Is your stainless-steel rusting? If so, read on

Have you noticed rust stains on your stainless-steel appliances? We here at ECOTEC have had a lot of enquiries about rust forming on commercial kitchen appliances. (We’ve heard it’s been happening a lot in domestic households too!)

Most customers are led to believe that it is the type of steel used in the manufacturing or fabrication process… this could have a part to play in it but during our investigations, we’ve found one common denominator in all cases – Chlorine Bleach! The most popular cleaning agent in all kitchens – commercial and domestic.

So, what can you do to fix it?

Contrary to what most people believe, stainless-steel whilst resistant to most stains, will suffer a degree of corrosion if the wrong chemicals are used. Put simply – stainless steel and bleach do not mix!

As you can see from the pictures the damage is reversible but only temporarily. ECOTEC can fully restore your commercial kitchen using a range of special cleaners that remove the rust and apply a passive coat to prevent the rust from returning. Find out more about this service here

Why does Stainless Steel Rust?

Stainless steel has a passive layer that can self-heal if there is enough chromium (the metal that makes it resistant to rust) available to react with oxygen to form another layer. However, if this no longer happens, you’re in trouble.

If we look at the composition of the atmosphere in most commercial kitchens, we can understand how this happens. Think about the dishwasher running all-day, or the combi oven cleaning – what detergents are used? Alkaline – which is a cleaning agent that contains potent bases such as potassium or sodium hydroxide(caustic). In a nutshell, Alkaline is an atmospheric recipe for disaster.

Our advice to prevent rusting?

1. Do not use Chlorine Bleach to clean your stainless steel… and this includes Milton!
2. Look for eco-friendly products to clean and sanitise your kitchen counters, canopies, etc.
3. Replace the caustic detergents in the dishwasher and other appliances; you can thank us later!

If you would like to find out more about how you can prevent rust forming on your commercial kitchen appliances, or indeed need to reverse the rusting process, then contact us today.

Check out www.ecotec.ie for more information.

While you’re here, why not have a read through some of our other blogs here? We’re adding new content so watch this space!

Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ecotec-gms | https://twitter.com/ECOTEC_GMS