how to remove small scratches from stainless steel?

Question

hi
i stupidly cleaned the hob on our range cooker with the green scrubby side ofa kirchen scourer. this has left lots of circle shaped scratches. will brasso be of any use to remove them, they are not deep, just very visible.

Answer 1

very fine steel wool

Answer 2

Chances of there being a clear coat over a stove top seems rather unlikely because of the heat factor. They do often put coating of fridges for people who can't live with fingerprints. Your kitchen is not a museum. Learn to live with it. Products like stainless steel were originally used in kitchens because they are sanitary and easy to keep clean. They will take on scratches and the first one may be really obvious because of that. Over time and with use your stovetop is going to see some wear (much more than a gentle rubbing of the finger). Eventually the scratches will all become a soft "patina" reflecting all the good times you've shared meals with friends and family.

Answer 3

If your finish is polished, (Mirror look) the repair must consist of polishing with automotive polishing compound. if the scratches are truly superficial, fine compound will do. Brasso will not be adequate.

If it is brushed, it will have a direction to fine lines that make up the look. You would use fine sandpaper to rub in the same direction as the original brushing. You need to match the brushing to the original. How fine a paper depends on the brush texture. If you start with 400 grit and the effect looks shiny, drop to 220. If it looks too dull, move to 600 grit. The paper to use is grey in color, and called wet-or-dry. Sand with very light pressure, using water to lubricate, and precisely in the direction of existing texture.

This is a job that may require you doing the entire surface in order to get a uniform appearance.

Answer 4

Use progressively higher number grades of wet and dry sandpaper. Start with about 320, 400, and finish with a 600 dry then wet. Finish with tooth paste applied with your finger (great fine abrasive) and then a good paste or car wax. DO NOT USE steel wool, it will impart steel fibers into the stainless and cause it to appear as thought it is rusting.

Answer 5

Actually there is a very easy solution. used it myself, go to a good hardware shop and buy a tin of grade 4000 valve grinding paste , a sort of grey paste looks a bit like jiff (with a diiferent colour of course) and the rest is a soft cloth and ellbowgrease , check your progress on a regular basis mind you, as otherwise you get rid of your circular scratches and have new longitudinal once. but i used this and it works like a dream

Answer 6

You could use a less abrasive cloth and then even less abrasive...finally rubbing with the likes of brasso to merge the area in, just like you would do when rubbing your paintwork down on the car.

Answer 7

Yo can try a fine grit polishing compound that is used on automotive paint , you can buy it a store that supplies automotive parts , paints , etc,. You can do it with finger muscle with cotton cloth , or you can use a polishing disk attached to a drill and buff it out .

Answer 8

scotch bright, use a light to medium grade. If i can remember i think the colour of the grade i used was grey.

Answer 9

you should be able to buy a stainless polish and you should be able to buff them out as long as they are just surface scratches

Answer 10

if its chrome chrome polish/cleaner should help make the scraches less noticable