Make up a spray bottle of half white vinegar and half water and use it regularly to clean the sink and keep limescale under control. Always rinse thoroughly with plain water afterwards.
You can clean a sink with baking soda, distilled white vinegar, and dish soap to scrub away all the germs and residue. The key is to clean your kitchen sink and drain frequently enough to prevent slimy buildup, bacteria, and odors.
"Recommended supplies include liquid dish soap, a gentle multi-surface cleaner, baking soda, white vinegar, and a sponge," Utschig explains. "Hot water mixed with dishwashing liquid, like Ginger Pomelo Dish Soap ($10, caldrea.com), should clean most sinks and make them shine!"
Rinse the sink with warm or hot soapy water. Wipe the faucet and handles with a mild soapy solution. Use the toothbrush to clean the hard-to-reach areas. If you see any spots lingering, use a cloth soaked in white vinegar to remove them.
To keep microorganisms from populating your sink, you should wash and disinfect the sides and bottom at least one a week, says Lisa Yakas, microbiologist and Senior Certification Project Manager of Food Equipment at NSF International.
Hygiene expert, Lisa Yakas, has revealed to Bon Appétit that we should be disinfecting our kitchen sink at least once a week. If you have been handling raw meat or scrubbing dirty potatoes in the sink, however, you'll need to up your cleaning game and get scrubbing immediately.
Annual Cleaning
It's a good idea to schedule an annual drain cleaning even if you don't suspect there's something wrong with your plumbing.
If you're looking to disinfect your kitchen sink, vinegar is also your answer. White vinegar can kill bacteria without presenting the same risks as chemical cleaners. To clean your sink with vinegar, mix up a solution of equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle.
Cut a lemon in half and set it on a badly stained spot in your sink. Let the mild acid work anywhere from several minutes to half an hour. Then, scrub the area with the lemon followed by a damp sponge. All it takes is mere seconds at the end of your day to keep the kitchen sink looking clean and smelling fresh.
Keep It Dry!
After each usage, wipe the sink thoroughly dry to prevent water from drying and leaving stains. Additionally, it's crucial to regularly rinse and wash out the sink to avoid any food particles or cleansers clinging to the surface.
'The easiest kitchen sink material to maintain is going to be one made of stainless steel, copper, cast iron or enamel because they will not support microbial growth as they are not cellulose material,' says Darren Hudema, director of training and technical services at PuroClean.
You can use any EPA-certified disinfectant on your Sinkology fireclay, vitreous china, nickel, or stainless steel sink. It's possible that you have some of these products already in your home, like Clorox or Lysol wipes, so you can get to disinfecting right away.
Lisa Yakas, microbiologist and Senior Certification Project Manager of Food Equipment at NSF International, told Bon Appetit that kitchen sinks should be deep cleaned at least once a week.
With time, baking soda and vinegar may work as a natural drain cleaner on weaker drain clogs, and the benefits of regular drain cleaning can help keep your drains free of clogs. But for tough drain clogs that need to be dissolved right away, you may want to use a stronger drain cleaner, like Liquid-Plumr.
Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner + Bleach Original
For those times when you need real disinfecting power to eliminate viruses and bacteria, it's hard to beat the power of bleach. Clorox Clean-Up spray is ideal for sinks, floors, countertops, and more — but be careful of delicate surfaces and avoid using this spray on textiles.
"There's more fecal bacteria in your kitchen sink than there is in a toilet after you flush it," said microbiologist Charles Gerba, known as "Dr. Germ."
It is a myth that bacteria are killed at temperatures below 40 degrees. In fact, bacteria growth is slowed, but not stopped. The only way to kill bacteria by temperature is by cooking food at temperatures of 165 degrees or more. Bacteria also die in highly acidic environments like pickle juice.
Next up, to sanitize the sink, stop the drain and fill the basin with warm water. Add a small amount of bleach and let that sit for upwards of five minutes before draining the sink. Be sure to wipe down the handles and faucet with the bleach solution as well. Finally, rinse with warm water to remove the bleach.
Harsh chemical drain unclogging solutions can actually be abrasive enough to make your pipes leak after the clog is dissolved. Instead considering pouring a half bottle of white vinegar down your drain every three months to keep clogs from forming.
Fats, Oils and Grease. These are the three most infamous kitchen sink cloggers out there. Unfortunately, they're also the most common. The problem is, these substances are all perfectly suited to clogging drains.