Very little, which is a big part of why Renton homeowners choose them. Stainless cable railings need an occasional wipe-down and a periodic check of the cable tension, and quality hardware tensioned correctly at install holds that tension for years. There is none of the staining, sealing, or repainting a wood baluster railing requires; rinsing off grime so the stainless keeps its finish is about the whole of it.