How to Clean a Kitchen Sink
How dirty is that kitchen sink? As much as we’d like, it doesn’t always smell like roses. The natural buildup of old food and grime can linger from your kitchen drain and into the rest of your home if not cleaned properly or often enough. It’s no fun task, but cleaning your sink is an essential weekly chore. Here’s how to do it the best way.
What you’ll Need:
- Rubber gloves
- Non-abrasive scrubber
- Dish soap
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Lemon
- Salt
Step 1: Sanitize the Sink Basin
First, make sure your sink is completely cleared off. Start by pre-rinsing the sink to wash down any visible crumbs. Once that’s done, grab your rubber gloves and get ready to scrub. Keep in mind kitchen sink cleaning varies by material, so be sure to follow the method that works best for yours.
How to Clean a White Kitchen Sink
A white kitchen sink is an easy target for showing rust. You can easily spot food spatters, coffee and wine stains. Look to hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to help lift stains and restore it to its original state. First, wipe the sink down with a wet cloth until it’s just slightly damp. Then sprinkle baking soda onto the basin until it’s fully covered. Bring out the hydrogen peroxide, sprinkle a few small drops over the baking soda and use a sponge or brush to start scrubbing. Once fully scrubbed, wash the mixture down the drain.
How to Clean a Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink
Stainless steel is tougher than most sink materials. It has slick material to protect against stains. Unlike white kitchen sinks, the slick material stands up to stains and is far less likely to rust. Its real enemies are acidic foods, bleach, and abrasive scrubbers as they can alter a stainless steel sink’s finish. For this reason, avoid letting acidic foods sit in the sink for long periods of time and be sure to use baking soda to clean instead of bleach-based sprays.
Make sure the sink is wet before you start the cleaning process. Start by coating the wet sink in baking soda while adding a little dish soap and hot water to your sponge. When scrubbing any sink, always start with the sides of the basin and work your way down, pushing any grime directly into the drain. Keep adding soap and water as needed or until the surface is scum free. Then rinse with clean water. Stainless steel is well known for showing water spots; use a plush microfiber cloth to dry and buff your clean sink.
How to Clean a Porcelain Kitchen Sink
Lustrous porcelain sinks are no strangers to rust and stains. A similar method to cleaning white sinks can be used to clean a porcelain sink; however, a different method to remove rust to protect its pearly finish should be applied. Simply sprinkle salt on a lemon half and scrub it directly on the rust until the elements have worked their magic. Then wash it clean with warm soapy water and use a microfiber cloth to dry.