Rust on a stainless steel cage?

[Sweet Louise]

I bought a SS cage from a well known company and after getting over the initial barriers of things not fitting well, it has worked out nicely. Except now I am getting surface rust, and if I don't scrub it pretty immediately, it gets harder to get it off. Not a spot here or there, on every feeder door, on every main bar and on some of the little bars. It is speckled everywhere except on the play top and bottom shelf. It's not humid here. The cage company has not returned emails from last week. I've not experienced stainless steel rusting. What is going wrong here? Any help appreciated.

 

[Shinobi]

What are you using to scrub the cage?

 

[camelotshadow]

Inferior stainless can rust. I see it alot with Japenese. Depends on the grade & composition...18/8 18/10 medical grade etc lower grades can rust.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Instead of emailing call them. Did you purchase directly from the manufacturer? If not, then also call the vendor.

 

[JLcribber]

Lower grades of SS can/do rust. Next time you clean it off, wipe it down with some olive oil or vegetable oil on a cloth and leave a light film on it. Should stop the rusting. Harmless to the birds.

 

[JLcribber]

Even though it is bare metal if you really scratch it getting by the rust off it will rust easier.

As Shinobi asked. What are you using to take the rust off?

 

[Shinobi]

If you're using steel wool to clean it. The steel wool can leave steel particles on the surface and will rust.

Use a Stainless Steel wool pad and as John said wipe it down with olive oil or vegetable oil.

 

[Sweet Louise]

Even though it is bare metal if you really scratch it getting by the rust off it will rust easier.

As @Shinobi asked. What are you using to take the rust off?

A blue soft scrub sponge and f-10.

 

[camelotshadow]

Yeah oil can help...look what it does for cast iron & that rusts if you breathe on it!

I might try food safe mineral oil for butcher blocks as it does not go rancid.

I'm guessing its just not a hi grade stainless steel.

 

[Sweet Louise]

304 Stainless Steel
Grade 304 stainless steel is generally regarded as the most common austenitic stainless steel. It contains high nickel content that is typically between 8 and 10.5 percent by weight and a high amount of chromium at approximately 18 to 20 percent by weight. Other major alloying elements include manganese, silicon, and carbon. The remainder of the chemical composition is primarily iron.

The high amounts of chromium and nickel give 304 stainless steel excellent corrosion resistance. Common applications of 304 stainless steel include:

• Appliances such as refrigerators and dishwashers
• Commercial food processing equipment
• Fasteners
• Piping
• Heat exchangers
• Structures in environments that would corrode standard carbon steel.

Still kicking myself for not getting an expandable habitat. I agree I should call them, difficult with work. and boy, when I was looking to buy, they were responsive! Will try the oil suggestion on the deep clean this week. Just so disappointing. I went with stainless steel because it was supposed to be easier to clean. It is not.

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[Sweet Louise]

Been thinking about this.If the cage is going to rust like that, it has to go. I bought it for less work. Oiling the cage after every cleaning is not what I signed up for. I am envisioning bugs bugs bugs. complete rip off.

 

[JLcribber]

Your cage is not 304 stainless obviously.

 

[Sweet Louise]

Your cage is not 304 stainless obviously.

you would think with A&E it would be...it's how they advertise it. Looking at a line up of rust along the feeder door that was not there 2 days ago. The Expandable Habitats cage is listed as 304 also. Just don't know who to trust. Maybe I will go back to powder coat.

 

[jmfleish]

I would make A&E take it back. Don’t they have a guarantee? We finally got our third EH cage set up. They guarantee it for life. We’ve never had any rust on any of our EH cages and one was bought second hand from someone else who originally purchased it back in 1996. When you buy EH you should never have to buy another cage again.

 

[BirdManDan]

Yeah oil can help...look what it does for cast iron & that rusts if you breathe on it!

I might try food safe mineral oil for butcher blocks as it does not go rancid.

I'm guessing its just not a hi grade stainless steel.

Same as @camalotshadow. I was going to suggest food grade mineral oil as other birdsafe cooking oils ferment and get rancid. You really need a higher quality SS that truly resists rust.

 

[camelotshadow]

Been thinking about this.If the cage is going to rust like that, it has to go. I bought it for less work. Oiling the cage after every cleaning is not what I signed up for. I am envisioning bugs bugs bugs. complete rip off.

Can't say what type of stainless it is but I do know inferior stainless can rust. Mineral oil food grade won't bring bugs but I can see how you would be upset by it not being a stainless steel cage to stand up to washing without rusting.

Not sure it would help but I am tired & not going to re read the thread but did you contact the company?

 

[camelotshadow]

Maybe you can call your credit card company & see if they can do anything? Guess as long as they sent the cage probably not...

 

[Sweet Louise]

no response from A&E. Too late to do anything with the credit card. Their return policy states to the effect if returned in original packaging and in a re-saleable condition... The reviews were good, now to see how I can add my review...

 

[Matto]

Have you tried calling A&E?

 

[rockybird]

Call your credit card company. Tell them the cage is rusting and it was sold as 304 ss. Your credit card may get involved and there’s a chance they will help get your refund back. Do not give up. You will probably need to take pictures.

I bought a desk once. It was advertised as designed by Milo Baughman. What I got was a cheaply assembled home built piece of junk. A local midcentury dealer saw the desk and wrote a letter in support. The credit card company put the money ($2500) back on my card. I threw the desk out.

Also, my credit card also extends warranties on items. My washer broke but it was past the warranty. I called an appliance co. Out to fix it. A few days later, a friend mentioned that VISA would have covered the repair as it was still within their extended 3 year warranty. I called and they refunded the repair costs. I try to put everything on the VISA now and pay it off each month.