How often do you find yourself cleaning your sink? No, the dish soap coming off your dishes doesn’t count. Cleaning your sink can seem like a once in a blue moon task, but it’s important to clean it on a regular basis. Thankfully cleaning your kitchen sink is an easy task when done correctly, here are our tips on how to clean your kitchen sink like an expert.
We get it, you’re sitting there asking yourself “How can my kitchen sink even get dirty, I use it to clean my dishes, how bad could it possibly get?” and well, the answer is pretty bad. Leftover food particles are left in your sink all the time, especially if you’re notorious for leaving dishes in the sink overnight (looking at you, college roommates).
This build-up can cause your sink to smell bad and even cause mold if left untouched. Thankfully, if you regularly clean your kitchen sink all of this can be avoided!
Not all kitchen sinks are the same, which means that not all kitchen sinks should be cleaned the same way. We’ll be going over our top two selling finishes, stainless steel, and fireclay. If your sink is a different finish, be sure to double-check that the cleaning technique won’t have negative effects on your sink!
How to Clean Stainless Steel
One of the most important things to keep in mind with stainless steel sinks, (and honestly all sinks) is to rinse after every use. Just simply running water throughout the sink for a minute or so will drastically improve the cleanliness of your sink.
Beyond regular rinsing, once a week you should use a mild cleaner like Comet to clean your sink. Cover your sink in the cleaner and rub with a sponge and softly scrub in the direction of your polish. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and dry with a towel afterward!
If you find yourself in a situation where your sink has really tough to remove spots, and your normal cleaner like Comet isn’t cutting it. You can try using a stainless steel cleaner like Magic Stainless Steel Cleaner.
Lastly, you can always keep a rising basket in your sink to help protect the finish.
How to Clean Fireclay Sinks
Fireclay sinks come with lots of benefits, one of which being that they’re fairly easy to clean. Once a week, lather the sink with a simple dish soap and scrub with a gentle rag. Be sure to give it a good rinse afterwards to ensure there’s no leftover dish soap!
Additionally, we recommend waxing your fireclay sink once a month. Liquid wax can be purchased at most hardware stores as well as on Amazon and it’s a great tool to keep your sink looking brand new!
Apply the wax to your fireclay sink with a soft cloth and let it dry completely before using it again. The wax makes it harder for unwanted substances to cling to your sink.
Things to Avoid
The last thing you want to do when cleaning your sink is permanently damaging it. Here are some things to avoid in order to keep your sink looking amazing!
-
If you have a stainless steel sink, avoid cleaning cross the satin finish lines, this can cause damage to your sink’s finish
-
Avoid letting soap or cleaners dry on your sink’s surface, as it can ruin the finish
-
Avoid cleaning your sink with chlorine bleach products. These can have horrible after-effects on your sink, especially stainless steel
-
Avoid using a steel wool pad when cleaning your sink. You wouldn’t use steel wool to clean your phone screen, so why would you use it on your sink? Avoid these and keep your sink scratch-free
-
Avoid leaving wet sponges, cloths, or cleaning pads in your sink. Leaving these in your sink can cause your sink to smell and in some cases lead to rust
As you can see, it’s easy to keep your kitchen sink looking clean! Just remember to always rinse your sink, and clean it at least once a week. Just be sure to avoid using steel wool and other abrasive products that can permanently damage your sink.
If you’re looking to upgrade your kitchen sink, be sure to check out our ZLINE Sink Collection here at Rustic Kitchen & Bath. We sell a multitude of sinks including both fireclay and stainless steel, as well as multiple mounting types in each finish. If you have any questions, reach out to us on our contact page or any of our socials.
Facebook: Rustic Kitchen and Bath
Instagram: @RusticKitchenandBath
Pinterest: Rustic Kitchen and Bath
Twitter: @RusticKandB
