Does stainless steel rust?

Does stainless steel rust?

Isn’t stainless steel supposed to be stainless? As its name suggests, there is a type of steel resistant to rusting. However, this corrosion resistance does not last long; stainless steel does rust over time.

Many people don’t know how stainless steel exactly works, but it’s also important to know that just because it’s stainless doesn’t mean it’s already 100% resistant to corrosion.

On the other hand, there are a few ways to prevent stainless rust from rusting.

Stainless steel comes in a group of families where they are classified into five; austenitic stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, martensitic, duplex, and precipitation hardening.

Before it was known worldwide, stainless steel was named rustless steel.

So, does stainless steel rust?

Does Stainless Steel Rust? How to Clean

The professional look of stainless steel is nothing like any other appliances. Still, unfortunately, your stainless steel sink, for example, is rusted, and it won’t give off the pristine look it should.

A typical way to get rid of common rust is using baking soda and a brush, but this doesn’t always work like it’s supposed to.

The Crown Choice offers you the premium rust stain remover that removes any stain from most surfaces. The stainless steel corrosion you have been fearing will appear no more once this powerful cleanser is present in your household.

This multipurpose cleaner makes stainless steel as good as new. Forget about using steel wool because The Crown Choice Rust Stain Remover has you covered.

How to get the rust off stainless steel

Once a month, or two, you might spot rust formation along hidden parts of your kitchen sinks that leave unattended. For this situation, you will need common ingredients for homemade cleaning materials such as baking soda, vinegar, or any acid.

Don’t worry about scratching your sink because baking soda is a mild abrasive, meaning the corrosion is eliminated in a chemical-free way.

After mixing your 1 tbsp baking soda and warm water, rub the paste on the rust spot and rub gently with a damp microfiber cloth. Finally, rinse with warm water and wipe again with a wet towel.

This remedy is one of the best to make yourself when rushing to clean your new sink or any stainless steel surface because the more rust, the older your equipment seems to be.

How to clean rust off stainless steel

If you have a large area for cleanings, like a barbecue grill or a sink, get your gloves and brush and start scrubbing with The Crown Choice Rust Stain Remover.

For starters, apply a good amount of solution to the rusty part, and wipe gently to see the difference.

Anything that contains chloride will only damage the chromium oxide layer of the stainless steel surface.

What are stainless steel and rust?

Your stainless steel may be rusting because it contains chromium. When it comes into contact with oxygen, it creates a chromium oxide layer—rust forms when this layer is exposed to extreme temperatures or harsh environments.

Don’t worry about your stainless steel rusting because it will last over 50 years or even a century if you prevent stainless steel from other elements. The main components of stainless steel are derived from rocks, which makes them eco-friendly.

On the other hand, you can resist corrosion by keeping the surface dry. Protecting stainless from rusting by coating it with a rust-resistant coating such as grease, oil, or paint helps with corrosion resistance.

Rust will become visible on the surface of a standard metal in a few minutes, hours, or years when exposed to oxygen or water. Tiny steel particles will become visible within long exposure.

On the contrary, steel is a mixture of iron and carbon that causes it to rust, whereas stainless steel contains chromium, which forms a protective layer that provides corrosion resistance.

How to prevent stainless steel corrosion?

One of the reasons could be bimetallic corrosion which is two joining surfaces of dissimilar metals, by accident or by design. The corrosion speed depends on the metal types and how long it was exposed, but it usually takes a while to rust.

The best way to prevent this type of corrosion is by avoiding joining dissimilar metals permanently because some welding fillers conduct electricity in which elements react differently.

Strong chlorides also cause rusting in stainless steel. Some boats use stainless steel for construction and rust efficiently because of seawater or any body of water rich in salt.

The best way to prevent this localized corrosion is by controlling your stainless steel from coming in contact with chloride, specifically seawater. Alternatively, you can use stainless steel grades or a specialized coating for direct contact prevention with chloride.

How to make your DIY rust remover

Rust stain is very unsightly. Whether indoors or outdoors, the color of rust makes your equipment look older than it is.

For starters, you can’t always get rid of rust. However, you can clean rust with this method:

Use limes, lemon, or salt to scrub the rust away. They can eliminate rust in its early stages of development. Squeeze your lime or lemon on the rust and sprinkle a bit of salt; let it sit for about two minutes, and start scrubbing. Finish it by rinsing.

An alternative to lime and lemons is a paste made from tartar, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide. Put equal parts of baking soda and tartar in a bowl and a bit of hydrogen peroxide until it gives off a paste consistency. 

Limes and lemons have high concentrations of citric acid, but some citric acid products generally have lower concentrations of citric acid. Dipping a rusty iron in a citric acid solution chelates the iron oxide, giving you a piece of clean iron stain-free.

Using citric acid is also possible to clean your drains and pipes with hard water or metals containing calcium and magnesium.

Getting Rid of Stainless Steel rust

Unfortunately, stainless steel isn’t stainless at all. That’s why here at The Crown Choice, we offer you the best rust remover you can use for almost any surface. You may not get rid of rust completely, but if there’s a will, there’s a way to prevent it.