how do i clean a stainless steel frame?

[runner]

It's all very well having a fancy equilibrium stainless steel frame but I'm frightened to clean it!! I look on the net and the information is overwhelming....I appreciate that not many will have a stainless steel frame ( I presume titanium will have similar props)....It seems I just need to use a little diluted fairy washing up liquid....will that do? any other tips?

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Stainless steel? I don't think it would matter - isn't that the point of stainless steel? Tough as old boots.

 

[young Ed]

surely it's the same as any other frame?
they're all tough enough to withstand sponging down and they're all waterproof
Cheers Ed

 

[Vapin' Joe]

surely it's the same as any other frame?
they're all tough enough to withstand sponging down and they're all waterproof
Cheers Ed

As long as you remember to use cold water on carbon fibre. You don't want to melt it.

 

[young Ed]

As long as you remember to use cold water on carbon fibre. You don't want to melt it.

how hot would it really need to be to melt CF? i mean it can't be that bad, for example i doubt it melts in the rain!
Cheers Ed

 

[stumpy66]

I wash my titanium frame with car shampoo then spray some wd40 onto a cloth and go over the frame with it. Brings the frame up like new and removes any water marks etc from it

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Titanium and stainless steel are very different. Stainless steel is actually quite difficult to clean. It likes to take on mud stains (especially rusty-coloured mud due to its iron content) and will then turn a slight brown/yellow colour that may or may not bother you. Any steel in contact with the frame will leave a permanent rust mark if it does get wet or salty. Titanium doesn't stain like that.

If there's no paint over the stainless and the finish is not a fine sanded finish, an abrasive metal polish does the trick. However, if the finish is satin instead of Chrome-like, you easily polish out the satin finish and turn it chromish. Then you have to resort to a softer metal polish and lots of elbow grease.

Stainless isn't really a nice frame material from a keep-clean point of view.

 

[RebornBumbler]

"Shiny Sinks" should do a fair job

 

[Pale Rider]

If using a mildly abrasive polish you also need to take into account the grain of the stainless, apparently.

The DeLorean car had a stainless steel body which was notoriously difficult to look after.

There's some stuff about it under the 'body' tab of the wiki link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeLorean_DMC-12

 

[runner]

Titanium and stainless steel are very different. Stainless steel is actually quite difficult to clean. It likes to take on mud stains (especially rusty-coloured mud due to its iron content) and will then turn a slight brown/yellow colour that may or may not bother you. Any steel in contact with the frame will leave a permanent rust mark if it does get wet or salty. Titanium doesn't stain like that.

If there's no paint over the stainless and the finish is not a fine sanded finish, an abrasive metal polish does the trick. However, if the finish is satin instead of Chrome-like, you easily polish out the satin finish and turn it chromish. Then you have to resort to a softer metal polish and lots of elbow grease.

Stainless isn't really a nice frame material from a keep-clean point of view.

very informative YS...yes I can see if i look closely the mud stains you describe....but you need to look closely

 

[runner]

I wash my titanium frame with car shampoo then spray some wd40 onto a cloth and go over the frame with it. Brings the frame up like new and removes any water marks etc from it

yes the wd 40 has done a nice job...use a little to give a sheen after the shampoo (we look after our bikes better than our wives

 

[Vapin' Joe]

yes the wd 40 has done a nice job...use a little to give a sheen after the shampoo (we look after our bikes better than our wives

I don't think Mrs Runner would appreciate a rub over with WD40, unless you are into some serious $hit...

 

[Turbo Rider]

Washing up liquid has salt content in it & may scratch the frame.

 

[bpsmith]

I don't think Mrs Runner would appreciate a rub over with WD40, unless you are into some serious $hit...

WD40 has been used by people with poor knee joints to quite some success apparently.

I read an article a while back with 50 uses you didn't know about. Did my Leather sofa and it's the cleanest and softest it's ever felt.

Can't see why it wouldn't translate to the Mrs.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Washing up liquid has salt content in it & may scratch the frame.

The salt will be dissolved, besides, salt is much, much softer than stainless steel. However, salt is not good for most stainless steel. It causes it to crack.