Most farmhouse sinks are durable but they can also become chipped, scratched, or stained if not taken care of.
One of the drawbacks of choosing a farmhouse sink is the installation process. Depending on how your kitchen is set up, you may have to alter the size and design of your countertops before the farmhouse sink installation. Farmhouse sinks are much deeper and wider than classic kitchen sinks.
The Porcelain Will Get Stained (and Potentially Chipped)
If you opt for a classic white porcelain farmhouse sink, it's very likely to get stained, and it will require regular cleaning to keep it sparkling.
Granite composite farmhouse sinks are among the toughest out there, resistant to scratches and stains. While quartz composite farmhouse sinks are available, they are not considered quite as durable.
The most stain-resistant sink is a stainless steel sink. A stainless steel sink is the most durable and low-maintenance kitchen sink as they are resistant to heat, stains, and scratches.
1. Stainless Steel. When choosing your kitchen sink, you pretty much can't go wrong with stainless steel. This top kitchen sink material is extremely durable and able to withstand heavy drops from pots and pans while also resisting scratches from sharp knives and utensils.
When it comes to keeping a farmhouse sink, preventative cleaning and maintenance products help to keep it looking great for years to come. Most farmhouse sinks are durable but they can also become chipped, scratched, or stained if not taken care of. Here are some tips we recommend.
Clean the sink on a regular basis with mild cleaners and a soft cloth. Dry your sink with a soft cloth to prevent water spotting. Scrape off heavier gunk with a plastic spatula or scrub it off with a Breeze scrubber. Use baking soda (or even a mild abrasive cleaner) to clean off crusted on gunk.
Easy cleaning – Because farmhouse sinks require a spray faucet, they're actually so easy to clean. No more nooks and crannies from a traditional double sink.
Stainless Steel Sinks
One can't go wrong with a good quality stainless steel sink as they are durable, strong, efficient and easy to clean. Professional and heavy duty kitchens always opt for a stainless steel sink as they are durable and can tolerate quite a bit of abuse.
The Copper Color
A copper sink isn't something you see every day. This goes to show that a farmhouse sink doesn't have to be boring white colors – you can add some flair! White, off white, cream, copper, black, gray, and sometimes even light blue are the typical varieties of colors you'll see in a farmhouse sink.
Scratchable. Compared to other ceramic-style sinks, fireclay is incredibly durable and resistant. It's hard to break or nick a fireclay sink. The downside is that the fireclay material can show surface scratches, especially if an object creates a hard impact.
Finally, there is a difference in the style of the two sinks. Farmhouse kitchen sinks are designed to add a rustic, farmhouse-style aesthetic to the kitchen, while apron sinks are more modern and sleek. Both farmhouse sinks and apron sinks are excellent choices for any kitchen.
2. Farmhouse sinks (+26 percent) Porcelain, apron-front sinks are a splurge kitchen choice for sure—but apparently they pay you back big-time in the long run.
A fireclay farmhouse sink is much harder to scratch or chip than the porcelain coating on a cast iron sink, and of course will not rust as exposed iron tends to do. Fireclay tends to come only in shades of white, and is more expensive, but its light weight and strength make it a very practical choice.
For difficult stains a 50/50 water/bleach solution or non-abrasive cleaners (follow cleaner manufacturer's instructions) can be used, rinse and towel dry the sink afterwards. DO NOT leave bleach or a bleach solution sitting in the sink. Do not set hot pans directly into sink. Though fireclay sinks are resilient.
Farmhouse sink cleaning products you need
The short answer: use Bar Keeper's Friend! Any stains on your white sink, from hot sauce to coffee, will come right off with Bar Keeper's Friend.
If you have a sink grid, then it's better to cover the drain. When the water is running on the surface, add some generous splash of bleach and few drops of dish soap. Make sure you sit the mixture for 10-15 minutes. After that, rinse it with water.
The SECRET to cleaning a fireclay sink is to clean with a scrub sponge and Bar Keepers Friend which is a powdered cleanser and to use a Magic Eraser. The Magic Eraser is a game changer! My farmhouse sink receives a few small black marks due to metal scrapes.
Most of the time, sink scratches are caused by certain accessories, such as curling irons and blow dryers, coming in contact with the porcelain sink. Instead of scrubbing the bottom of your sink with abrasive cleaners, try filling the sink with warm water and adding about two cups of bleach to the water.
Clean's best way to clean bathroom sink messes is with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Bath with Gain Original Scent. It's specially textured for extra scrubbing power and is infused with a foaming cleanser for more cleaning power.
The simple answer, is yes! Of course they can scratch and they can stain.
Pros: Non-porous and resistant to acid, alkali, and scratches; relatively chip-resistant; durable, especially compared to other sink materials. Cons: Limited sizes and colors; not “friendly” on dropped dishes; susceptible to stains without proper care; can crack or chip over time; expensive.