How I Put the Shine in my Kitchen Sink …

How I Put the Shine in my Kitchen Sink 001

 

If you stop to think about it, the kitchen sink is one of the hardest workhorses in your home because it’s used multiple times every day. I love walking into my kitchen and seeing a clean, sparkling sink, and it needs to be kept clean to:

 

  • prevent odours and smells

 

  • remove food stains, splashes and spills

 

  • prevent soap deposits from building up

 

  • prevent rust

 

  • reduce germs and bacteria

 

  • keep your kitchen looking organised and less cluttered

 

And the good news is, once you’ve worked so hard to clean the sink, it will act as great motivation to keep it that way. I definitely enjoy cooking more in my kitchen when it’s clean, tidy and fresh.

 

 

How I Put the Shine in my Kitchen Sink 002

 

 

So here is my simple routine for cleaning a stainless steel sink:

 

  • Each time I use the sink, and as I’m emptying it, I quickly wipe it over with a damp sponge/cloth to remove any obvious splashes, spills and food. If the water in the sink is too dirty, I empty the sink, squirt a drop of dishwashing liquid onto a clean, damp sponge/cloth, wipe over the sink, then rinse and dry. This takes less than a minute, prevents food from hardening on the sink and reduces the build up of grease and grime.

 

  • At the end of the day when the sink has been used for the last time, I always dry the sink with my tea towel before that gets put in the wash. This prevents moisture from laying around in the sink, which is a breeding ground for bacteria. I also avoid leaving water in the sink overnight. I definitely soak things in hot water that have food baked on, but I avoid letting the water sit to go cold because you will develop a build up of grease and oil around where the water line sits.

 

  • Finally, once a week, I give my sink a bit of a deep clean. There are a couple of options here. For a method that is both cheap and environmentally friendly I clean the sink with Bicarb Soda. Simply empty the sink, sprinkle around some Bicarb Soda and then use a damp sponge/cloth and scrub gently. Remember to also wipe around the taps and spout. Rinse and dry. Another option for a really intensive clean, I find it hard to go past Gumption. Simply dampen a sponge/cloth, dip in the Gumption and then gently scrub all areas of the sink and tap. Rinse and dry. I also use a soft toothbrush with a little bit of gumption and water to loosen up any “gunk” that can accumulate around the sink edge. Before doing this make sure that all areas are well sealed and watertight so that no water gets in and causes any damage. You can also achieve a similar result with Stainless Steel and Copper Cookware Cleaner by essteele (I think Raco also make a similar product) and you’ll find this in Kitchen shops or Department Stores like David Jones and Myer. This is a heavy-duty cleaner that I use if I have a badly baked on pot or pan but I’ve found it works well on my stainless steel kitchen sink as well. It’s important to rinse it off well and quickly.

 

  • One last thing to mention is the build up of lime scale or white spots that can occur around kitchen taps (which in my kitchen are also stainless steel).  Make a mixture of one part salt to one part vinegar and scrub gently with a toothbrush to get into those hard to reach areas. Rinse and dry. For spots that are difficult to shift, soak some paper towel or a lightweight cloth in vinegar and wrap around the spotted area. Allow to soak for 10 – 15 minutes, scrub gently with a toothbrush, rinse and dry. Be careful using vinegar on copper or other surfaces though as it may affect the colour, so check with the manufacturer first.

 

There you have it, my simple routine for keeping the kitchen sink and taps sparkling clean.  So tell me, do you give your kitchen sink plenty of love and attention or does it sometimes get overlooked?

 

 

Comments

  1. I’m a bicarbonate and vinegar shiner. I hate all the weird gunk that accumulates along the ridges of the drains. I’m fastidious about cleaning the ridges… x

    • Bicarb is one of my favourite products, not just for baking but for cleaning as well! It’s amazing just how versatile it is and I’m like you … I love to get in and clean in all those little difficult spots.

  2. Oh my goodness I’ve never done this to my sink. I should really keep it in better condition considering how much I use it!

  3. Off to scrub my kitchen now 🙂 (thank you for the tips)

  4. It is amazing the difference a bit of bicarb of soda can make to a dirty sink!

    • It’s great isn’t it! I can never start cooking unless I have a clean and decluttered sink … it’s nice to start fresh before I make a new mess!

  5. Another tip from a professional cleaner who does this for a living, if your stainless steel sink is really scratched up and dull, use sandpaper to get the scratches out (coarse then fine) then go over it with use a microfibre cloth with stainless steel polish. Impress your friends when they come over 🙂

    Also never ever use scourers on stainless steel. I know many professional cleaners that do this and it makes me want to strangle them!!