How to clean a sink

Scrubbing potatoes, draining pasta, washing salad... What would cooking be without your sink? Your sink will probably get used whilst you cook – and certainly afterwards if you don’t have a dishwasher. After cooking it’s likely you’ll have water marks and streaks everywhere. And just maybe you’ve noticed that the first limescale marks are already starting to appear? It's high time to clean the sink properly. Let's go!

Regardless of whether you have a stainless steel, granite (we also have an article on how to clean your granite worktops), ceramic, or enamel sink in your kitchen, you can follow these basic steps. If cleaning the sink is part of your regular cleaning routine, it will remain your trusty kitchen friend for years to come. It's best to clean the sink immediately after use. All you need to easily clean your sink properly are these three things:

• Sponge
• Washing up liquid 
• Microfiber cloth

If you clean your sink consistently, no deposits will form in the first place – making after-dinner clean-up that bit more satisfying. Especially with hard water, even the smallest drops quickly cause annoying limescale stains. Cleaning also kills germs and bacteria in the kitchen. Apply a little washing-up liquid to the sponge, wipe out the sink all around, and rinse with clean water. Then briefly wipe the surface with the microfiber cloth to dry it. And you're done. It takes less than two minutes but will leave your space looking cleaner and ready for its next use than if you hadn’t cleaned the sink.

Your stainless-steel sink is starting to look a little less than stainless? It's time to give your sink a clean – and before you feel too overwhelmed with yet another task, let us reassure you that it is pretty simple!

Because stainless steel has a soft surface compared to other sink materials, use the soft side of your dish sponge and be sure to avoid metal sponges or abrasive cleaners of any kind. The best way to clean a sink here is to use a soft sponge dipped in a cleaning solution.

Here are our best tips that sources recommend for specific issues:

• Diluted vinegar essence - against limescale stains
• Baking soda or baking powder - against discoloration
• Citric acid - against stubborn dirt and limescale stains
• A potato (!) - for a new shine in the sink

If you don’t have time for these DIY options, a good kitchen surface cleaner like Jeyes Multi-Purpose Surface Spray or stainless-steel cleaner will always do the trick.

You’ll have an easier time of it when cleaning your sink if it is made of granite. Discoloration isn’t really a thing with granite sinks. In addition, granite sinks are dirt-repellent due to their special surface structure and are therefore particularly easy to clean. With a wet cloth and some dishwashing detergent, you can easily clean the sink if it is dirty. However, if you discover more stubborn stains, try this home remedy:

• Heavy-duty detergent: First mix the powder detergent with a little water. Rub the sink thoroughly with this paste and then wait at least two hours, or better yet let the paste work overnight. Then rinse the sink thoroughly with water and wipe it dry. 

If this isn’t the quick fix you’re after, you can find a commercial de-scaler and use that instead.

Because ceramic sinks are coated with a high-quality glaze, they are the easiest to clean. Water runs off and limescale stains are rare. However, grease and dirt can still build up. To clean a ceramic sink, you need the basic equipment mentioned above, i.e. a dishwashing sponge, washing-up liquid, and a microfiber cloth. This will almost always remove the film of dirt effortlessly. For heavier soiling in a ceramic sink, you can even use a harsher cleaner and the scrubber of your rinsing sponge.

If your sink is shining like new, you’ll want to keep it that way. When cleaning, also think about the drain – a blocked drain is a sure way to a grimier sink. Hygiene is especially important in the kitchen, so cleaning the drain is just as important as the outer sink structure. This works well with a small bottle brush, for example. A toothbrush can also be used around the faucet. If you discover limescale deposits here, you can remove them in the same way as you’d remove stains in a stainless-steel sink. If you’re looking for a ready to use drain cleaner that can unblock your sink drain then you can also use Jeyes Drain Unblocker specifically formulated to combat this problem on both indoors and outdoor sinks.