing to hide it, and hope soemone doesn't discover their sink turned from silvery-chromy looking to a gray. I learned my lesson and had to do this once. Have I ever told you about the many years I have worked alongside of that Murphy fella? :)

Lower quality SS products rust because the iron content is too high. Want to see the likelyhood of that SS product you are looking at rusting? Take a magent with you, if it tries to stick at all, it has too much iron and WILL rust.

Try it on some of the cheaper SS grills next time you are at a big box store, then try it on the higher line SS grills.