Cause: If you're seeing a yellow tint to your water and/or yellow stains on your sink, tub, fixtures and laundry, this is may be caused by natural organic material known as tannins. Tannins are typically a well water problem, but may occur in city water as well.
A major cause of yellow staining in a bathroom sink is hard water, or water with an overabundance of minerals. This source of staining is especially likely if your home uses well water.
Hard water often leaves these minerals behind in toilets, sinks, showers, dishwashers and laundry machines. As a result, yellow hard water stains form over time if not treated. Hard water stains can also appear brown, red or orange, depending on the minerals they contain.
Sprinkle baking soda or Borax directly on the hard water stain in your sink, then spray on the same vinegar and water solution you used on the bathtub. Let the cleaners sit for 15 minutes, then scrub with a soft brush or sponge. (Remember to wear gloves when cleaning with Borax.)
Cause: If you're seeing a yellow tint to your water and/or yellow stains on your sink, tub, fixtures and laundry, this is may be caused by natural organic material known as tannins. Tannins are typically a well water problem, but may occur in city water as well.
If you are looking to avoid using chemicals altogether or if marks are particularly rugged, then cleaning with a Magic Eraser can help achieve the perfect shine with no extra product. 'Use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to quickly scrub your porcelain sink.
For both white and colored porcelain, liquid oxygen bleach—such as hydrogen peroxide—is a good alternative. It may take longer to work, but it's less caustic and more environmentally friendly. Pour the bleach product suited to your type of porcelain into a spray bottle.
Harsh scrubbing can damage porcelain, so your first line of attack should be the least abrasive. For white porcelain only, bleach can be used to remove stains; never use chlorine bleach in colored or vintage porcelain, as it can damage the finish.
Just a simple mixture of baking soda and vinegar will take away all gunk and stains that you could throw at your sink. I suggest making a paste in the sink, so you can best gauge how much you need, but just sprinkle baking soda over the entire bottom surface then drizzling a light amount of vinegar over top.
You should avoid bleach when dealing with china, but if you have stubborn tea or coffee stains, you can try using a hydrogen peroxide solution to brighten up your china pieces. A 20% hydrogen peroxide solution has been known to remove yellow stains.
Is it worth it to refinish a porcelain sink? It is worth it to refinish a porcelain sink. The refinishing process involves stripping away the old finish, repairing any damage, and applying a new finish. While it is a bit of a process, it is usually much cheaper than replacing the sink.
Porcelain sinks have an average lifespan of 20–25 years. While all materials take on wear and tear over time, porcelain sinks can be refinished to keep them looking brand new and gorgeous for decades.
Protecting Your Porcelain Sink
Clean your sink every day to prevent a buildup of soap scum, grease, and dirt. Use a solution of two tablespoons of dishwashing liquid to a gallon of water. Scrub using a soft non-abrasive cloth or sponge. Wipe the sink dry with a towel or other soft cloth to eliminate water stains.
Abrasive tools: Abrasive tools like scouring pads and steel wool could cause unsightly scratches to form on porcelain sinks. Abrasive cleaners: Abrasive cleaners that contain harsh chemicals can stain, scratch, or damage the finish on porcelain sinks.
Baking soda creates a soft scrub that can tackle minor stains in a sink without marring the porcelain.
To give a white sink a deep clean, it's best to remove limescale with a vinegar- or lemon-based cleaner at regular intervals. Both standard cleaning products work very well indeed and break down naturally. You should ensure that your cleaning product isn't too aggressive and is compatible with food.
To effectively remove stains/rust or discoloration, we recommend that the sink be scrubbed with a household cleaner such as Bar Keeper's Friend, Zud, Comet, or Ajax along with a blue Scotch-Brite non-abrasive scrubbing pad. Be sure to rub back and forth in the direction of the sinks grain lines.
The brown stain is from a large amount of iron in your water. It is closely related to simple rust that you see on metal, which is iron oxide. Your water probably comes from groundwater that filtered through rocks containing iron-rich minerals on its way to the well.
If you're looking for a good surface cleaner, white vinegar is great! It can help get rid of dingy limescale build-up that is hurting the look of your white sinks. While white vinegar is great at removing limescale, it also works as a disinfectant as well.