The general terminology, prevention is better than cure is applicable not only to human beings but also to stainless steel. Stainless steel has to be handled carefully and must be kept clean to increase its service life. The following precautions should be taken while using stainless steel.

The following points may be positively taken care of

• Keep SS with original cover or wrapping till the start of fabrication.
• Keep material indoors, in racks or wooded shelves and for enhanced performance keep the items covered.
• It is advisable to keep SS far away from carbon steel. Fine particles of scale from carbon steel fabrication or fragments of other metals may come in contact with SS and lead to local rust spots.
• Avoid walking on SS with dirty shoes or dirty industrial boots.
• Use clean glove or clean cloth while handling SS.
• Remove residues of other material from fabricating equipment before taking up SS fabrication.
• Use paper or other protective coverings to protect SS surface during storage and fabrication.
• Tools like cutting shears hold down pads, abrasive cut off wheels, equipment for roll forming, bending, drawing etc should either be used exclusively for SS or should be wiped to make them free from adherent mild steel particles or oil, grease etc. Do not use the same grinding wheels for SS and carbon steel.
• Sources of carbon contamination like oil, grease, varnish, paint, wax, marking pen and other foreign material should not be brought in contact with SS.
• Do not allow chemicals or bleaching agents to remain in prolonged contact with stainless steel.
• Edges of thermally cut SS should be cleaned by machining or grinding to remove surface contamination.
• Weldments with heat tints should also be cleaned either mechanically or chemically or electrochemically.
• Clean grinding wheels should be used to remove the weld spatter.
• After cleaning and grinding, weldments should be passivated and smoothened.