Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Cleaning a burned stainless steel surface

 

My stainless steel ware have been burn to black by careless. Is there any method that I can clean up the carbon or black color to normal stainless steel surface?

Christo Chow
QBC CCCC - Hong Kong

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Well, you can certainly abrade or grind the stain off. If you use steel wool, however, you risk imbedding small iron particles in the abraded surface which will hurt the corrosion resistance. You will need to remove the particles by acid etching (nitric or citric are most commonly used) or additional abrasion with a stainless steel pad. So you might consider using sandpaper rather then the more easily available steel wool, or wire brush.

Something I've never tried, so I don't know if it will work, would be to use an oxidizing flame- one with added air, to try to burn off the soot.

Good luck!
Lee Gearhart
metallurgist - E. Aurora, New York

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February 26, 2009

Dear Dean,
I came home this afternoon to find that my roommate had left a stainless steel pan on the stove with the flame on high. There was a smoky haze in the entire apartment and the air is making a metallic taste in my mouth. I have all the windows and fans on. It has been two hours and the haze has dissipated but the smell of burnt steel and the metallic taste remain. I am concerned about this damaging my lungs/brain cells,etc. And the dog, too. Are we in danger of any bad effects?

Thank you for your kind response.

Gail Gondek
- New York, NY, USA