The kitchen sink may arguably be one of the grimiest parts of your home apart from the bathroom. All your dirty dishes, food scraps, beverages, and toothpaste/mouthwash will eventually take a toll on your kitchen sink, turning it into a mere shadow of its formerly shiny façade. More than just aesthetics, you’d want to have your kitchen sink to be as clean as it looks. That said, here are ways and tips for you to clean and maintain your kitchen sink:
Clean It Every Night
There’s no going around it, if you’ve used your sink to wash dishes and scraps of food or beverage stays in the sink, you’re going to be greeted with an unpleasant-smelling and looking sink, not to mention it could attract pests. So, make it a habit to clean your sink every night, doing so would also mean that you’d have to worry less about films of oil and grime accumulating that you’d have to scrub off.
Deep Cleaning With A Scrub
Soap deposits, hard water, rust, and food stains are very stubborn, and hot water or a simple wipe won’t do. You’ll need to use a rough sponge and your choice of sink cleaners (store-bought or DIY) to remove stubborn stains and layers of rust that have built up on your sink. For stubborn rust, you can try rubbing a cloth with WD-40 or lighter fluid (be careful that there’s no open flame) on the spot to remove the rust buildup.
Let it Sit
When you’re using cleaning products to sanitize and remove dirt and stains, let it sit for at least two minutes before you start scrubbing or brushing. By letting the cleaning agents stay for a bit, it starts to soften up or permeate through the stains and rust, making it easier for you later on.
Use Your Old Toothbrush
Toothbrushes are handy in cleaning the tap and the surface of the drain (make sure you use different toothbrushes for each). Toothbrush bristles can reach into the tiny gaps, holes, and ridges in your kitchen tap as well as clean off any food scraps that may have gotten stuck in your sink’s drain cover.
Clear Your Drains
One of the worst problems your kitchen sink can encounter is the one you can’t see unless it starts to take effect — clogging. Drain cleaners are often effective, but they’re also harmful to the environment and are only a temporary fix, at best. As such, it’s recommended that you hire your local plumber or plumbing contractor in Salt Lake City to take care of the drain cleaning to unclog the drains them. Once your drains are clear, it’s best to do a routine de-clogging every few weeks by using either homemade or store-bought drain cleaners.
Microfiber Cloth is Stainless Steel’s Best friend
Make it a habit to always wipe and dry your sink after cleaning, but don’t just use any rag: one of the best tools you can use in keeping your stainless steel sink shiny is a microfiber cloth. Always use a clean and dry microfiber cloth and use circular motions to “polish” your sink after cleaning.
Conclusion
Regularly cleaning and maintaining your kitchen sink could be strenuous, but the pay-off of having a shiny, hygienic, and functional kitchen sink is well worth the time and effort.
