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The reason that stainless steel (SS) rusts, is from oxidation of the iron on the surface. This iron must be removed by "passivating", which removes the iron from the surface of the SS. Since this process involves toxic chemicals such as nitric acid and chromic acid, I would definitely NOT recommend trying this at home, as noxious fumes are generated during this process. Once the iron is removed from the surface, the chromium in the SS is more prevalent on the surface, which is much more resistant to oxidizing than iron. An alternative to passivating would be electropolishing, which leaves a very bright finish, similar to chrome plate. If you look at the surface of the SS under a powerful microscope, you would see many peaks and valleys (similar to a stock market graph). Electropolishing electrolytically dissolves the peaks to match the level of the valleys, resulting in a smooth bright finish. This process also involves toxic chemicals such as sulfuric acid and phosphoric acid so should not be done at home. This process removes the iron from the surface of the SS as well, so retards the rusting process.
Hope this information helps!
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