Proper Care for Stainless Steel Truck Accessories

Whether it’s nerf bars, bed rails, a grille guard, rocker panels, or Truck Hardware mud flaps, taking proper care of your stainless steel accessories allows you to maintain the stainless steel shine years to come. But with prolonged exposure to things like salt water, salt from road surfaces, sulfides or other rusting metals even stainless steel with corrode, rust or stain.

It doesn't matter what vehicle you have, the rules of stainless steel care are universal. Let’s examine what ‘to do’ and ‘not to do’ when maintaining some of the shiniest attributes of your ride...

Chemicals To Avoid

When caring for stainless steel, there are certain cleaning solutions to absolutely avoid.

• Bleach: One of the world’s most popular cleaning agents is a definite no-no when it comes to stainless steel. Bleach can actually leave stains on stainless steel.
• Muriatic Acid or Hydrochloric Acid: This is another solution that leaves stains and marks behind wherever it comes in contact with stainless steel.

Scrubbers To Avoid

When scrubbing a stainless steel surface, you want to use a soft, clean cloth that won’t create scratching or leave particles in the steel that can rust and cause stains. With that in mind, here a few examples of items you do NOT want to use when scrubbing or cleaning your stainless steel truck accessories:

• Razor blades, scrapers, and putty knives
• Steel wool or any other highly-abrasive pad
• Excessively hard water (this can leave water spots)
• Rags that are oily or greasy

Doing It Right

For a spotless cleaning of your favorite stainless steel truck parts you have many options depending on the condition

• A soft cloth with water is the perfect place to start.
• When dirty and off-road jobs leave your truck more caked with mud or other residue, a mild detergent/dish soap can be used to lift stains that water cannot handle alone. Fingerprints and similar stains can be handled beautifully with Windex.
• As mentioned earlier in this article, hard water can leave spots behind. If this is a concern for you, a mix of one part vinegar to three parts water is enough keep you cleaning safely.
• Rusted stainless steel creates an unwelcome eyesore. A simple mix of one tablespoon baking soda and two cups of water can work wonders on rusted stainless steel. Scrub the solution onto the rust with a toothbrush. Simply let this set and wipe off.
• For really tough cleaning you can apply a stainless steel polish to the surface. Simply follow the instructions for the polish.

There are fewer material finishes more sparkling for your truck than stainless steel. Looking to add brilliance to your vehicle? SharpTruck has stainless steel accessories  ranging from grille guards to trim.

Questions? Contact the SharpTruck customer service team at 800-218-0609.