True TAC-48 - Stainless Steel Equipment Care

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True Food Service Equipment, Inc.
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CAUTION: Do not use any steel wool, abrasive or chlorine based products to clean stainless steel surfaces.
• StainlessSteelOpponents
  Therearethreebasicthingswhichcanbreakdownyourstainlesssteel’spassivitylayerandallow  
corrosiontorearitsuglyhead.
1) Scratchesfromwirebrushes,scrapers,andsteelpadsarejustafewexamplesofitemsthatcanbeabrasivetostainless
steel’ssurface.
2) Depositsleftonyourstainlesssteelcanleavespots.Youmayhavehardorsoftwaterdependingonwhatpartofthe
countryyoulivein.Hardwatercanleavespots.Hardwaterthatisheatedcanleavedepositsiflefttosittoolong.These
depositscancausethepassivelayertobreakdownandrustyourstainlesssteel.Alldepositsleftfromfoodpreporservice
shouldberemovedassoonaspossible.
3) Chloridesarepresentintablesalt,food,andwater.Householdandindustrialcleanersaretheworsttypeofchloridesto
use.
• 8stepsthatcanhelppreventrustonstainlesssteel:
1. Usingthecorrectcleaningtools
  Usenon-abrasivetoolswhencleaningyourstainlesssteelproducts.Thestainlesssteel’spassivelayerwillnotbeharmedby
softclothsandplasticscouringpads.Step2tellsyouhowtofindthepolishingmarks.
2. Cleaningalongthepolishlines
  Polishinglinesor“grain”arevisibleonsomestainlesssteels.Alwaysscrubparalleltovisiblelinesonsomestainlesssteels.
Useaplasticscouringpadorsoftclothwhenyoucannotseethegrain.
3. Usealkaline,alkalinechlorinatedornon-chloridecontainingcleaners
  Whilemanytraditionalcleanersareloadedwithchlorides,theindustryisprovidinganeverincreasingchoiceofnon-
chloridecleaners.Ifyouarenotsureofyourcleaner’schloridecontentcontactyourcleanersupplier.Iftheytellyouthat
yourpresentcleanercontainschlorides,askiftheyhaveanalternative.Avoidcleanerscontainingquaternarysaltsasthey
canattackstainlesssteel,causingpittingandrusting.
4. WaterTreatment
  Toreducedeposits,softenthehardwaterwhenpossible.Installationofcertainfilterscanremovecorrosiveanddistasteful
elements.Saltsinaproperlymaintainedwatersoftenercanbetoyouradvantage.Contactatreatmentspecialistifyouare
notsureoftheproperwatertreatment.
5. Maintainingthecleanlinessofyourfoodequipment
  Usecleanersatrecommendedstrength(alkaline,alkalinechlorinatedornon-chloride).Avoidbuild-upofhardstainsby
cleaningfrequently.Whenboilingwaterwithyourstainlesssteelequipment,thesinglemostlikelycauseofdamageis
chloridesinthewater.Heatinganycleanerscontainingchlorideswillhavethesamedamagingeffects.
6. Rinse
  Whenusingchlorinatedcleanersyoumustrinseandwipedryimmediately.Itisbettertowipestandingcleaningagents
andwaterassoonaspossible.Allowthestainlesssteelequipmenttoairdry.Oxygenhelpsmaintainthepassivityfilmon
stainlesssteel.
7. Hydrochloricacid(muriaticacid)shouldneverbeusedonstainlesssteel
8. Regularlyrestore/passivatestainlesssteel
STAINLESS STEEL EQUIPMENT CARE AND CLEANING
MAINTENANCE, CARE & CLEANING