Get a Dent out of a Stainless Steel Refrigerator
Sometimes, a refrigerator made from stainless steel can become dented as a result of typical wear and tear in the kitchen of a restaurant or in your home. In most cases, a dent can become quite noticeable on a stainless steel refrigerator, especially when light is reflected off the dent. Depending on the style and manufacturer of your refrigerator, you may be able to pop a dent out using dry ice and a hair dryer; however, you should check with the manufacturer beforehand to determine that this method is safe to use on your refrigerator. Continue reading this article to learn more about the method for getting a dent out of your stainless steel refrigerator.
Contents
Steps
Consult the Manufacturer
- Consult with your refrigerator's manufacturer before attempting dent removal on your own. Some manufacturers will provide you with a warranty in which a repairman can remove the dent for you, or offer other helpful solutions for removing dents.
- Refer to your refrigerator's manual, or visit the website of your refrigerator's manufacturer to find potential dent removal solutions, or the appropriate contact information for the company.
- Ask your refrigerator's manufacturer about the risks involved if you attempt to remove dents using dry ice and a hair dryer. The manufacturer will clarify whether this method is safe to practice on your specific refrigerator, and if your warranty will become voided when removing dents on your own.
Remove a Dent
- Use a soft rag or towel to clean the perimeter of the dent and its surrounding area. This will help you see the dent clearly in its entirety, and prevent debris, food particles, and other matter from delaying the heating-up and cooling process of the stainless steel.
- Set your hair dryer on its medium setting, and plug it into an electrical outlet near your refrigerator. The medium setting will prevent the stainless steel on your refrigerator from becoming overheated during the dent removal process.
- Use the hair dryer to heat up the dented area completely until the metal is warm to the touch. Depending on the temperature settings of your hair dryer, this may take a few seconds or a few minutes.
- Put on thick, heavy gloves to protect your hands from the dry ice. If your hands are not covered properly, you may become injured with frostbite from handling the dry ice.
- Gently press a chunk of dry ice directly to the middle of the dent. You will need to be extremely gentle to avoid scratching the stainless steel with the dry ice.
- Hold the dry ice against the dent until you feel as if the metal is frosted well below the surface of the dent. The length of time for this procedure will vary depending on how deep the dent is in your refrigerator, but will most likely take a few minutes.
- Remove the dry ice from the surface of your refrigerator, and monitor the dent. Within a few minutes, the dent will automatically pop out, and the surface of your refrigerator will once again be flat.
- Repeat the entire procedure if the dent is not removed after the first time. You may need to either heat up the stainless steel, or press the dry ice to the dent for longer periods of time.
Warnings
- Sometimes, if the dent in your refrigerator is significantly deep, the surface of your refrigerator will bear a small crease or blemish as a result of the dent. If this occurs, consult with your refrigerator's manufacturer to determine how you can paint or remove the blemish from the stainless steel.
Things You'll Need
- Soft rag or towel
- Hair dryer
- Thick, heavy gloves
- Chunk of dry ice
