Rust
On Stainless Steel
(Oh my God. . . !)
Walter J. Sperko, P.E.
Sperko Engineering Services, Inc.
4803 Archwood Drive
Greensboro, NC 27406 USA
www.sperkoengineering.com
336-674-0600
FAX 336-674-0202
Walt@sperkoengineering.com
Rust on Stainless Steel
Rust on stainless steel is ugly. Rust on stainless steel raises a lot of questions. Is the
steel really stainless steel? If it’s stainless, why is it rusted? Where does the rust
come from? Will it continue to rust? Will it spread? Will it cause other forms of at-
tack like pitting or stress-corrosion cracking? See Figure 1 for some ugly rust on
stainless steel.
This paper addresses these questions for rust that occurs on a tanks, vessels, piping,
etc. that is made from austenitic stainless steel such as Type 304, 304L, 316, 316L,
321, 317, etc. It covers the sources of rusting, the effect of rust on the performance of
stainless steel and methods of prevention and removal of rust on those materials. It
distinguishes between rust that is found on external surfaces of that are exposed to
the atmosphere, including rain, condensation, fog, etc. but are dry most of the time
and interior surfaces, particularly those that are wetted, where the consequences of
rust depend on service conditions. For continuously wetted surfaces, acceptance crite-
ria should not only address rust but also foreign material contamination, weld oxides,
spatter, undercut, surface gouges, and heavy grinding marks.
The following is presented as the opinion of the writer based on common applications
of stainless steel. Each application should be evaluated and appropriate cleaning
methods should be specified based on the expected service conditions and experience
of the purchaser and his engineer with those service conditions.
Background: What Makes Stainless Steel “Stainless?”
Stainless steels are corrosion resistant because there is a high percentage (16 to 36%)
of chromium (Cr) is present in these steels. This element is present in sufficient
quantity, that, when exposed to oxidizing media (acids, caustics, water, air, etc.), it
forms a thin, tightly-adhering and impervious oxide layer (predominantly CrO) that
stops further corrosion. In this sense, stainless steels are very much like aluminum in
that aluminum also forms an oxide layer that prevents further corrosion of the alumi-
num. An aluminum oxide layer is different from that which forms on stainless steel
because it can become thick enough to form a glassy surface on aluminum that has
been exposed to the atmosphere for many years; the oxide layer on stainless steel nev-
er gets so thick that it becomes visible to the unaided eye.
While austenitic stainless steels also contain considerable nickel (8 to 25%), it is the
chromium that is responsible for formation of the oxide layer that prevents corrosion.
The chromium must be dissolved uniformly in the steel’s matrix of iron in order for
the steel to become “stainless.”
What Causes Rust on Stainless Steel Surfaces?
Rust is formed on the surface of stainless steel when a condition develops in which the
metal molecules at the surface are not sufficiently alloyed with chromium to create or
Sperko Engineering Services, Inc. © February 21, 2023 Page 2 of 9
Rust on Stainless Steel
maintain the required oxide layer. Contrary to popular opinion, surface rusting does
not occur when stainless steel is “sensitized” since the bulk of the metal has adequate
chromium to prevent surface rusting; sensitized stainless steel only corrodes along the
grain boundaries. Rusting phenomenon discussed in this paper is a surface phenom-
enon only.
The simplest condition under which rusting can occur on stainless steel is when a
piece of ordinary carbon or low-alloy steel is rubbed against the surface of an other-
wise corrosion-resistant piece of stainless steel. See Figure 1. The iron from the ordi-
nary steel will rub off onto the stainless steel surface as a film of unalloyed steel, and,
after exposure to moisture in the atmosphere for a few days, that unalloyed steel film
will form ugly rust. This happens because the unalloyed steel film on the stainless
steel has little or no chromium, so the film transforms to ordinary “red rust”. Once
the shallow film of iron that has “contaminated” the stainless steel surface has oxi-
dized, corrosion stops provided the stainless steel surface remains exposed to the at-
mosphere and is not wetted on a nearly continuous basis. The rusted surface looks
bad, but, the chromium in the stainless steel under the rust film forms a suitable cor-
rosion-resistant oxide layer, and further corrosion does not continue once that film of
unalloyed steel turns to rust.
When ordinary steel is rubbed off on stainless steel, the material which is transferred
to the stainless steel is generally referred to as “free iron.” This kind of “contamina-
tion” of stainless steel is also known by the misnomer of “carbon contamination.” This
term is a misnomer because it is not the carbon that causes the corrosion but the un-
alloyed iron from which the steel is made.
Corrosion of “free iron” on stainless steel is always faster than corrosion of the unal-
loyed steel itself because the free iron “contamination” is anodic to the stainless steel,
so it corrodes to protect the stainless steel, just like zinc corrodes to protect carbon
steel when zinc is used as galvanizing.
A second means of forming a rust film on stainless steel occurs during welding when
using a process that depends on flux for shielding, such as SAW and GMAW using
flux-cored wire. These fluxes tend to be easy-to-remove or self-peeling, and, although
the weld surface may look clean, there is a thin residual layer of iron-rich material on
the surface. This layer rusts easily if the weld metal surface is not abrasively or
chemically cleaned after welding. The nature of this rust is similar to that formed by
contact contamination as discussed in the above paragraph.
Effects of Rust on Stainless Steel Surfaces
On surfaces that are constantly wetted by mildly corrosive media, corrosion in the
form of pitting can occur under “free iron” deposits which have oxidized. This almost
never occurs on the outside surface of piping since the pipe is normally not wet. The
Sperko Engineering Services, Inc. © February 21, 2023 Page 3 of 9
Rust on Stainless Steel
writer knows of no occurrence of pitting or other corrosive attack occurring under a
rusted area on piping or vessels where the surfaces are generally dry and exposed to
the atmosphere. Rust on the external surface of piping or vessels made of stainless
steel is, therefore, cosmetic in nature only -- it just looks bad!
Prevention of Contamination by “Free Iron”
Good fabrication practice avoids allowing stainless steels to come in contact with or-
dinary iron or steel, such as work tables, lifting tools, storage racks, steel turning
rolls, steel truck beds and chains, steel fork lifts, etc. Iron and steel dust, such as may
be created by grinding, cutting, blast cleaning, etc., should be kept away from areas
where stainless steel is being fabricated, since that dust may settle on otherwise non-
contaminating surfaces where they will be picked up by the stainless steel.
Cleaning and grinding tools, such as grinding wheels and wire brushes that have been
used on carbon or low alloy steel should not be used subsequently on stainless steels.
Only stainless steel wire brushes should be used on stainless steel.
Weld Oxidation
Welds will frequently exhibit rusting along the edges as shown in Figures 1 and 2.
For welds that have not been properly cleaned after completion, this is normal, par-
ticularly when the weld was made using a gas shielded welding process. While ugly,
this rusting is not an indication of bad welding practices, excessive heat input or ex-
cessive interpass temperature; rather, it is the natural result of the high temperature
that the heat-affected zone reaches during welding combined with exposure of the hot
metal to the oxygen in the atmosphere. Oxides can vary from straw to dark brown
when initially formed, and they eventually they turn rust red as the available free
iron oxidizes them to a lower free-energy state and the oxides hydrate.
Under normal atmospheric conditions rusting associated with welding stops once the
free iron is oxidized; no further damage occurs – it just looks ugly. To eliminate rust-
ing associated with welding, welds should be cleaned as described below within one or
two days of being completed. If the service conditions are nearly continuously water-
wetted, any discoloration associated with welding and any free iron should be re-
moved by mechanical or chemical means. Further, any coarse or rough surfaces
should be smoothed, and mechanical marks or scratches should be removed and all
foreign matter should be removed, including paint, slag and spatter to optimize corro-
sion resistance. Engineers who purchase stainless steel piping should refer to Pipe
Fabrication Institute Standard ES-50 (www.PFI-institute.org) for guidance on specify-
ing discoloration on the inside surfaces of piping welds.
Sperko Engineering Services, Inc. © February 21, 2023 Page 4 of 9
Rust on Stainless Steel
Removal of “Free Iron” and Welding Oxidation from Stainless Steel
Free iron, welding oxidation and embedded materials, such as dirt, sand, flux, metals
other than steel or iron, etc. may be removed by either chemical cleaning or by abra-
sive cleaning.
Chemical cleaning agents that will successfully remove free iron and most other con-
taminants are commercially available. These cleaning agents are acids which typical-
ly remove a little of the material (about 0.001 inches) from the surface to which they
are applied. They need to be left on the surface long enough to remove any free iron
and any visible oxides. Most contain nitric and hydrofluoric acids, so they must be
handled using rubber gloves and other personal protective equipment, and they must
be thoroughly rinsed off the surface, and the rinse water should be neutralized with
baking soda, baking powder, limestone or other basic material. Some commonly
available commercial solutions are:
Derustit SS-3, Bradford Derustit, 21660 Waterford Drive, Yorba Linda, CA 92887
877-899-5315. http://www.derustit.com/products/derustit_ss3.php
Avesta Pickling Paste. https://weldingshop.voestalpine.com/US/en_US/voestalpine-Böhler-
Welding/5-Finishing-Chemicals/Chemicals/Finishing-Chemicals/Pickling-Pastes//p/69950
Oakite 33, Berkeley Heights, NJ, 201-464-6900.
https://www.chemetallna.com/products/by_app/generalMaint.aspx
Compound 302, Arcal Chemicals, Seat Pleasant, MD 800-638-2672, 301-336-9300.
https://www.arcalchem.com/metal-treatments
Ox-Out 536, ChemClean Corporation, 130-45 180th Street, Jamaica, NY 11434, 718-
525-4500. ChemClean also sells a power supply and wiping pads (Product #85) that
electrolytically clean the surface, accelerating to process. Uses less wet solution and
is great for small cleanup and welds. www.chemclean.com
Blue Away, Competition Chemicals, Iowa Falls, IA, 515-648-5121 (abrasive paste, not
an acid cleaner.) https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Blue-Away-Chrome-Polish-2-5-
Oz-,2593.html
Metinox 71E (paste) or 73E (spray), http://www.elmerwallace.co.uk/Stainless-steel-cleaning-
and-maintenance/C15-1-0.htm
A rapid and foolproof way to clean the rust off stainless steel is electrochemically.
This is very similar to electropolishing in that is removes the surface rust and passiv-
ates the surface in seconds. See: http://www.capitalweldcleaners.com
Sperko Engineering Services, Inc. © February 21, 2023 Page 5 of 9
Rust on Stainless Steel
A 20 to 30% nitric acid solution works really well for cleaning welds. It works best if
the weld has been power wire brushed to remove heavy oxides. Use in a well-
ventilated area, neutralize any runoff with baking soda or wash into a bed of marble
chips, rinse with potable water and wear the proper protective equipment.
Mechanical cleaning should only be done using grinding wheels, flapper wheels, and
stainless steel wire brushes which have not been previously used on carbon or low al-
loy steel. Final cleaning by power wire brushing is not recommended; wire brushes –
even stainless steel wire brushes – will microscopically deform the surface, drive con-
taminants into the surface, smear the metal and form crevices – none of which are
particularly good for the corrosion resistance of stainless steel. Wire brushing be-
tween weld passes to remove slag is OK since the brushed surface will be remelted
during subsequent welding. If wire brushing is used for finish cleaning, it should ei-
ther be hand brushing or the bristles should be soft and flexible and the pressure
light.
Free iron that has already rusted cannot be successfully removed using grinders or
wire brushes. Also, wire brushes will not remove free iron that has deposited as a va-
por such as that formed on the heat-affected zone during GTA welding. If cleaning
with grinder or wire brush is attempted in these cases, the rust and free iron are de-
hydrated by the heat generated during cleaning, turning the oxide white, making it
look like it’s gone. The oxides are then smeared over the stainless steel surfaces that
were not previously rusted, and, although the rust will have appeared to have been
vanquished, after exposure to moisture in the atmosphere for a few days, those previ-
ously rusted surfaces and any new surfaces on which the oxide has been smeared will
turn red as the oxides rehydrate.
In these cases, cleaning using either chemical cleaners described above or an abrasive
cleaner that has a sufficiently high wear rate that new, uncontaminated abrasive is
always being exposed is required. “Flapper wheels” consisting of sandpaper sheets on
a hub are OK for this cleaning, but the best product is 3M Unitized™ wheels (com-
pressed Scotch-Brite™ in grinding wheel form) or equivalent. Search Amazon for 3M
Scotch-Brite XL-UW Unitized Silicon Carbide Soft Deburring Wheel. Both can be used on a
standard shop grinder. When the writer worked at ITT Grinnell back in the dark ag-
es (1970s), we used 3M’s unitized wheels for cleaning stainless piping spools and nev-
er had a complaint about rusting that was not clearly attributable to handling during
unloading and storage at the construction site.
Verification of Removal of “Free Iron” from Stainless Steel
The presence of free iron on stainless steel is readily detected by spraying the steel
with water and letting it set overnight. This test is described in ASTM A-380, Stand-
ard Practice for Cleaning, Descaling, and Passivation of Stainless Steel Parts, Equip-
ment, and Systems. Spraying should be done in the shade and it should be done late
Sperko Engineering Services, Inc. © February 21, 2023 Page 6 of 9
Rust on Stainless Steel
in the day to maximize the time that the surfaces stay wet. The surface should wet
completely without breaks in the water film; breaks in the film indicate surface con-
tamination, and further cleaning is required. Any areas of free iron will rust over-
night, staining the surface. In humid or rainy weather, stainless steel only needs to
left boldly exposed outdoors for a day and any free iron will turn to ugly rust. Only
those areas exhibiting rust need to be cleaned as described above.
A much faster way of identifying free iron is to brush (not spray) the ferroxyl solution
described below over the stainless steel to be checked. Personal protective clothing is
required when doing this since the solution is acidic and contains cyanides. Iron con-
taminated areas will turn blue within a few minutes; if the solution is left on the sur-
face too long, the entire surface will eventually turn blue even if no free iron is pre-
sent (stainless steel is, after all, mostly iron. . . ). This solution should be removed af-
ter a few more minutes using water, and the rinse solution should be neutralized. A
baking soda solution works fine for this.
Ferroxyl Solution for Finding Free Iron on Stainless Steel
Distilled Water 1 liter
Nitric Acid 30 milliliters
Potassium Ferrocyanide 30 grams
This solution should not be used on surfaces that will come in contact with food or liq-
uids that will be consumed without extreme care to thoroughly remove it since it con-
tains cyanide compounds. The wash effluent should be verified as being cyanide-free.
Summary and Conclusions
Although rust on the exterior surfaces of stainless steel piping is generally innocuous,
its ugly presence causes concern on the part of purchasers. Cleaning of stainless steel
after welding, proper care to avoid contact with iron and steel during fabrication and
verification of the absence of iron contamination prior to shipment will ensure that
your product arrives on site free of unsightly rust. If purchasers want to be sure that
no ugly rust forms on stainless steel surfaces, they should specify the cleaning de-
scribed above, and fabricators and contractors should apply those methods liberally.
Purchasers, of course, should have proper handling and storage procedures in place to
avoid contaminating the stainless steel themselves.
Sperko Engineering Services, Inc. © February 21, 2023 Page 7 of 9
Rust on Stainless Steel
Figure 1
The photograph shows rust on a stainless steel pipe spool piece.
Note the rust on each side of the butt welds. This rust is caused by iron va-
pors created by a GTAW arc that condense on the base metal next to the
weld metal. The vapors are carried out to the base metal by the shielding
gas. Welds at the bottom of the photograph where there is an attachment
were made using SMAW and do not exhibit this phenomenon. The fitting al-
so exhibits some rust caused by contamination of the surface by contact with
ordinary steel (blue arrows).
Sperko Engineering Services, Inc. © February 21, 2023 Page 8 of 9
Rust on Stainless Steel
Figure 2
The photograph shows rust on a stainless steel plate.
Note the rust on each side of the butt weld. This rust is caused by iron vapors created by
a GMAW arc; those vapors condensed on the base metal next to the weld metal and rust-
ed after exposure to the atmosphere. Welds were also made on the opposite surface
from that shown in the photo; that welding resulted in heat tint (blue arrows) on the side
visible in the photo. If service conditions are such that this surface will be boldly exposed
to an ordinary atmosphere, further significant attack will not occur, but these oxides should
be removed by mechanical or chemical means for optimum appearance and to preclude
further suspicion. If these surfaces are to be used in continuously or near-continuously
water-wetted service, the oxides around the welds and the oxides at the blue arrows,
should be removed by mechanical or chemical means because they can lead to pitting
attack.
Sperko Engineering Services, Inc. © February 21, 2023 Page 9 of 9
