Scratches=100%normal. Get a grid.

Iron stains from hard water=100% normal. Get whole house water treatment.

I use Bar Keepers Friend on mine, which keeps it nice and shiny.

I agree with the above posters, grids are imperative, and bar keepers friend is really a friend! I also use magic eraser, we have hard water too.

Agree with above posts. All stainless steel sinks scratch regardless of brand. You can get a grid as mentioned above, or alternatively, wait for the scratches to blend into a "patina" which will happen in a couple of months. I.e. so many scratches that they blend into each other and you don't see them any more. Many people prefer the patina to a using a grid because a grid is one more thing to clean, and the grids are not cheap. Others prefer a grid. Personal choice.

Also agree that the brown stains are hard water. My water is only slightly hard - not nearly enough to need a water softener, but just enough to leave brownish stains in my stainless steel sink. Whatever you do, don't use brillo pads on your sink, as those will leave microscopic iron particles on the surface which will rust. Barkeepers Friend is in my experience the best stainless steel sink cleaner, much better than the dish soap you've been using. You can find Barkeepers Friend in the supermarket for about $2.00. To get the best shine, after using Barkeepers Friend, wipe down your sink with a microfiber cloth. You sink will look as shiny as the day it was installed, though the scratches will still be there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Barkeepers Friend

This post was edited by akchicago on Sun, Sep 21, 14 at 12:06

I spritz mine with white vinegar and whipe with a microfiber cloth to remove water spots.

Second the white vinegar. I sometimes lay a paper towel on the bottom of my sink (which I've dried first), spritz it with white vinegar and let that soak in for about 15-20 min. Then wipe it dry. It will sparkle.

I've lived in two different apartments (in Los Angeles County where the water is hard) with stainless steel sinks and while the sinks did suffer from water deposits, neither of them developed anything that looked rust like. None of the stainless steel bowls that I currently use in my kitchen are developing anything that looks rust like; I'm not sure why a sink would be so very different. From the other responses you are receiving I am sorry to see that this is now the expected standard of quality for stainless steel sinks especially from such a reputable same company. Barkeepers friend is a wonderful product and should remove the "rust" stains. Hopefully you will not have to use it every week. Be sure to check the kinds of soap you normally use in the sink. Bleach and certain types of soaps, particularly those with chloride in them, may be reacting with the surface of the sink.

Practigal - water minerals differ around the country. Some areas where the water is hard, the water marks are white. Other areas where the water is hard have more rust in the water so the marks in SS sinks are more rust-colored. I don't see how mineral content of the water reflects "that this is now the expected standard of quality for stainless steel sinks". Stainless steel sinks I had 25 years ago also had these water marks. Right now, I have a custom-made 14-gauge stainless steel sink that gets both white water marks and the rusty ones.

If a person does not like these marks, yet has hard water, it then would be best not to have a stainless steel sink, and instead get a Silgranit or enameled cast iron sink.

Use a stainless steel scouring ball and something like Comet or Bon Ami to clean SS sinks, and don't be gentle.

Do NOT use stainless steel scouring balls/pads on SS appliances, though!

I am sorry Tibbrix, but I do not agree with your instructions. To clean a stainless steel sink, use Barkeepers Friend on a sponge (not a scouring ball or any abrasive pad), and dry with a paper towel or microfiber cloth.

From the Kohler website:

- Always apply stainless steel cleaner/polish with a nonabrasive cloth or sponge, working with, not across, the grain.

- Do not use steel wool, wire brushes or abrasive sponge pads.

- Cleaners containing chloride are not recommended. If used, rinse the surface immediately to prevent corrosion.

From the Franke website:

Never use steel wool to clean your stainless steel sink. Persistent stains, including rust, can be removed with a variety of mild non-abrasive stainless steel cleaners such as FrankeâÂÂs Inox cream, Autosol Shine, and others. Always rinse thoroughly after using any cleaner.

As a sidebar, and I am sorry to contradict Hollysprings whose posts I always think are excellent, I have had 2 Silgranit anthracite sinks in previous homes with hard water, and neither ever showed mineral spots. This is one of the leading reasons why people choose Silgranit sinks over stainless steel.

This post was edited by Mrs_Nyefnyef on Mon, Sep 22, 14 at 8:42

I think it depends on what the mineral content of your water might be as to which material shows the contaminants worse. Iron shows up especially bad on stainless and white cast iron. Less so on the granite composite, but given enough time without descaling, it will show up on them as well. Lime and other light colored minerals don't show up too badly on light cast iron or the light colored quartz. They do show up on the stainless and dark quartz more. The higher the mineral content of your water, the quicker and more obvious the marks will be on your sink.

That goes for the inside of your pipes as well, as Holly notes. It's like cholesterol, clogging your arteries. Most people are concerned with how the mineral content looks when what they should really be concerned about is how it affects the performance of your piping and fixtures. There really isn't a "bypass" operation for plumbing that will allow you to open up a clogged pipe. Sooner or later, it will mean replacement, unless you get on board with water treatment to keep the pipes free flowing.

I have my old stainless sink outside, I just replaced it with a new Kholer.

The one ouside has water standing in it; has been cleaned with bleach; steal pads; etc. No rust; brand new Kohler — rust. The old one looks old and dingy — I will just refinish it, like it was an old Harley, or an old dingy looking Wüstof knife. Probably start with 600 to 800 grit and go to 2,000 ...

If you understand basic metallurgy, there are different types of ‘stainless’. Some rust, some don’t unless abused.

PS: mom left a wet Brillo pad IN the old sink, was easy to remove light rust stain.

Wayne

PSS: new kholer is being returned.

Wayne:

You are somehow contaminating your new sink with rust. I've installed at least 8 Kohler stainless steel sinks a month for the last 9 months and not a single customer has called to complain of rust.