Guys, I fucked up. I have what was a beautiful two-tone colander that looked nice and retro, with a shiny red finish. After some use, there was a very tiny amount of rust showing in places around the rim, and my dumbass self decided to soak it in CLR like I do with anything metal that gets signs of rust. It didn’t occur to me that it would remove the gloss finish from the powder-coated enamel.
Now it looks and feels awful, like it has a dull, pink, rubbery coating instead of the beautiful glossy bright red finish of yore.
Is there a product I can use to polish it back to beauty? It wasn’t cheap and has been discontinued, so I’d like to restore it if possible.
I’ve searched online but my Google-fu isn’t worthy, apparently. Thanks in advance!
Rubbing compound? Obviously wash it thoroughly but standard polishing methods for powder coated surfaces should work.
Oh, like the kind for cars?
That’s a great idea, thanks! If it works, I can send it through the dishwasher a dozen times and it should be fine, right? It’s the outer coating and I don’t plan to lick it much.
Thanks for the suggestion!
If it’s already showing signs of rust, I would think twice about putting it through the dishwasher
The CLR did kill every sign of rust, so silver linings.
Removing existing rust isn’t the same as preventing future rust though. That it had rust at all indicates that whatever protective coating was there is no longer there. The dishwasher with likely accelerate the rusts reappearance
That’s a great point. The dishwasher itself isn’t usually the problem, though, right? It’s letting things air dry in there, so water sits in crevices. If you take things out immediately and towel-dry them, they’re fine.
I don’t typically wash things with metal crevices in the dishwasher because I’m too lazy to be hawkish like that, and cookware/lids and knives are strictly forbidden anyhow. If I have to work to restore this thing, I’ll never let it air dry again.
The hot wet environment will accelerate rust whether the water sits or not.
Le Creuset makes a cleaner for their enameled cast iron, but I don’t think it will do anything for a ruined finish. :(
https://www.lecreuset.com/cast-iron-cookware-cleaner/94001125001005.html
“enhancing the shine of the enamel.” 🤔
Oooh. Thank you!
Good luck on your journey. I don’t have anything contructive to say to help, but this is certainly a way in which I would fuck up and I hope you find an answer.
Google around for restoration services, I’m in south America so I’m no use to you but my sister had a couple of grandma’s pots restored. They basically sand blast them and re powder coat them
You could try to polish it.
I’m hoping to, thanks! I’m not sure what to polish it with, though, especially because it would have to be food-safe…
I’d start with a little area to see how it turns out.
Do not suggest. Oxalic acid is abrasive.
I have some of that, but I’ve had it dull proper enamel fired coatings before because it’s very abrasive, so I’m scared to try it on this.
It’s great for knives and other bare metals. I guess it can’t make it much worse, though, so I’ll try it in a small area, thanks for the suggestion!
Carnauba wax is food-safe, but non-abrasive, so it won’t smooth the now-etched matte surface, and it’s fairly soft, so not very durable. Many car waxes are based on it.
Thank you!
I wonder if a silicone oil could get some shine back as a last resort
