General Care
All the Redblock products are constructed out of sheet stainless steel, so you must treat them with the same care as any other stainless steel appliance in your home (like your fridge, dishwasher, etc).
As you are probably already aware, stainless steel will scratch if you drag anything abrasive across its surface. Most of you will have a clear example of this just by looking at your kitchen sink (also made of stainless steel).
To avoid this problem, you should simply avoid placing anything hard and rough (like unglazed ceramics, or rough metal objects, etc.) on any stainless steel surface.
Cleaning
To clean any stainless steel surface, your first step should always be a bit of scrubbing with a mild liquid dish detergent, warm water and a clean microfiber rag. To avoid scratching, always wipe in the direction of the grain (direction of striations).
To remove fingerprints, stains from oil-based skin care products, or if you simply want to brighten up the surface, we recommend a solution of *OxiClean be used.
Completely dissolve powdered OxiClean in a spray bottle and apply liberally, a few applications, over all surfaces, waiting a few minutes between applications. Use a clean microfiber rag to remove any soap scum residue and always rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Alternatively, you could use window cleaning spray, pure isopropyl alcohol, or acetone. Always rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Important Note about Chloride based Cleaners
Household bleach is the most common “chloride based cleaner” because it’s cheap, effective, and also kills bacteria and viruses.
But what many people don’t know is that these products are corrosive to metals (including shower fixtures made of chrome, nickel, stainless steel, etc.) and are strong oxidizing agents. This means they can cause metal to rust, and tile & grout to deteriorate with prolonged exposure.
Another problem is that many of these products don’t list “bleach” in their ingredients, and the chloride compounds are not easy to recognize. An example of this would be a popular foaming spray shower cleanser that contains sodium hydroxide (a component of bleach).
The safest option is simply to avoid using chloride containing cleaning products in the shower altogether. If you must use them, avoid leaving these products on any surfaces to avoid damage. After application, promptly clean surface and rinse thoroughly.
Also keep in mind that hard water can cause metal fixtures/trims to corrode (including stainless steel), but it’s more rare because a fairly high mineral concentration is usually required. A household water softener can be a great solution to this problem.
* OxiClean is a trademark of Church & Dwight Co., Inc.