Sinks are perhaps one of the most underappreciated aspects of our homes. People use their sinks multiple times a day, but rarely devote time to cleaning their sink or caring for it. This week, we are aiming to change all of that. Read on to learn the best tips and tricks for how to get the sparkling clean sink that you deserve.
Routine Care
Whether it is a kitchen sink with food scraps, or a bathroom sink with makeup drops, a lot of things go into our sinks. So one of the best things that homeowners can do for their sinks is to keep the basin clean. This habit keeps debris from being washed into the drain. The less debris down the drain, the happier you (and your sink) will be.
For kitchen sinks that are used regularly, it is probably smart to wipe it down every night. Simply make it a part of the dishwashing routing. Have a cloth devoted to wiping the sink down that gets cleaned by running it through the dishwasher. Wiping the sink down every night prevents staining and any old food from slipping down into the drain and settling in to rot. Any other sink only needs to be wiped down about once a week, unless it is experiencing particularly heavy use.
Take Care Of Your Garbage Disposal
A garbage disposal has the potential to be the smelliest part of the kitchen – even worse than the trash can. So how do homeowners prevent the garbage disposal from stinking up their house? The solution is surprisingly simple – put something down the garbage disposal that smells good.
The best way to do that is to make cleaning ice cubes. Take an ice cube tray and add a little rock salt alongside lemon chunks and orange peels in each compartment. Fill the rest of the way with water and freeze. Once the cubes are frozen, drop them down the garbage disposal and run the blades.
The rock salt and ice clean off the blades and remove debris from the sides of the pipes. The lemon and orange provide a beautiful citrus scent that deodorizes any smell left behind in the disposal.
Don’t Forget The Faucet
The metal fixtures on a sink quickly acquire stains and general griminess. From simple dust and dampness building at the base, to water spots and even toothpaste stains. Using an all-purpose cleaner and a clean rag is enough to get most metal clean in pretty short order. If you are someone who prefers a truly shining example of cleanliness, we have an extra tip for you. For brilliantly clean fixtures, take a drop or two of baby oil to the metal. This does not damage the fixtures or leave an odd texture once it dries, but leaves behind an incomparable shine.