Floor Polishing Costa del Sol

Ocean Village

Stainless Steel
The terrace railings in the Ocean Village apartments are made from high quality grade stainless steel. Stainless steel is a metal alloy which contains a high proportion of chromium.

The chemistry of stainless steel % by weight is as follows:

Iron (Fe) Chronium (Cr) Nickel (Ni) Molybdenum (Mo) Magnesium (Mn) Nitrogen (N) Sulphur (S) Carbon (C) Silicon (Si) Phosphorous (P)

62.045 – 72% 16 – 18% 10 – 14% 2 – 3% 2% 0.1% 0.03% 0.03% 0.75% 0.045%

Stainless steel has a high resistance to corrosion and staining due to its high content of chromium. The chromium reacts with air to form an invisible passifying protective coating (chromium oxide) which reduces the likelihood of corrosion and staining. However, stainless steel is not stain-proof: chemical residues, dirty water, hard water and corrosive climatic conditions attack the protective layer thereby diminishing the stainless steels ability to withstand rust, discolour and loss of lustre and appearance over time.

Corrosion on stainless steel

The stainless steel railings fitted in the Ocean Village apartments are exposed to extreme climatic conditions which attack the protective chromium oxide protective film.

The combination of heat and humidity increases the likelihood of corrosion and this is particularly prevalent during the summer months. The development of surface corrosion can be compared to the analogy of the growth of a kidney stone in the human body. Kidney stones are not round and even but are in fact crystalline in nature. The pain induced from a kidney stone is a result of the crystals sharply digging into the tissue. Similarly, the chrorine salts present in marine environments form microscopic crystals in the surface pores of the steel. These surface crystals develop and grow when there is a continual cycle of humidity at night and dry spells during the day. The crystals start to breakdown the structure of the passive chromium oxide protective layer causing surface imperfections and thereby exposing the steel to rust and staining.

Recommended Cleaning Procedures

Type of dirt	Recommended Cleaning Method	Comments
Weekly Cleaning	Mix a solution of warm water and household ammonia and wipe down surfaces with soft cloth. Dry off surfaces with paper towel and apply "Metalinox" polish with soft cloth to provide shine and protection.	"Metalinox" is a stainless steel polish containing silicon which protects the metal against corrosive climatic conditions.
Monthly Cleaning	Apply "Inoxcream" to stainless steel surface using soft cloth and then rub off using seperate soft cloth until excess paste has been removed and surface shine obtained.	"Inoxcream" is a deep penetration metal cleaning paste designed to protect and repair superficial damage on metal surfaces.

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Terrace Cleaning

The apartment terraces in Ocean Village have been fitted with a matt non-slip ceramic tile. The advantage of having the non-slip ceramic is for safety reasons given the sometimes very wet marine location. However, the matt surface is prone to collecting dirt. The surface of the tiles is non-porous meaning that they cannot be treated with any protective resin. Any protective product applied to the surface will simply flake off since there is nothing to "key" into as there would be with other terrace surfaces such as terracotta. The solution is to keep the ceramic tiles as clean as possible using chemical products. There are three different types of chemical products that can be used depending on the nature of the dirt being removed.

Due to the gap between the end of the terrace and the glass partition, care must be taken when using any cleaning products to avoid chemicals going over the edge.

Recommended Cleaning Procedures

Type of dirt	Recommended Cleaning Method	Comments
General frequent cleaning	Use "Neutraclean". Dilute 50cc for every 10 litres of water. Apply with mop. Can be used on internal laminate surfaces.	This is a detergent specifically formulated for the daily maintenance of all types of hard floor. "Neutraclean" is easy to apply and does not streak leaving surfaces clean and brilliant with a pleasant aroma.
Removal of dirt, cement and limescale	Use "MC1" an acid reaction cleaner designed to remove building site dirt and cement. Dilue 1:1 to 1:4 depending on the level of deposits to be removed. Apply with mop and wash down with water.	A strong acid designed to remove excess "cemento cola" on Ocean Village ceramic tiles. Care must be taken in application. See product guidelines.
Removal of grease	Use "MC3" an active alkaline degreaser. Dilute 1:3 1:5 in water depending on the severity of cleaning required. Apply with mop. Deck brush may be required for extremely stubborn stains. Wash down with water.	MC3 is a strong surface cleaner based on sodium hydroxide for the elimination of alltypes of grease. Care must be taken in application. See product guidelines.

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Development

A range of products currently in development for Ocean Village is based around the cleaning of the glass partitions. Two problems present themselves: firstly, the hard water is causing staining which, through time, will become increasingly difficult to remove; and, secondly, there are obvious physical difficulties in cleaning the outside of the glass because it requires someone leaning over the side and there is no way to stop cleaning chemicals dripping down onto the apartments below.

Metroclean currently have two cleaning products in development: a limescale remover for glass – this will remove the hard water surface deposits without being excessively acidic; and, a glass finishing cleaner which will not only leave surfaces clean but will also help slow down future calcium/ sodium build up.