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Strange particles on stainless steel refrigerator not related to surrounding environment

Q. My situation: We have a second home in Myrtle Beach, SC area. We are not here all of the time. We were gone about three weeks. When we came back, our stainless steel refrigerator was covered in particles that were the consistency of fine / medium grit sand. I cleaned them off with a Weiman Stainless Steel cleaner cloth. Within about 30 minutes the particles started reappearing. Not quite as many, but a lot! They were in the door, in the gasket, on the outer edge of the shelves and the sides of the refrigerator. I thought it was from something in the kitchen, but they were not on any other item. I've cleaned it off about five times since we arrived yesterday. Last night I covered the front of the refrigerator with plastic. The outside of the plastic was clean; however, the exterior of the refrigerator doors were covered in the same particles. When I've wiped them across the surface of the door, they appear to be a waxy yellowish brown color. I was wondering if I've been using the stainless steel cleaning wipes too much, so I used clorox wipes to try to see what happens. One thing to note, after each cleaning I went over the refrigerator with a soft cloth in the direction of the finish. After each cleaning less and less particles return. What can it be?

Linda Simmons
just a homeowner looking for a solution - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA
July 1, 2018

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