Summary for clean galvanized steel Discussion
Galvanized steel cleaning is the main issue in this restaurant thread: Tara W. says the inside wall panels look good but are hard to clean, especially in bathrooms where hard-water spots and cleaner residue leave a dull film. Tom Gallant’s practical advice is to ask the previous owner what was used, since the existing finish may be sensitive. Another answer warns that the white buildup may be zinc oxide and says acid or alkali cleaners can dissolve the zinc coating. Instead, the poster recommends using pumice or another soft abrasive to remove deposits, then painting any corroded areas. The caution is that if the zinc layer is damaged, the steel can corrode quickly. The discussion does not offer a clear protective topcoat for keeping the shiny look while allowing easy wipe-downs, but it strongly emphasizes avoiding harsh chemicals that attack galvanized surfaces.
Q. My friends and I recently acquired a restaurant. The previous owners used Galvanized Steel siding for the walls on the inside of the restaurant. It looks nice but is a real pain to clean especially in the bathrooms. I am no expert in metal so if you can help me please put it in simple terms. But my question is how do I get them clean? It looks like there may be a build up of hard water and some other cleaning solutions especially next to toilets. We have tried several cleaners some will get the spots off but leave behind a film that takes away the shine of the metal. Once we get them clean what do we put on the walls so that we can keep the nice look of the metal but be able to wipe them down?
Tara W.
restaurant – Lindsborg, Kansas, United States
2004
A. Ask the previous owner!
Tom Gallant
– Long Beach, California, USA
2004
A. DEAR SIR
THE WHITE STUFF WHICH LOOKS LIKE DIRT MAY BE ZINC OXIDE. CLEANING WITH ACID OR ALKALI MAY DISSOLVE YOUR ZINC, I WOULD ADVISE USING
pumice
⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link] OR OTHER SOFT ABRASIVE, AND TO PAINT CORRODED AREAS. OTHERWISE YOU’LL HAVE CORROSION OF THE STEEL VERY FAST.
GOOD LUCK
Khair Shishani
aircraft maintenance – Al Ain, UAE
2004