Howdy,
There are a large number of grades of stainless steel. However the two main grades available off the shelf are 316 and 304. Basically the grade refers to the carbon content in each. Anyway, the 316 grade stainless is a marine grade - ie: extremely non-corrosive and thus used outdoors. While the 304 grade is not as good and used indoors. You may have noticed stainless steel in public places where it is rusting. Yes - RUSTING!! - This can be due to the fact that the fabricator used the cheaper 304 grade for outside use. Possibly trying to make more money - as 316 stainless is pricey!
The good news is that 304 grade is perfect for your kitchen splash back. Rain water is corrosive - alot more than tap water. The spalsh back will not rust inside your house unless the supplier has had mild steel in contact with it.
In relation to cleaning the stainless. There are a number of surface finishes available. Again the two most popular are a mirror finish and a satin/brushed finish. The mirror finish is nice but shows up finger marks and is a nightmare to keep clean. I would always recommend the satin/brushed finish as it is really easy to clean. You use a scotch pad - similar to a brillo pad but not as evasive. The trick is to polish with the grain. If you examine the satin/brushed finished stainless steel closely you will see the grain.
Well, if you're not asleep now, you are 'tired'.......
Slan
Engineering....