SEE3ER

anyone have a method to remove water spots from polished stainless steel items without scratching them?

0MikePhillips

Any pictures?
What exactly are you working on? Car parts? Boat parts?



Stainless steel is very hard so it's pretty hard to scratch it as long as you don't use abrasive polishes. A lot of light chemical cleaner only automotive paint cleaners should remove any "topical" stains.

If the stain you're trying to remove is not "topical", that is a substance sitting on the surface of the stainless steel, then it could be an "etching" and here's where you want to be careful.

What do you have for automotive polishes right now?


See if you have any light cleaner/waxes or light polishes for removing things like oxidation and test in an inconspicuous area...

Besides that, if the part is VERY important to you? (I don't know, you didn't say what it is), then Eastwood.com makes "Specific" products for restoring and maintaining stainless steel that auto restores have been using for decades.

If the part isn't that big a deal to you then use any old metal polish but test in an inconspicuous area first.

I type out very careful answers when I don't know what people are working on, what kind of value or rarity they have and how important or non-important they are.

SEE3ER

these are engine compartment dress-up pieces, polished stainless steel, (to look like chrome) and scratch VERY easily if not careful....

0MikePhillips

That's kind of what I expected but wasn't sure...

I've had a few experiences where people have taken HIGHLY polished engine parts and use a normal metal polish, like an aluminum polish and scratched the heck out of the part and then watched the anger and frustration take over the owner of the part.

That's why over the years I've learned to type out very CAREFUL and detailed answers because I have my own car projects to work on and I certainly don't want to pay to have your parts re-polished and a price that would probably be astronomical.

I've worked with a lot of car restores over the years and watched guys restore bent stainless steel trim into pieces that look as straight as the day they were new and have a chrome like finish on them, so I know what can be done and I also know this is a true art form.

If you want to do this yourself, then contact Eastwood.com I know they cater to the stainless steel market with products that are specific to stainless steel.

I'm confident that there are other products specific to stainless steel and maybe the first step would be to contact the manufacture of the parts you're working on and ask them what they recommend and let them know what the problem is as well as your concerns.

0MikePhillips

That actually doesn't sound like stainless steel?

But if that's the case then if anyone else chimes in and gives you a recommendation for a specific product, test in an inconspicuous are and be sure to get their personal guarantee the product they recommend won't scratch your specific components...

0Killrwheels@Autogeek

I had several high polished pieces on my previous C5 Vette, and remember the same issues. I use to use polishes from English Custom (do Yahoo Search) and then started coating with a pure sealant for protection. I always used the thickest and softest MF towel and was extremely careful by hand polishing only ...

I cannot guarantee same results, but as Mike offered above, always test in small area first.

0MikePhillips

I had a guy attend one of my classes years ago and he brought some type of gold plated part of his car, think it was the center cap to his wheels.

He used a popular brand metal polish on it to remove some scratches and no matter what he did he left scratches in the plating each time he rubbed on it.

I could understand his frustration as he couldn't find a way to safely work on his on car, or part of his own car.

I suggested visiting a jewelry shop.

What I didn't do is grab the piece and work on it because his frustration level was high enough that if I didn't make it better, I felt he would put the blame on me and I didn't want to buy him a new gold plated center cap.

I wrote an article years ago that explained that

I'll stand by that statement...

What it means to remove a scratch out of anything...

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