# Stainless steel

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stainless-steel/706338>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [December 4, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stainless-steel/706338 "2014-12-04T19:40:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![woodhome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9bd4f/32.png) [@woodhome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodhome)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stainless-steel/706338/1 "2014-12-04T19:40:52Z")

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I don’t know if “ionization” is the reason stainless steel removes smells. But it would not be a crock. Ionization would make a salt. Salts are generally not volatile. This would result in eliminating smells.  
Especially with garlic, the Ni could easily form a sulfur salt.  
Mike

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**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stainless-steel/706338/2 "2014-12-04T19:56:26Z")

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[Link to relevant column](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1332/can-stainless-steel-and-running-water-remove-the-smell-of-garlic)

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**Author:** ![MacLir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@MacLir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacLir)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stainless-steel/706338/3 "2014-12-04T20:15:26Z")

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> [@woodhome](#):
>
> I don’t know if “ionization” is the reason stainless steel removes smells. But it would not be a crock. Ionization would make a salt. Salts are generally not volatile. This would result in eliminating smells.  
> Especially with garlic, the Ni could easily form a sulfur salt.  
> Mike

That’s the sort of thing I was thinking; similar in principle to the trick for cleaning (actual) silverware with sodium carbonate or bicarbonate and an aluminum pan (If I remember the trick correctly).