Maintenance and Care of ABBAS Coated and Anodised Products
Surface Finishes:
While surface finishes do not last forever, observance of these instructions will maintain their appearance and significantly extend their useful life. Observance of these instructions is also required to achieve durability performance and for surface finish warranties to be valid (where applicable). They apply to both ABBAS coated and anodised surfaces.
​
Exterior
Cleaning of products and fixings are required to remove dirt and grime. The level of cleaning and maintenance depends primarily on the environment. In some exterior instances normal rain coupled with periodic mild detergent washes is sufficient, but more polluted or corrosive environments, e.g. coastal situations, built up/ industrial areas, or geothermal areas, the surfaces require regular washing to retain the look. Coastal situations, it is recommended that cleaning is performed every six months with warm water and diluted detergent, as well as once a month with a normal water wash.
​
Interior
Dirt and grease accumulate from many sources. They can usually be removed by routine cleaning using soap, or detergent and warm water. Note, nearly all abrasive cleaners will scratch any coated surfaces. A clean, dust and grit free cloth should be used to avoid scratching.  In all cases the mildest cleaning procedure that will do the job efficiently should be used, e.g. wash down with warm water and washing up liquid followed by a wash of clean warm water only followed by wiping dry with a clean absorbent cloth. For textured finishes, a soft nylon bristled brush will remove any dirt and grime which may accumulate within the texture.
Cleaning is recommended after initial installation.
​
Precautions
Harsh abrasives should never be used on any coated metal surface. Strong mineral acids such as hydrochloric and sometimes hydrofluoric acid are used to clean masonry, but these should never be permitted to come in contact with coated surfaces. If this should happen, the acid solution should be washed off immediately with plenty of water. Pads of ordinary steel wool incorporating soap should be avoided.  Never use oil based commercial cleaners on the outside of a building. The residual oil film can result in unwanted iridescent colours on surfaces which can only be removed by abrasive action. 
Care and Protection
Ensure to protect the product from contact with:
-
Copper, lead, mild steel, brass, CCA treated timber, cement or concrete less than one month old, and water which has contacted any of these substances.
-
Wet cement or plaster, paint splashes, chemicals, solvents, stains and fertilisers.
​
If contact does occur, remove the contaminant immediately and wash.
​
Cleaning Procedure
-
Remove loose deposits with a wet sponge. Do not dry dust, or the surfaces will be scratched. Ensure that all drain holes are unblocked, particularly those at the base of the posts and underside of lower rails.
-
Using a soft brush and a mild household detergent in warm fresh water, clean the surface to remove any dust, salt, or other deposits. Pay particular attention to any areas not washed naturally by the rain.
-
Always rinse well after cleaning with fresh water to remove any remaining detergent.
-
Anodised products with stubborn grime or greasy deposits should be cleaned with a soft cloth with kerosene, turpentine or white spirits, then wipe dry.
​
Warning: Solvents, household cleaners, bleaches, and abrasive cleaners are possibly harmful to the surface finish, and must not be used.
​
Use
-
Routine gentle cleaning with warm water and detergent.
-
Household cleaners showing 'suitable for stainless steel'.
-
Repeated routine gentle cleaning rather than a single aggressive cleaning.
​
Do not use
-
Course abrasive powders.
-
Metallic scourers.
-
Silver or brass cleaners.
-
Sunscreens
​
Guide to Ongoing Maintanence
-
Clean inland or rural: 6-12 months
-
Polluted urban or industrial: 3 months
-
Coastal / Marine: 3 months
​
​
Limitation of Liability: The information contained in this guide is a general guide for customers in maintaining the integrity of the product. ABBAS product(s) are warranted for a period of 5 years subject to the requirements of a regular maintenance program. Any finish deterioration caused by exposure to adverse atmospheric conditions or occurring from the use of paints, solvents and acid cleaners is not considered a defect in the finish and as such is not covered by the warranty conditions. Likewise, the warranty does not cover damage caused by accident, neglect or other factors over which ABBAS has no control over. Any claim under warranty must be made at the first appearance of an issue to ensure no further damage is caused though delay of notice. Failure to do so will void any warranty if applicable.
​