Regular maintenance of your stainless steel products is the best way to ensure its longevity. Although in theory Stainless Steel doesn't rust, it can be susceptible to tea staining, chemical stains or rust if not treated correctly.
Tea staining of steel occurs where water with a significant chloride content is in regular contact with the metal surface. This is a common occurrence along the coastal fringes of Australia, and in the interior where high groundwater salinity exists and is used on or around metal surfaces.
Although an unsightly problem, the corrosion usually does not penetrate into the steel, and does not affect the structural integrity, or the longevity of the material.
Miami Stainless only supplies high quality stainless which, in normal conditions, should not rust. Rust could occur in extreme marine environments, exposure to very high or low temperatures or when the product has been damaged. The best prevention of rust is regular maintenance and preventing damage or exposure to harmful chemicals and salts.
But remember..... not all stainless steel is created equally. If you buy poor quality you have a high chance that the product will rust, no matter how well you maintain it. See below an image of a poor quality (NOT OUR PRODUCT) that began rusting within 6 weeks of installation.
Maintenance and cleaning methods that you use for your specific steel wire product will be determined by the application that it is being used in. For instance, steel wire used in a balustrade will require slightly difference maintenance to a steel wire used in marine applications. If you aren’t sure about the ongoing maintenance of your steel wire product, contact one of our friendly staff for advice.