Dents in stainless appliances

Barb
by Barb
I have read a lot of suggestions on how to get dents out but none that I have tried have worked. It is not a deep dent so it doesn't seem like it should be difficult to fix. Has anyone tried anything that really works?
Thanks!

  5 answers
  • PJ Wise PJ Wise on Oct 19, 2017

    http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fix-dent-stainless-steel-appliances-35066.html


    How to Fix a Dent in Stainless Steel Appliances

    Use dry ice to remove a dent on a stainless steel appliance.

    A stainless steel appliance is made out of the same material as an automobile. Granted, cars are not made of stainless steel, but the properties of steel are still inherent in each one. The solution to fixing a dent begins by understanding how car dents are removed, which is exactly the way to fix a dent in a stainless steel appliance with one important difference. You won't have to worry about scuffing the paint on an appliance as you would on a car. Three easy methods for removing dents from stainless steel appliances involve using dry ice, a can of air duster or a suction-cup dent puller.


    1 Find a place that carries dry ice. Try hardware stores, grocery stores and live bait shops. Put on a pair of gloves before handling dry ice. Place the piece of dry ice in a foam cooler to carry it home. Dry ice evaporates quickly; if you do not store it in a foam cooler, it will evaporate by the time you are ready to use it.

    2 Place the piece of dry ice at the center of the dent. Leave it on for several minutes to make sure that the stainless steel is fully frozen. As the metal freezes, it will begin to contract. As it contracts, the metal will begin to flex and shrink. When this happens, the dent will unflex into its original, nondented state.

    3 Heat the dent using a standard hair dryer before trying this next method using a can of air duster. This is the same product that is used to forcefully spray the dust out of computer components. After heating the dented area, turn the can of air duster upside down and spray the dent. When a can of air duster is turned upside down, it will spray chilled carbon dioxide. The chilled carbon dioxide acts much like a piece of dry ice when it is applied to the heated dent. The stainless steel will contract, and the dent will flex back into its original shape.

    4 Attach an automotive suction-cup dent puller onto the dent for another process to remove the dent. Find these suction cups at automotive parts stores and farm stores. Buy a size that roughly matches the size of the dent you are going to remove. Prepare the dent first by wiping it with a damp cloth. The wetness from the cloth will give you a positive seal. Press the suction cup onto the dent and flex it in and out to make sure the seal is tight. If the suction cup remains affixed after flexing, firmly pull it straight off the dent. As the suction cup releases, it will pull the dent out, leaving a smooth and dent-free surface.


    Things You Will Need

    Gloves

    Foam cooler

    Dry ice

    Hair dryer

    Air duster can

    Damp cloth

    Suction-cup dent puller


    Warning

    Never touch dry ice without gloves on.


    • Barb Barb on Oct 21, 2017

      Thank you so much for your great instructions. Have you ever seen this work? I have seen it done several times online and it didn't work for any of them.

  • Oldcootinsunset Oldcootinsunset on Oct 19, 2017

    Dry ice shrinks the metal and pops some dents in cars. Might be worth a try. Otherwise need a dent puller and drill. Bondo works indoors and on wood also, but paint would be needed afterward.

  • Marty Phelps Marty Phelps on Oct 20, 2017

    A plunger might do the trick. Worth a try.

    • Barb Barb on Oct 21, 2017

      I have watched videos on many of these and haven't seen one work. I have not tried the plunger so I may give that a try. Thanks so much for your help.

  • Wanda Wanda on Oct 21, 2017

    Call an automotive dent doctor. He will have the tools to do it.