If you own a restaurant, you've probably invested a lot of time and money into your equipment. The last thing you want is to have them wear out before their time. One way to protect your investment is to provide proper care of your valuable restaurant equipment. This is especially true of your stainless steel equipment. Here are four tips that will help you to care for your new stainless steel restaurant equipment. 

Use the Right Detergent

If you've purchased stainless steel equipment for your restaurant kitchen, you need to take care when you do your cleaning. You should never use harsh chemical cleaning solvents on your stainless steel equipment. Instead, use a mild detergent each time you clean your equipment. Warm water and a small amount of mild detergent will keep your equipment clean and sanitary. 

Watch the Way You Wipe

If you have stainless steel equipment in your restaurant kitchen, it's important that you watch the way you wipe. Before you start cleaning your stainless steel equipment, take a close look at the grain. When you clean your equipment, you want to go with the grain. Get your cleaning cloth wet and wipe with the grain of the stainless steel.  You'll want to do the same thing when you dry your equipment as well. Going against the grain will damage the finish on your stainless steel equipment. 

Go Over the Caked-On Mess

If you're like most busy restaurants, cleaning can get away from you during the rush hour. When that happens, you can end up with a caked-on mess on your equipment. If that happens, you want to remove the mess as quickly as possible. But, you don't want to scrub the spots with harsh cleansers and stiff-bristled brushes. Instead, you want to use baking soda and a soft cloth to clean the mess. Use baking soda and water to form a light paste. Apply the paste to the caked-on food, and allow it to set for several minutes. Wipe the area with a wet cloth, and dry as usual. You'll get rid of the caked-on food, without ruining the finish on your stainless steel equipment. 

Always End With a Good Rinse

Finally, when it comes to keeping your stainless steel equipment spotless, always end with a good rinse. Soap residue can ruin the finish. Unfortunately, if you don't rinse your equipment thoroughly after each cleaning, you'll leave a soapy residue behind. To avoid the soapy residue, rinse your equipment with clear water until all the soap is removed.

Contact a company like Hy-Point Restaurant Equipment & Supplies Inc. for more information about stainless steel equipment.