Steel wool is a kind of filamentous metal material made of low-carbon steel, with a diameter usually ranging from 0.125 to 0.189 millimeters. It has the following characteristics and uses:

Characteristics

       Good flexibility: Although steel wool is made of metal wires, it has excellent flexibility and can be bent and folded at will. It can conveniently handle the surfaces of variously shaped objects.

       Strong wear resistance: Its wear resistance is better than traditional fibrous materials such as cotton and linen. During the grinding and polishing process, it can withstand long-term friction without being easily damaged, and has a long service life.

       Superior polishing performance: It can conduct fine grinding and polishing on the object surface, making the surface smoother and flatter, improving the glossiness of the object. It is suitable for wood products, metal products, etc. that have high requirements for surface quality.

Uses

       Industrial field: It is often used for grinding and polishing of stone products and metal products. For example, in stone processing, for the edges, corners, arc surfaces, concave and convex surfaces of plates that are not suitable for grinding and polishing by machinery, as well as stone carvings and stone handicrafts, steel wool can effectively handle the surface through manual operation, and its performance is better than that of sandpaper and grinding blocks. In metal processing, it can be used to remove burrs and rust on the metal surface, and conduct fine grinding on metal parts to achieve the required surface roughness and glossiness.

       Household cleaning: Some products of steel wool, such as steel wool polishing pads, soap-containing steel wool, and steel wool hand blocks, can be used for household cleaning. For instance, steel wool polishing pads can be used with polishing machines to remove stubborn surface layers, stains, and wax or polish beautiful parquet floors and various uneven floors in households, hotels, shopping malls, etc. Soap-containing steel wool is made by adding imported synthetic detergents and dyes on the basis of traditional steel wool. When used, just stick a little clean water, put it on the surface of the object to be cleaned and rub it back and forth gently until foam appears. Repeat several times to remove dirt. It can be widely used to clean dirt and rust in places such as sanitary ware, kitchenware, and family bathrooms.

       Handicraft processing: In the production process of handicrafts such as pianos, high-end furniture, picture frames, and copper doors of starred hotels, steel wool sandpaper can polish hard-to-reach corners and irregular parts, making the surface of handicrafts smoother and more delicate, showing better texture and gloss, and enhancing its artistic value and ornamental value.

Common types

• Steel wool floor pad: The fibers are strong but the texture is soft. The product is thick, dense and fluffy, has high absorbency and is not easy to clog. Used with a polishing machine, it can be used for cleaning, waxing and polishing of various floors, and also for polishing of hardware workpieces.

• Steel wool soap pad: It is made by adding imported synthetic detergents and dyes on the basis of traditional steel wool. When used, just stick a little clean water, put it on the surface of the object to be cleaned and rub it back and forth gently until foam appears. Repeat several times to remove dirt. It can be widely used for cleaning in households, hotels and office buildings.

• Steel wool hand pad: The outer shape is corrugated, which can increase friction. When used, squeeze an appropriate amount of detergent and wet it, and it can be used to clean cookware, porcelain, floors, etc.

• Steel wool sandpaper: It is beneficial for polishing of wood products or metal handicrafts. It has good flexibility and can conveniently polish corners and irregular parts. It is widely used by domestic and foreign manufacturers in the production process of various handicrafts.

Safety precautions

       Prevent inhalation into the lungs: A large amount of fine metal fibers and dust will be produced during the use of steel wool. These dusts are prone to float in the air. If protective measures are not taken, they can easily be inhaled into the lungs, thereby irritating the respiratory tract, causing symptoms such as coughing and breathing difficulties. A large amount of inhalation may even lead to serious lung damage. Therefore, protective equipment such as masks should be worn during use, and it should not be used in a confined space.

       Avoid puncturing the skin: Due to the small size and easy scattering of steel wool, special care should be taken during use to prevent it from puncturing the skin. Once accidentally punctured, use should be stopped immediately, and the wound should be rinsed with clean water. If the puncture is deep, medical attention should be sought promptly.

       Prevent fire hazards: Steel wool is a flammable item with a low ignition point. It is easily ignited when encountering open flames, high temperatures, batteries, etc., and the flame temperature during combustion exceeds 2000°C with sparks flying everywhere, which can easily ignite surrounding combustibles and cause fire accidents. Therefore, do not use steel wool as fireworks for play. During use and storage, it should be kept away from fire sources, heat sources, flammable and explosive items, etc.