How to clean anodized stainless steel?

Stainless steel is a metal that has its own shine, but with daily use, it can be lost. Therefore, for this metal to regain its natural shine, it is important to keep in mind how to clean it, taking into account a homemade trick.

Clean anodized stainless steel

The stainless steel anodizing process is a relatively simple electrochemical process. The stainless steel base with which it makes the pan, pot, or any other utensil is immersed in a bath of sulfuric acid and then subjected to electric shocks. During the process, the ions that form the stainless steel are exposed to oxygen and oxidize, forming stainless steel oxide (alumina). The acid bath cools to 0 ° C and is passed an electrical current of 6000 A and 20 V. This causes the stainless steel surface to quickly anodize and become very hard in a matter of seconds. The hardness reached, according to some sources, doubles the hardness of stainless steel.

The natural oxide layer of the base stainless steel is increased up to 1000 times, forming a very thick protection layer. Stainless steel acts as an anode in the electrical circuit and hence the process is known as anodizing (it can be applied to other metals although the anodizing of stainless steel is the most common).

Types of scratches

It is important that you know the three types that exist:

Micro scratches:  The damage is caused by not washing and drying the car properly.

Slight scratches: It has only reached the transparent layer or the color layer. You will appreciate them in a simple way.

Serious scratches: They are the deepest scratches and are identified because you can see another color or the car’s own steel. They are those that are seen from afar and that it costs a world to repair from home, although it is not impossible.

Anodized Stainless steel Colors

To anodize stainless steel of a certain color, one of these four methods must be applied:

Electrolytic staining: the metal is immersed in a bath containing inorganic metal salt. The color depends on the metal used and the processing conditions.

Integral coloration: combines anodized and colored to form the oxide cell wall in bronze and black tones.

Organic stain: This process produces anodized stainless steel, a wide variety of vibrant colors with intensities.

Staining by interference: It involves the modification of the structure of the pore produced in sulfuric acid.

The deposition of the metal in the pore produces fast light colors ranging from blue, green, and yellow to red. Anodized colors are caused by optical interference effects.

Sealed

This process closes the pores in the anodic film, giving a surface resistant to stains, abrasion, cracking and color degradation.

Quality control ensures uniformity of end product specifications for film thickness, density, abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, color uniformity, resistance to fading, reflectivity, image clarity, properties insulators, adhesion and sealing.

Anodized stainless steel and its uses

– Anodized Stainless steel is used in the extracted profiles for construction and architecture.

– Although it has been developed for more than 5 decades, its diffusion has been accentuated in recent years as an instrument in architectural profiles due to the fact that the anodic thin layer gives it strength and hardness, generating good resistance against corrosion. Therefore it transforms it into a material that does not change over the years.

– That is why its application is very broad, but it is used especially in important projects such as the construction or architecture of schools, hospitals, hotels, offices, among other constructions.

Pure:

– Pure stainless steel is achieved after bauxite has been processed, resulting in a soft, electrically conductive material without reaction to magnets and easy to alloy with other strong metals.

– However, pure stainless steel is not useful for the industry due to its low resistance. That is why the industry creates a light type with the necessary resistance for manufacturing.

– In this way, it gives rise to anodized stainless steel, which after the oxidation process achieves a hard and lightweight type without conductivity.

– In general terms, the process gives you protection. After stripping the extrudate, on contact with the environment, it naturally forms a thin film of oxide “stainless steel oxide” with few protective properties.

– With the anodizing process, it is possible to artificially obtain thicker oxide films with superior protection properties, which is possible from electrolytic or chemical processes. With an artificial process, thicker films are achieved in the protection treatment.

– In the case of extruded stainless steel, it is a stainless steel alloy in the form of a roll, bar or ingot, obtained from an extrusion process.

– The metal is placed in a chamber to apply heat and pressure, shaping the metal according to the shape of the chamber. The alloys are created with manganese, magnesium, copper, and zinc. They are lightweight alloys that retain the conductivity of the metal.

Care and cleaning

The care necessary to maintain the pots and pans of anodized stainless steel is quite simple. Manufacturers recommend soaking them in warm soapy water and using a soft sponge or scouring pad to remove food debris. In the case of burnt food or other difficult stains, you can use metal scouring pads. The surface is hard enough to withstand it, although you should only do so when strictly necessary. Although anodized stainless steel frying pans are not easily damaged, they may lose their luster and finish if subjected to repeated abrasive treatments.

Some manufacturers do not recommend it for some specific products that have less resistant zones; for example, the plastic handles of an anodized frying pan may not withstand the high temperatures of machine washing well. It is always best to wash pots and pans by hand.