April 13, 2015

How to Clean Any Kitchen Sink

Several months ago, I asked you what some of your biggest cleaning conundrums were. I’ve covered quite a few already in blog posts and will continue to sprinkle them in to upcoming posts as well. This week covers cleaning something that most of you have – a kitchen sink. Whether yours is stainless or porcelain, cast iron or solid surface,  I’ve got you covered.

Cleaning your kitchen sink may not be the first thing on your agenda, but a simple scrub and rinse does wonders to improve the look of it. Whether your sink is stainless or porcelain, you don’t need any cleaners with harsh chemicals or toxic ingredients to get your sink sparkling clean. You’d think for all the soapy water and washing that goes on in your sink that it would be perpetually clean, or at least cleaner. Between rinsing dirty dishes, hand washing and goodness-knows-what, sinks can get dirty and look pretty scummy. My favorite method to cleaning any sink is a DIY scrub. It’s a nightly ritual and something that I cap off a clean kitchen with at the end of the day. Once you start making a simple scrub you’ll be hooked too. Read on for now to make your own sink scrubs!

Stainless Steel:

This is one of my favorite DIY cleaners both for it’s ease and it’s effectiveness for removing debris and shining up your sink. I keep mine in a Ball jar under my kitchen sink and use it nightly after my dishes are done and the sink is empty for the night. Feel free to vary your essential oils to your preference or leave it unscented.

Nightly Sink Scrub (see the original post here):

2 cups baking soda
10 drops lemon essential oil
10 drops clove essential oil
Squirt of dish or castile soap

Put the baking soda in a jar, add the essential oils and top the container. Give it a good shake to combine. Simply sprinkle up to 1/4 cup in your sink, add a squirt of dish soap and give it a good scrub using a scrub brush. Rinse well and air dry or wipe down a paper towel or dry cloth.

If you want to ‘shine’ your sink a little more, spray with your favorite glass cleaner and wipe clean. Here’s the recipe for my Peppermint Glass and Mirror Cleaner.

Solid Surface Sink:

A solid surface sink is a great sink option because they don’t have crevices to clean and the pattern goes all the way through the sink so there isn’t much of a chance that it will scratch or that the scratch will show. Cleaning this sink is a breeze and can be done with a simple sprinkle of my Nightly Sink Scrub and a little elbow grease.

Porcelain Sink:

Porcelain sinks can be scratched easily if you use too harsh of an abrasive, commercial cleaner. Baking soda is gentle enough to leave your sink unscratched but mighty enough to get it clean. Add the power of vinegar and it’s the perfect combo. Win-win! This is a one time use cleaner, so half the ingredients if you need just a bit. Feel free to vary your essential oil or leave it unscented.

1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 cup vinegar
5 drops lemon essential oil
5 drops clove essential oil

Mix ingredients in a small bowl until you reach a paste-like consistency. Add more or less vinegar to reach your desired consistency. Apply to sink and use a scrub brush in a circular motion. Rinse well and dry with a paper towel or dry cloth to polish it up.

Cast Iron Sink:

Cast iron sinks are guaranteed to not chip and are extremely heavy and durable, but they can scratch and dull with scouring pads and the wrong abrasive cleaner. Use the porcelain sink recipe for optimal cast iron cleanliness.

If you don’t want to use a DIY sink scrub, these are my favorites:

BON AMI:
Bon Ami products can do a great job at removing rust, residue and stains with minimal fuss and work. Both come in a can in a powder format and soft scrub liquid – I recommend the original 1886 powder as it’s the safest version. This powder works as a gentle, mild abrasive that scrubs without damaging surfaces. Dampen the surfaces as well as a sponge and scrub in a circular motion. Rinse your sink really well when you are done in order to get all the cleaning residue off.

ECOVER:
If you prefer a soft scrub formula, Ecover has a great Cream Scrub that’s perfect for cleaning kitchen sinks. Use a soft, damp sponge or microfiber cloth and scrub away.

I’ll continue to answer your cleaning conundrums in upcoming weeks, so keep an eye out for simple solutions to your biggest cleaning irritations. Go here to see all the posts in this series.

Are you following me on Instagram? I post my weekly cleaning routine – come follow along!

If you like these DIY recipes, you’ll LOVE my book, The Organically Clean Home!