Nobody wants to live in a home that becomes super dirty, super quickly. But the reality is that dirt can accumulate fast especially when you spend most of your time at work, and rarely have the energy to deal with the housework on a regular basis. You want to be consistent in tracking filth and bacteria around the house, but it is easy to overlook some of the dirtiest places in your home like the toilets and the sinks, which should be scrubbed regularly to avoid the growth of bacteria.
Needless to say, keeping the sink clean is a vital part of a healthy abode. Just think of the things you put in your sink on a daily basis. Aside from dirty dishes, you also wash raw poultry, fruits and vegetables, and even your dog’s water bowl in the sink. Imagine the slime from the pet’s water bowl, the juice from poultry, and the souring milk you put in the sink, and you won’t be surprised at the amount of E. coli that can live and grow in this moist environment.
Fortunately, there are many ways you can keep the sink free from germs and bacteria. Here, we list simple tips and tricks for scrubbing the sink that will get you one step closer to achieving a cleaner home:
Scrub the sink
With all the water and soap flowing through your sink, you’d think it does not require much cleaning. But the truth is that the soap and water you use for washing the dishes may not be enough to remove water spots, rust, and food stains. As such, it is important to stay on top of the cleaning to keep soap deposits and other residue from ruining the look of your sink. Depending on how much use your sink gets, you may need to disinfect and wash it at least once a week.
A good recipe for a spotless clean sink is hot water and dishwashing liquid. Dip a clean sponge in the mixture, and scrub off pieces of residue and any chunks of food you see in the sink. You can also use a non abrasive cleaner for a more thorough scrub. Once the sink is clean, you can proceed to using disinfectant wipes to sanitize it.
Create a consistent schedule
It is recommended to scrub the sink after 30 uses, or at least once a week to keep it free from stains and other debris. To make sure that you accomplish this task, we advise creating a consistent schedule for doing the chore. Having a cleaning schedule will allow you to do little chores at a time, instead of working yourself too hard to cut through all the water deposits and rust in one day.
Don’t have enough time to follow through a regular cleaning routine? Use a professional cleaning service that gives you the freedom to assign regular weekly and monthly visits. Trained cleaners know the right products and equipment to use to handle the sink cleaning thoroughly, and to ensure that your specific needs are met.
Maintain the beauty of the porcelain sink
If you have a porcelain sink either in the kitchen or bathroom, you know just how its soft and vintage looks add an element of sophistication to any room. Porcelain sinks are also durable, and can last you a long time as long as you take the necessary steps to keep them in tip-top shape.
Here are the things to keep in mind if you want to bring back the crisp and gleaming look of your porcelain sink:
- Porcelain scratches easily, so you want to avoid using rough sponges and steel wools to clean it. Abrasive cleaners should also be skipped, as they pose a threat to the finish of your sink. Instead, use a grease-cutting dish liquid and a soft sponge to remove surface stains. Wipe the sink in circular motions, rinse the sink with water, then dry it with a clean cloth.
- Coat all stained portions of the sink with baking soda – a mild abrasive that can pick up stains without causing damage to your porcelain sink. Using a soft sponge, work in a circular motion to gently clean the basin without scratching the porcelain.
- Use some paper towels soaked with bleach to remove stains. Let the towels sit for half an hour, or leave it overnight. The paper towels help ensure that the bleach is close to the stained portions of your porcelain sink. If you have a colored porcelain, skip the bleach to avoid causing changes to the color of your sink, and use vinegar or a mild liquid detergent instead.
Protect the sink from stains and scratches
Your sink can scratch and stain easily if you are not careful. Corrosive substances can dull the shine of your sink, while cleaning solutions that are too abrasive can damage the finish of your sink, making it appear aged. Replacing the bathroom or kitchen sink is not a cheap investment, so if you have a shiny one in place, make sure to protect it to keep it in excellent condition.
Some of the simple things you can do is to put a perforated plastic mat under the sink, which will not only protect your dishes, but will also safeguard the surface of the sink from scratches. Long-term exposure to acids can also stain the sink’s surface, so you should not let acidic foods linger on the surface of your sink for too long.
Keep the drain free of clogs
Unclogging your sink drain is a chore that can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, depending on the extent of the blockage. You will need to use a plunger, check the garbage disposal of the sink to determine the source of the clog, and use a plumber’s snake to unclog the drain.
However, the job can be messy, and chemicals used to unclog the sink drain can burn your skin, so it is best to enlist the help of Pristine Home cleaners who can take over the work for you. We take meticulous care to remove soap deposits and water spots, and get rid of any nasty smell from the sink, so you can have bathroom and kitchen sinks that are free from illness-causing bacteria.
