Installation Guide

Suggestions for the Care and Cleaning
of your Stainless Steel Sink
Soft Satin Finish
Elkay's soft satin finish is a non-dir ectional swirl finish.
Regular cleaning is important to maintain the appear-
ance of your Elkay sink.
Recommendations
for Proper Maintenance
• Do ... Use only a mild liquid dishwashing detergent
with a soft sponge to clean and then thoroughly rinse
the sink.
• Do ... Rinse thoroughly after each use. “Thorough”
rinsing can be done by running water for a few
minutes and rubbing the cleaned area with a clean
sponge.
• Do ... Towel dry after each use to prevent mineral
deposits from building up on the surface of the sink.
• Do ... Use an Elkay bottom grid to “protect ” the fin-
ish. Bottom grids can remain in the sink and will not
cause rusting or pitting.
• Do Not ...Allow soap or other household cleansers to
dry on the surface of the sink. Most brands contain
chemical additives which will affect the original finish.
• Do Not ...Use solutions of chlorine bleach and water
in the sink. Chlorides, which are found in most soaps,
detergents, bleaches, and cleansers, are very aggres-
sive to stainless steel. If left on the sink too long they
can cause surface pitting.
• Do Not ...Use a steel wool pad to clean your sink.
Steel wool pads have a tendency to break apart and
small particles of steel can become embedded in the
surface of the sink. The steel particles will rust and
will give the appearance that the sink itself is rusting.
• Do Not ...Use rubber mats or dishpans in the sink.
Leaving rubber mats or dishpans in the sink can lead
to surface rust or possible pitting. However, if you
insist on using mats or dishpans, please remove them
after each use.
• Do Not ...Leave wet sponges, cloths, or cleaning
pads on the sink. This can lead to surface rust.
Following these recommendations for the care and
cleaning of your stainless steel sink will insure that it will
provide you with many years of service.
Chlorides
Today, chlorides are found in most all soap, detergents,
bleaches and cleansers; chlorides can be appressive to
stainless steel. However, chlorides are very water solu-
able. Therefore, THOROUGH RINSING of your sink
after each use to remove any chloride residue and a
weekly cleaning is all that is required to keep your sink
looking bright and shiny.
Scratches
Like many metallic surfaces, your stainless steel sink
will scratch. These are merely usage scratches and
over time will blend into the overall finish of your sink.
Scratches in the sink bottom can be blended in using a
green Scotch Brite wipe pad - being sure to rub in the
swirl direction of the finish lines.
Knives
Your sink is designed to serve as many things but not
as a cutting board or chopping block. This type of use
will lead to deep scratches in the sink finish and will dull
your knives. Elkay does offer various cutting boards
which will provide an additional work area.
Water Quality
The quality of your water can affect your sink ’s appear-
ance. If your water has a high iron content, a brown sur-
face stain can form on the sink giving the appearance
of rust. Additionally, in areas with a high concentration
of minerals, or with over-softened water, a white film
may develop on the sink. To combat these problems,
we suggest that the sink be towel dried after use.
Foods
Heavy salt concentration or foods containing high
levels of salt should not be allowed to dry on the sink
surface. Rinse your sink thoroughly after use.