Product Use & Care

A Guide to Use and Care for your Stella Stainless Steel Sink :

  • - The best method of preventative maintenance is frequent, regular cleaning. Cleaning on a regular basis is preferred to a major cleaning on a sporadic basis. Ensure that the sink is clean, dry and exposed to room temperature when not in use. Rinse and towel dry the sink after each use in order to minimize major cleanups, keeping it shiny and relatively free of water spots. This is particularly appropriate where water may have a high mineral content.
  • - Avoid using sink as a cutting surface and avoid setting hot pans directly into sink. Avoid dropping sharp objects into your sink, as this may scratch or damage the sink.
  • - Avoid using rubber mats or dish pans in the sink. Instead use stainless steel bottom grids. Bottom grids are available for many STELLA stainless steel sinks. These bottom grids protect the bottom of the bowl(s) from cutlery scratches, or marking from heavy kitchen utensils.
  • - Keep the sink fixture free of any standing water which may build up mineral deposits. The quality of your water can affect the sinks appearance and this water quality will vary from household to household.
  • - Should mineral deposit build up over time, use a weak solution of vinegar and water to remove the deposit, followed by flushing the surface with water.
  • - Sink strainer stopper has to be regularly checked as the top and bottom spin locks can get loose with usage. If the spin locks are loose tighten them with hand.

How to clean stubborn stains in your sink with a cleaner :

Pure stainless steel sinks, specially the sinks which are 16 gauge and 18 gauge sinks (Under mount sinks) reacts with the environment strongly than top mount sinks which are 20 gauge or 22 gauge. ( Low numbers means the thickness is less). When the thickness of the sink is greater, properties of stainless steel are greater as well. As a result thicker gauge stainless steel sinks gets a thin film builds up on the surface of the sink.

Initially this thin build up is not visible, but if regular cleaning is not done on a periodic manner, it could be visible over time as dull cloudy patches on the sink bowl surface. This is more visible on more gleaming, smooth surface sinks. Over time this builds up magnetic properties to attract tiny particles of metal kitchen utensils, metal pots and pans, which come off them with usage. The magnetic properties of the thin film that has got build on the surface of the sink bowl makes those metal particles get stuck to the surface of the sink bowls of the stainless steel sink. These tiny metal particles eventually will rust and make stain on the sink bowl.

When regular periodic cleaning does not remove stains on your sink, we recommend that you use “Flitz” metal cleaner and polish, to take out the stains of your sink. This will also, take out light scratches on the sink.

How to use “Flitz” metal clean and polish on your sink :

  • - Rinse your sink bowl well.
  • - Towel dry the sink bowl
  • - Apply a few spots (always start on small area of the sink bowl, instead of applying the paste on the entire sink bowl, and gradually move to another area of the sink bowl once you complete the area you first started ).
  • - Use a dry light color (preferably a 100% cotton cloth – static proof) to buff the spots of the paste. When buffing you should follow the grain of the steel. End of your cleaning you will see the light color cloth that you sue to clean the sink has become black color. This shows that you have successfully cleaned your sink. This process has taken away the thin layer that was covering your sink, together the rust spots if you had any.
  • - Once you complete buffing the sink take another clean cloth and wipe the sink thoroughly to remove any black sediments remaining on your sink.
  • - Finally rinse your sinks well, and you will be surprised to see how your stained sink has transformed into a gleaming sink, almost like brand new once again.