Split Non-Detergent Cleaning of Stainless Steel
Most of the labor required maintaining stainless steel is caused by the polish used to achieve a consistent appearance. Polish attracts dust and holds fingerprints, and is difficult to apply. Split! products work by micro-splitting all organic non-solid molecules to pieces, including stainless steel polish. Once the polish is removed, stainless is more resistant to fingerprints. Any that do show can be easily cleaned off, without the need to re-polish the entire surface for uniformity. Itdoesn’t need polish to protect it, its stainless steel!
Restorative or 1st Time Cleaning
Dilute Split! Restorative Cleaner at 16 oz per gallon of cold water in a small, open top bucket. Submerge a green microfiber wiper, and wring it out thoroughly.
Fill a second small, open top bucket with cold water. Submerge a blue microfiber wiper, and wring it out thoroughly.
Have available a supply of clean, dry microfiber wipers, any color.
Starting at the top and working down in a side to side motion, thoroughly wipe the polish off with the pre-wetted green microfiber wiper, turning it over and re-folding it as you go.
Then before that is dry, repeat the procedure with the pre-wetted blue (water only) microfiber wiper.
Then before that is dry, thoroughly wipe dry with a clean, dry microfiber wiper. Then fan the area with the dry wiper for a few moments. This causes the remaining moisture to evaporate, and lets you see if there are any spots that need touching up.
Re-submerge the green microfiber wiper in the solution and wring it out thoroughly.
Re-submerge the blue microfiber wiper in the water and wring it out thoroughly.
Repeat the above steps 4 - 6 on the next section of stainless steel. Maintenance Cleaning
Once stainless steel has been restored to its natural state by removing all polishes, one almost never wet cleans the entire surface again! Dampen a microfiber wiper with fresh water or Split! Non-Detergent Cleaner, wipe then dry only the hand prints or other spots. small areas to blend right back in.
Helpful Hints for 1st time or Restorative Cleaning
Use two different colors of microfiber wipers, as it is important to know which one has the cleaner on it. Split! looks and smells like water!
Only clean as large of an area as you can without it drying before you get back to rinse or dry it. For reference, the approximate size should be 1⁄2 to 1 elevator door.
On elevator doors, lock the elevator off when possible. When not possible, be careful to keep your fingers out of the crack where the door meets the frame, as the door opening could draw your fingers in.
On elevator doors, first clean the frame and the area around where the door meets the frame, over-lapping onto the door by 3 or 4 inches. Then when you do the door you won’t spread it back on the frame.
If you clean, rinse, dry, and fan an area, you may see small traces of remaining haze. (ghosts) Repeat the procedures only on these traces. Do not repeat the procedures on the rest of the area that already looks good!
Some (not all) stainless surfaces that are heavily textured may required a gentle scrubbing with a soft brush before the rinse wipe.
Stainless steel that is streaked by acid or heavily scratched or rubbed will show its damage more once the polish has been removed. Damaged stainless will either have to be replaced, accepted, or re-polished to help hide it.
Never launder micro-fiber products with fabric softener! Should your micro-fiber stop performing well, dunk it under water and see how long it takes to darken and absorb the water. It should happen almost immediately. If it takes 20 seconds or more it has been washed with fabric softener and will no longer work.
It is strongly recommended you remove all stainless steel polish from your facility closets to prevent anyone from re-applying it. If they do, you will need to repeat the restorative procedures above.