After a long party or even just a long day, like many of us, the only thing on my mind is throwing on some comfy clothes and turning on Gossip Girl, the last thing I want to think about is the bacteria sitting in my sink. Cleaning your kitchen sink is one of those pesky chores that never get checked off our never-ending list. As annoying as it is, it is imperative to clean your kitchen sink.
When I’m rushing out of the house in the morning, I don’t always have time to clean the dishes; therefore, the dishes sit in the sink all day. Unfortunately, the longer they sit there, the more of an opportunity for dirt and bacteria to build up.
While bathrooms get a bad rap for having the most germs in the house, your kitchen sink actually comes in a close second. Cleaning the kitchen sink is extremely important. Between dirty dishes, raw meat, food scraps, and much more, your kitchen sink takes a lot more dirt than you may think.
According to WebMD, “the kitchen sink [has] more bacteria than the toilet or garbage can.” These germs can build up and breed even more bacteria in your household, so it’s essential to clean your kitchen sink.
Cleaning your kitchen sink is essential to having a clean kitchen. Having a clean kitchen is crucial due to the fact that it’s where all your food will come from. A clean kitchen prevents all types of food-borne illnesses.
According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), there are around 76 million cases of food-borne illnesses reported every year. Some of these illnesses include: hepatitis A virus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Shigella and rotavirus.
Though annoying, cleaning your kitchen sink doesn’t have to break the bank or be extremely time-consuming. Below is a quick and easy way to remove all those stubborn stains from your kitchen sink.
Time Required
Although cleaning your kitchen sink is a pesky task, it doesn’t take very long. If all the following steps are correctly followed, it should take you no longer than 60 minutes to have your kitchen sink looking like new!
Materials Needed
It does not matter what your kitchen sink is made of (cast iron, stainless steel, porcelain, etc.), harsh chemicals should always be avoided! Below are the best products to clean your kitchen sink with.
- A toothbrush
- Baking soda
- Mild dish soap
- A sponge
- White vinegar
- Rubber gloves
- A basin
Cost
Overall, cleaning your kitchen sink should cost around $35 in total. It is a pretty decent price being the fact that these products can be used multiple times before having to replenish your stash. Moreover, Amazon sells most of these products in multiples, giving you more bang for your buck!
Step #1: Time to Prep!
Before starting any cleaning, you want to ensure that you are prepared. To start, make sure you have your gloves on and keep a pair nearby in case your current pair rips, it happens! Also, be sure that you have all of your products ready to go. The last thing you want is to start cleaning and realize you’re missing key products. Once you are sure that you have all of your materials, you can finally start cleaning!
Step #2: Clear Up!
Before you can insert products into your sink, be sure to take out all the products that are currently in the sink. Whether it’s dirty dishes or food scraps stuck in the strainer, you can’t get a proper clean if there is clutter in the way.
Step #3: Mix and Rinse!
Mix the mild dish soap and warm water together in a basin. After that, proceed to rinse the entire sink (including walls) with the mixture. This helps get rid of some of the fresher stains while preparing the much tougher stains. This step will certainly make cleaning your kitchen sink much easier!
Step #4: Scrub a Ton!
Next, you want to take your sponge (avoid bristles), dip it in the mixture, and scrub all around the sink, including the walls. Using a softer sponge is more efficient as it prevents surface scratches. More importantly, this step is crucial because it removes larger stains that the previous rinsing did not get rid of.
Step #5: Ditch the Dirty Drain!
After you scrub your entire kitchen sink with the sponge, take your toothbrush and scrub the metal drain. As food scraps build up on top of the channel, they will tend to leave a nasty residue that nobody wants. No matter how many times water runs over it, they may not fade. So, take the toothbrush, dip it into the mixture and scrub all around to remove all the dirt and grime!
Step #6: Bubble Up!
Next, sprinkle in some baking soda into the sink and rub the soft sponge in a circular motion. The baking soda is abrasive enough to remove the most resistant stains; however, it is gentle enough to avoid scuffing and scraping on various surfaces. Furthermore, the baking soda provides extra power in really removing those hard to grasp stains!
Step #7: Wash it Down!
After you’re done scrubbing the entire sink, it’s finally time to rinse it off and reveal the shine! Rinse off your whole sink with white vinegar, this will cause the baking soda to bubble up. Additionally, it will make it much easier to go down the drain. Without the reaction of the baking soda, the powder residue will subsequently linger around and can potentially clog the sink. And finally, for the lasting clean finish, these are great, environmentally-friendly towels for the easy kitchen counter cleanup. Say goodbye to that never-ending, guilt-ensuing pile of paper towels after you clean the kitchen!
Conclusion
There you have it, a clean kitchen sink! Now you’ve checked off one more pesky chore on your list, and now you have some more time for Netflix. Only until the next cleaning!
If completing this task has initiated a cleaning mood, consider cleaning your wooden cabinets next!
Frequently Asked Questions: How to Clean a Kitchen Sink
How often should I clean my kitchen sink?
You should clean your kitchen sink once a month, at the very least.
Are there any other products I can use for a shinier finish?
Yes! You can use olive oil and lemon oil. Both products contain ingredients that will provide a deeper shine to your sink!
How do I get rid of lime stains on my faucet?
Wipe down your stains with a paper towel dipped in vinegar.