Need help with cleaning Stainless

[Yambor44]

This is what I'm trying to clean. I have no idea what it is.

This is what I have tried thus far -

Thank you.

Rob

 

[jimsbarbecue]

I would ask MAK Daddy if he has some ideas

 

[scooter]

Where you able to make a dent in it with the bar keepers friend? Those areas that look cleaner that what surrounds it, is that from a cleaner you tried or was it just the pattern of what ever was sprayed onto the SS?
We had something similar happen to our stainless comp cookers when someone sprayed cleaner on them and left it there. Chris was able to remove it after using a certain product not before trying everything else with no results. I'm texting him now to find out what he used.

 

[Yambor44]

Scooter,

No dent. Started that way. Each time I tried to clean it it came back exactly like that. Maybe I sprayed some cleaner on it while still hot. Don't remember.

 

[MAK DADDY]

Not sure what that is I have never seen one like that before.
At this point I would get a red scotch brite pad and work with the grain of the material.

 

[scooter]

Chris said he used Bar Keepers Friend liquid. Like MAK DADDY said, work with the grain.

 

[KyNola]

Is it possible you put your cover back on before the grill had a chance to cool down properly or perhaps had a fire in your grill?

 

[TrickyDick]

It seems that the passivated layer of metal has probably been damaged. There is a way to repassivate stainless steel, which I think requires removing the topmost layer with an abrasive, and then treating chemically, which I think can be done with bar keepers friend formulated into a paste ( or use the liquid form ). You can try to google it for a better description, and I am not a metallurgist by any means. This topic has come up from time to time on my homebrew forum from guys who scorch their stainless steel brew pots with high btu gas burners (50-100kBTU). I think it can require multiple steps to get the I think Nickel oxide? Layer reformed? I'm just guessing now, but Google is your friend. Can also shoot over to homebrewtalk.com and see what has been recommended to the guys who've scorched their brew kettles...

What does the inside look like? I'd question a fire inside also.

Good luck.

TD

 

[Yambor44]

I am also a homebrewer and frequent HBT. I've been using stainless in my brewing and grilling for about six years now and have never encountered anything like this. I have cleaned with the liquid BKF as well as the powder in both applications and it has always worked.

The only thing I can think of is putting a cleaner on it while cooling down but maybe it wasn't cool enough? I'm certain there was not a fire in the pot after I put the cover on. I'm pretty anal about unplugging the unit after it shuts down and then letting it cool all the way down to cold before putting the cover on. Usually hours or even the next day if it is too late. I also will not put a cover on a wet or dew covered grill.

I'll try the white scrub pad with the grain and see what I get and report back. I picked up another brand of SS cleaner from a commercial place the other day and will give it a try before the pad just to see. I hope the finish isn't damaged. It doesn't change how the unit cooks but I don't like how it looks.

 

[Salmonsmoker]

I thought I posted yesterday about re-passivating, but can't find it anywhere, so maybe I didn't post it after typing it out. In short, Five Star Chemicals has a product called Acid #5 that's for passivating. It was only available to commercials accounts(brewers etc.)but at the 2012 NHC in San Diego I talked to the 5-star rep and he said it was being made available to homebrewers in smaller quantities. If you need to go that route, you might be able to find it through your local HB supplier.

 

[Kite]

To clean my stainless pots and pans I use a baking soda/water solution and heat it on the stove for a few minutes. You could get the grill hot and then soak a towel with the solution to keep it on the lid for a few minutes. It works wonders on pans...

 

[TrickyDick]

Thanks for the info on the acid #5. I think the BKF will do it too, but just takes (a lot) longer.

Let us know what ends up happening. I'll try to show your pics to a buddy of mine who works with steel and stainless for a living. See what he says. It looks very unusual. No fire huh? I'm totally stumped as to what happened. Give the white scrubbie a shot and see what happens.

TD

 

[Yambor44]

Kite, what ratio on the baking soda/water?

 

[SHarpGator]

Just wondering how this story ended......


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[TrickyDick]

Was talking to Bruce ? at MAK and he said several customers raving about clean and perfect cleaner which uses enzymes. Intended for patio furniture. I bought some but haven't tried it out yet. Was told that works great for cleaning stainless.