Boats and all their related parts are constructed to be durable and resilient to withstand the test of time and endure everyday wear-and-tear. As much as you try to avoid it, eventually you’ll find yourself with a few dings and scrapes on your hull and on your stainless-steel hardware—and that’s okay!

It’s extremely important to provide regular stainless steel care and maintenance to all of your boat’s components, and if you happen to notice a scratch, you’ll want to take care of that just as efficiently. Follow along as we breakdown some of the best practices on how to polish stainless steel.

How to Polish & Buff Out Scratches: Step-by-Step

To remove scratches from stainless steel, you’ll want to use a combination of buffing and polishing methods. The best way to do this is to use a dedicated stainless scratch remover substance, but before applying this, there’s a few other steps you’ll want to complete.

1. First, wash and clean off all your stainless-steel hardware with freshwater to remove any remaining residue or salt traces.
2. Next, dry off the hardware that is going to be buffed and polished. We recommend using a simple cotton cloth or rag to do so.
3. Before applying any sort of polish, you’ll want to start by buffing the scratched area with a dedicated stainless steel scratch remover.
4. For small scratches, gently buff the area. For deeper scratches, you’ll want to determine the direction of the grain of the stainless steel, and then buff in that direction.
5. After removing all scratches, you’ll want to clean your stainless steel one more time before polishing.
6. Once the area is completely dry, you can apply a stainless steel polish.
7. Applying a coat of polish will add an extra layer of protection from the sun and potential rust, and ensure that your stainless steel continues to shine.

Types of Polish & Buffer Material

There are a few different brands we recommend using who have reliable products for removing scratches and polishing your stainless steel:

• -Star Brite
• -Flitz (our go-to)
• -Meguiars
• -3M

Preventing & Avoiding Scratches in Your Stainless Steel

The best way to avoid scratches on your stainless steel is to be conscious and aware of your surroundings while onboard. Don’t allow any rough, metal edges to come in contact with the stainless steel. Likewise, when cleaning your boat, remember to never use an abrasive sponge, rag brush, cleaning pad or a steel wool rag that could likely cause permanent damage to your stainless steel.

If you’re concerned about the potential of adding additional scratches to your stainless steel caused by DIY cleaning and polishing, then be sure to enlist the help of professionals. Your local service technician should be trained and experienced in stainless steel care and maintenance and can take care of these chores for you.

Remember to visit Marine Depot Direct for all your stainless steel replacement parts, and to learn more, be sure to read our blog on Cleaning Your Stainless Steel Boat Parts