Stainless steel sinks are exposed to abuse because they are used in high-traffic areas such as the kitchen. They are subject to scratches, burns, and other marks. While you may not be able to avoid all of these, you can take steps to remove burn marks from your stainless steel sink.
While it is uncommon to get burn marks on a stainless steel sink, it can happen. If you do get burn marks on your stainless steel sink, there are a few things you can do to remove them, and this is what this article is about.
So how do you get burn marks out of stainless steel?
The best and easy way to buff out stubborn burn marks is with a gentle abrasive pad or fine grit sandpaper. This will reveal a fresh layer of stainless steel underneath the burn mark to be consistent with the rest of the sink. If you have light burn marks, using baking soda and rubbing it in with a sponge will also do the trick.
Major burn marks unlike other forms of stains in your stainless steel sinks cannot be easily removed using the usual cleaning agents. This is because burn marks are usually caused by very high temperatures which end up searing the dirt or grease onto the surface of your stainless steel sink. As a result, you will need to use a more abrasive cleaning agent.
Let’s get into some details and know what happens when your stainless steel sink experiences burn marks and the step-by-step guide to removing burn marks from your stainless steel sink.
Causes Of Burn Marks On Stainless Steel Sinks
There are a few things that can cause burn marks on stainless steel sinks.
1. Soldering
I had a friend who had a terrible burn mark on her stainless steel sink because the plumber was soldering the copper fittings beneath the sink. The heat from soldering obviously rose and hit the bottom of the sink, leaving a burn mark from beneath the sink and was also very visible inside the sink.
Beneath the sink is not problematic because no one will bend down and take a good look. The inside of the sink is a different story as the burn mark will be quite visible at first glance.
2. Burning Things In The Sink
I know what you will be thinking. Why would someone deliberately burn stuff in their sink? But people do and it happens more often than you think, especially in the kitchen. For example, lighting a piece of paper to burn and dropping it in the sink to burn completely.
Or, worse still, people actually put lit cigarettes in the sink to extinguish them. The burn marks from these activities will be quite visible on the bottom and sides of the sink.
3. Putting Very Hot Pot In The Sink
This is a very common cause of burn marks in stainless steel sinks. We have all been there, taking the pot off the stove and forgetting that it is still very hot and we place it in the sink. Your sink will suffer light burn marks as a result. Burn marks from hot pots and pans may not be severe as those from burning things in the sink or soldering, but they will be visible nonetheless.
How To Get Light Burn Marks Out Of Stainless Steel Sinks
When you have light burn marks on your stainless steel sink as a result of putting hot pots in the sink or lit cigarettes, for example, you can use baking soda to get rid of it. Baking soda will be able to remove the burn marks in this instance because the burn marks are just superficial and haven’t damaged the sink material.
With its mild bleaching effect, baking soda will help to eliminate the burn marks and make them less visible.
Things You’ll Need:
- Baking soda
- Soft-bristled brush
- Microfibre cloth
Cleaning Process:
Step 1
Make a baking soda paste by mixing equal parts of water and baking soda. This should give you an even, consistent paste that is not so runny.
Step 2
Use the soft-bristled brush to apply the baking soda paste onto the stain and leave it for about 15 minutes to allow work its way into the burn marks.
Step 3
Using the soft-bristled brush, rub over the burn marks in the direction of the grain to get the stain off. You may need to apply some elbow grease to get stubborn stains off.
Step 4
Rinse the area with clean water and dry it off with a microfiber cloth. Your light burn marks should now be gone.
How To Get Severe Burn Marks Out Of Stainless Steel Sinks
Severe burn marks are those that cannot be removed using just baking soda or any other regular cleaning products. The marks are damage to the surface of the sink material and you will need to use a more abrasive cleaning agent to get that layer of burn off.
Things You’ll Need:
- Fine grit sandpaper
- Soft cloth
- Soft sponge
- dish soap
Cleaning Process:
Step 1
Start by using fine-grit sandpaper to gently remove the burn layer from the surface of your stainless steel sink. When sanding, it is very important to sand along the grain and not against it.
What I mean by along the grain is that every stainless steel sink has finished lines that go in one direction. You can easily see it with your eyes. When sanding, you want to go with those lines and not against them.
As you keep sanding the sink, it will slowly start cutting into the top surface and you should begin to see some shine on it and the discoloration disappearing.
Step 2
After you are done sanding, use a soft cloth to wipe away any dust particles that may be left on the sink.
Step 3
Now, using a soft sponge and some dish soap, gently scrub over the entire sink to remove any residue from the sanding process. Then rinse the sink with clean water and wipe dry with a soft cloth.
Your burn marks should now be gone and your stainless steel sink will look good as new.
How To Prevent Burn Marks On Stainless Steel Sinks
Unlike scratches on stainless steel sinks that can develop over time with use, burn marks are 100% preventable if you don’t do the things that lead to them in the first place. Here are some tips on how to prevent burn marks from happening in your stainless steel sink.
- Never put hot pots or pans in the sink. Always use a pot holder or trivet to place them on. Before you put pans or pots in the sink, make sure they have cooled down completely.
- Don’t burn anything in the sink. This includes cigarettes, candles, or anything else that can burn. If you need to burn papers, do it outside in a metal bin. Don’t use your sink as a tool to extinguish cigarettes.
- Finally, try as much as possible to keep direct heat sources away from your stainless steel sink.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it. Having burn marks on your stainless steel sink doesn’t mean the end of the sink. There are ways to get rid of them and even prevent them from happening in the first place. Just follow the tips and tricks discussed in this article and you’ll be just fine.