On Sat, 26 Feb 2011 07:57:24 -0800, David Harmon >
wrote:

>On Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:41:45 -0600 in rec.food.cooking, Omelet
> wrote,
>>
>>I just soak a scorched stainless pot (happens often with the PC when I
>>cook rice in it) overnight with a 10% bleach solution. (Add 1 part
>>bleach to 9 parts water for the math impaired).
>>
>>Bleach is great at dissolving proteins. Protein makes great glue.
>>The residue comes right up with little coaxing and almost no elbow
>>grease.
>>
>>We use bleach a LOT at work to clean analzyer lines and sample probes to
>>clear residue of serum proteins. Works great.
>
>With enough exposure, chlorine bleach will undo the "passivation"
>process that all stainless steel is treated with at manufacture,
>allowing it to corrode. The degree of susceptibility depends on
>exactly which stainless alloy you have.
>
>Chloride corrosion tends to cause pitting and pinholes, unlike the
>broad surface coverage of ordinary rust. These holes can sometimes
>trap the very material you were trying to remove.
>
>A lot of stainless steel products will mention not to use bleach.
>You might want to ask the manufacturers of your lab equipment what
>they think about it.

Been saying the same here for years, but don't waste your breath.

>http://www.cip.ukcentre.com/rust2.htm
>http://www.estainlesssteel.com/corrosion.shtml
>http://housekeeping.about.com/od/ide...eelcleaner.htm
>http://www.ehow.com/how_5935596_stop...k-pitting.html
>