Due to its sleekness and shiny appearance, stainless steel is the most preferred material for kitchen appliances like sinks, stoves, range hoods, fridges, and microwaves.
It is also water, heat and stain resistant and this makes it an ideal material for kitchen appliances. However, it is still prone to scratches since it is always in contact with hard items such as pots and cutlery. The good news is that you can remove the scratches with these easy and simple steps.
Determine the Direction of the Grains
First, you have to determine the direction of the grains on your stainless steel range hood. The reason for this is that you should always buff in its direction. Scrubbing the surface against the direction of the grains does not remove the scratches; it instead causes more scratches, making the situation even worse. You can determine their direction by looking closely at the surface of the range hood or even touching. They feel like rough lines going from one direction to another.
Wipe Off Dirt and Dust
Dust from the floor settles on the range hood surface when it is shaken off. Before you begin buffing the surfaces, ensure to clean the range hood so that you can see the scratches. You can do this by using a spray bottle with warm soapy water and a soft cloth and let the surface sit for 30 minutes to allow the solution to dry. However, if the range hood is clean already, then you can jump right into the job of scratch removal.
Mix the Removal Compound
Scratch removal compounds come in a wide variety including solution and powdered forms. If it comes in powdered form, ensure to first mix it thoroughly with enough water to make a thick even paste. If it comes in solution form for example comet, revere, and copper stainless steel cleaners, then you can go ahead and get started on the job. Ensure to have a spray bottle with water to dampen the cloth each time it gets dry.
Buff with a Microfiber Cloth
Using a painting brash, apply the evenly mixed scratch removal compound all over the surface of the range hood. Then use a soft microfiber cloth to scrub back and forth until the scratches come off. This is one stage where you will be required to involve some muscle and practice lots of patience. However, you can never know if the scratches are gone until you wipe off the scratch removal compound.
Clean the Surface
Using a different piece of microfiber, wipe off the scratch removal compound or solution from the surface of the range hood. You will notice that most of the scratches are now gone. If there are still scratches left on the surface, apply some more paste of the scratch removal compound and repeat the buffing steps. If the scratches persist, then it means they are deep and this situation calls for a different approach. You realize that the above process was meant for mild scratches and we used soft microfiber. We did that because using a rough scrub pad on fine scratches will only increase instead of removing them.
Deep Scratches
Most scratch cleaning kits come with a cleaning compound and some abrasive pads. It is important to check the grade of stainless steel used to make your range hood to know which kit is best for it. They also have clear and easy steps of cleaning the scratches so this should be easy. Alternatively, you can sand the surface with wet sandpaper. Wet sandpaper is recommended because a dry one will only make scratches worse. As you do this, be ensure to be gentle and follow the direction of the grains to avoid scratching the surface further.
The above process may not necessarily make your range hood shine and sparkle like it was when buying it, but will help maintain its sleekness for a couple more years to come. However, you should be taking the right steps to protect the stainless steel on your appliances from scratches. Avoiding abrasive items such as cutlery and cleaning it with soft cloths can go a long way in protecting your stainless steel range hood from scratches and keep it sleek and sparkling as if it were new.