How to Clean a Kitchen Sink

A Clean Kitchen Sink: Why It’s Important And How Often You Should Clean It

Like your bathroom sink, your kitchen is heavily used throughout the week and likely sees a lot of gunk and grime buildup. Things like raw meat, olive oil, greasy food residue, coffee grind, and any dirt or debris that wanders into the sink all build up over time and can lead to a significant accumulation of bacteria sitting and solidifying. With that in mind, it is highly recommended to thoroughly clean kitchen sinks at least once a week.

While that may sound like a daunting task, you will learn in this article the exact steps for cleaning each type of sink with primarily natural ingredients, like baking soda and white vinegar, that will not harm your sink and will take care of any residue buildup and challenging stains. When you clean a kitchen sink, it is best to avoid harsh chemicals that can cause damage over time when you clean your kitchen sink regularly. We will also show you how to clean your sink’s faucet, kitchen drain, and garbage disposal.

Before you begin, just remember to clear away any food, dishes, dish racks, and any other items close enough to get splashed during your sink cleaning. After you’ve done that, you’re ready to start!

From Dish Soap To Baking Soda: Materials You Will Need for a Clean Sink

You can thoroughly clean most sinks around the house using natural ingredients and objects. Using chemical cleaners on most sinks is not advised since they are incredibly abrasive, which can cause severe damage to your plumbing system over time. Instead, use the items listed below for any of these sinks and your faucet/handles, drain, and garbage disposal.

Stainless steel sink

• Soft sponge
• Microfiber cloth
• Baking soda
• Dish soap
• Vinegar

Copper sink

• Water
• Dish soap
• Microfiber cloth
• Flour
• Vinegar
• Salt
• Baking soda

White porcelain sink

• Water
• Bleach
• Baking soda
• Dish soap
• Microfiber cloth

Sink Drain

• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• Pot of boiling water
• Toothbrush

Faucet and handles

• Soft sponge
• Dish soap
• Vinegar
• Floss
• Soft cloth

Garbage disposal

• Ice cubes
• Lemon wedges
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Vinegar

How To Clean A Stainless Steel Sink

1. Wet the sink with warm water to help loosen the debris and help the baking soda stick.
2. Sprinkle baking soda over the entire surface. Baking soda is a mild abrasive that will scrub the sink’s surface effectively without harming the stainless steel. Push soap scum towards the drain.
3. Use a clean sponge soaked with hot water and a bit of dish soap to scrub the sink basin.
4. Rinse the sink with warm water and dry thoroughly with a clean cloth or paper towel to avoid water marks that can easily appear on a stainless steel sink.

How To Clean A Copper Sink

1. Lightly scrub with water and mild dish soap on a soft cloth or sponge. Stay away from steel wool or scouring pads to avoid scratching the sink.
2. Rinse away soapy water.
3. Dry edges with a clean cloth.
4. You can make a solution to help maintain shine by mixing equal parts flour, white vinegar, baking soda, and salt. Apply this onto the kitchen sink and scrub with a soft cloth.

How To Clean A White Porcelain Sink

1. Fill the sink basin with warm tap water and bleach and let it sit for five minutes.
2. Drain the sink, then take baking soda, mild dish soap, and warm water onto a cloth or soft sponge and gently scrub down the sink.
3. Rinse out the sink completely with warm water to rid any remaining residue.
4. Dry thoroughly with a clean cloth.

* Most ceramic sinks can be cleaned with this method as well. Porcelain and ceramic are more durable and able to handle chemicals such as bleach regularly.

How To Clean A Kitchen Sink Drain

1. Pour a half cup of baking soda and two cups of white vinegar down the kitchen drain. Let it bubble and sit for roughly 15 minutes.
2. Pour a pot of boiling water down the kitchen sink drain after washing away any remaining baking soda and vinegar residue or lingering grime that the baking soda and vinegar solution has broken down.
3. Use an old toothbrush to scrub the drain cover and remove any gunk and grime stuck there.
4. Clean up any residue around the kitchen sink with paper towels or your microfiber cloth.

How To Clean A Sink Faucet

1. No matter the sink material, soapy water on a sponge or scrub brush will be acceptable to scrub kitchen faucets and handles.
2. Dab a few drops of vinegar on a cloth and wipe down the faucet and handles to eliminate lime buildup and sanitize them well. You can also mix vinegar and water into a spray bottle to use on the surface of the kitchen sink to get rid of lime buildup anywhere else.
3. Use floss or a toothbrush to remove grime from hard to reach crevices and then wipe the area down with the damp cloth.
4. Clean your kitchen sink with a dry cloth to prevent water spots.

How To Clean A Garbage Disposal

1. Fill the disposal with salt and ice cubes to scrub and knock away grime and lemon wedges to deodorize.
2. Run the garbage disposal until the ice is gone.
3. Alternatively, you can complete this process with baking soda and vinegar instead of salt or orange peels instead of lemon wedges.

How Do You Keep A Kitchen Sink Clean?

Though doing a deep clean for your sink once a week is recommended, there are ways to help ensure that natural dirt and grime in the kitchen sink don’t reach dire proportions through a few daily cleaning methods. Among the things to remember when it comes to keeping your sink clean are:

Dirty dishes – frequently wash dishes so food particles and grease residue don’t build and solidify within the sink basin.

Sanitizing – Always sanitize your sink after exposing it to things like raw metal or any other contaminating chemical or material.

Rinsing – every night after the dishes are done, it is a good idea to rinse down the sink with warm water to ensure nothing sticks overnight and creates stains.

Remember that cleaning your kitchen sink is essential in keeping bacteria from growing and your plumbing running smoothly. Regular cleaning every night is extremely helpful, along with your weekly deep cleaning, and natural ingredients such as baking soda and white vinegar mixed as a cleaning solution when getting out stubborn stains can sometimes be better than harsh chemicals that can cause damage. Daily, hot water can clean your kitchen sink enough so buildup won’t be as harmful. Whether it is for porcelain, copper, or stainless steel sinks, this cleaning for your entire sink is highly vital in helping to keep your kitchen sanitary!