We often are asked about cleaning Stainless Steel and what the proper techniques and products are.
Hospital grade Stainless Steel is type 304 and can come in a variety of finishes, depending on the application and requirements of the product.
A high corrosion resistance and low carbon content are key factors that make Stainless Steel 304 suitable for medical applications over and above other grades of Stainless steel. The reassurance that medical devices won't chemically react with bodily tissue, cleaning products used to sterilise and the hard, reptitive wear that many medical devices are subjected to, means that Stainless 304 is the perfect material for hospitals, surgeries and paramedic applications.
When a general cleaning is required, using mild soap and water is recomended. Remember to dry the area off that you have cleaned as the water may leave deposits in the stainless steel. These deposits often have a similar appearance to corrosion but are simply an external build up of water minerals or detergents.
If you are cleaning for decontamination purposes, please refer to the chemical manufacturers recomendations for use. There are a lot different products available on the market today and we cannot recommend brands however, cleaners that have pumice type abrasives in are not recommended for use with Stainless Steel. Solvents may be used to remove excess tape or glue. Once the solvents are used, it is best to wipe the area down with standard cleaners to remove the residue from the solvent cleaners. Decontamination can be accomplished with a variety of cleaners. Alcohol based cleaners, mild bleach based cleaner and mild AHP cleaners can be safely used on Stainless Steel when the manufacturers instructions are followed.