Repairing Scratched Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is an extremely popular choice among homeowners today, and can be found in many homes across the country. As such, stainless steel get's a lot of use, and can frequently become damaged in some way. One of the more common ways for stainless steel to become damaged is by getting scratches in it.

When faced with a problem such as this, you really only have two or three choices. The first lies in simply living with the problem. This isn't a very attractive choice since it can lead to an ugly sink or appliance, and potential health problems in the case of sinks. The second choice is replace the scratched stainless steel. While this is the easiest of solutions, it is also potentially the most expensive of your options. Your third option is to repair the scratches that are there. Repairing scratched stainless steel is a relatively easy and inexpensive method for restoring your stainless steel items back to their former beauty. Simply follow these instructions, and your stainless steel will begin looking good once again.

• Purchase materials. Head to your local supermarket, department store, or home improvement store and purchase some chrome polish. While this polish is geared primarily towards a different type of metal than steel, it will work wonders in this situation. While most types will work quite well, be sure that you ask one of the clerks for their advice on which ones they believe will work best.
• Read and fully understand. Once you have purchased your chrome polish, make sure that you take some time to read the instructions carefully. Do not read the instructions lightly, but rather study them as if you were studying for a test. The reason for this is that you are basically going to be taking a test, if you fail then your stainless steel will still be scratched and look the same as it did.
• Apply. Once you understand the directions, and feel comfortable with going forward, it is time to apply the polish. Follow the directions carefully, and scrub the scratched area of the stainless steel. Keep buffing the area until you feel that you have possibly removed the scratches, however be careful that you are not using anything that is too abrasive or you may end up creating more of a mess.
• Clean and inspect. After applying the polish, and buffing the area, begin cleaning off the affected steel using some water and a damp soft sponge. You may need to use a bit of elbow grease when you are doing this, but you need to get everything off of the sink. When the polish has been completely removed, inspect the area closely to ensure that you have removed all of the scratches.
• Repeat as necessary. When you are finished inspecting the stainless steel, you may find that you still have a few scratches. If you do, don't worry. Simply repeat the cleaning process again until you have completely repaired your stainless steel.