Removing rust from stainless fridge

[Wharf Rat]

Originally Posted by TheBeard

It's true. If stainless steel didn't rust, it'd be nifty for use inside the body (pins, artificial joints, etc.) Unfortunately, it will oxidize inside the human body.

I'm not picking on this post in particular, but it is a good starting place for trying to summarize the correct info that is sprinkled throughout this thread.

The discussion here is being hampered because "rust" is a laymen's term for one particular form of corrosion. Steels (not stainless) are susceptible to a general surface corrosion which forms iron oxide. That's the reddish-brown stuff we call "rust."

Stainless steel forms a very thin oxidation layer on surface which "passivates" or protects the metal from further general corrosion. The layer is kinda fragile, so it can get disrupted by fingerprints, water drops, etc. These can be removed with common stainless cleaners.

Stainless can corrode in other ways. It is susceptible to pitting corrosion caused by chlorides like the salt in your sweat. See the photo of the pistol trigger guard in a previous post.

I'm an appliance engineer and I can tell you stainless appliances sell well, at a premium price. But, I wouldn't recommend them to a friend unless they were prepared to constantly polish and polish them. They aren't practical in a kitchen environment.