Your kitchen sink is likely to get a lot of use each day when you're washing up and cooking, but without regular cleaning it can easily get dirty, smelly and tarnished with unsightly limescale deposits – not exactly the ideal place to get your dishes clean.
A natural build-up of food residues and grime can leave your sink looking grubby and lead to bad odours that can affect the rest of your home if not taken care of regularly. But with these easy tips and tricks your sink will be spotless and entire house will be smelling nice in no time.
What is the best way to clean out a kitchen sink?
The best method to clean your kitchen sink depends on the style of sink you have - as you may want to use different cleaning products depending on if you have a stainless steel or porcelain sink. However, baking soda is effective on all sinks, helping to lift stains and get them looking sparkling clean naturally. Read on for full tips on how to clean out a kitchen sink.
How to clean your kitchen sink with fabric conditioner like Mrs Hinch
You don't necessarily need a special cleaner to get your sink sparkling clean, as Mrs Hinch has proven by using fabric softener in favour of other products.
RELATED: How to clean a dishwasher in 5 simple steps
© Photo: InstagramLenor fabric conditioner two-pack, £14.59, Amazon
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The cleaning influencer simply poured two capfuls of fabric softener into the sink along with a full kettle of water and left it to soak. "Fills the house with the smell of washing. Let it soak for about 4 hours, topping up every so often with boiling water," she explained. "Once soaked use a scourer to remove any last unwanted build up. No harsh chemicals and no scrubbing for hours!"
How to clean a stainless steel kitchen sink
While stainless steel sinks are hardwearing and less likely to permanently stain than other types of sink, they can become damaged by bleach and abrasive scrubbers, so take care to choose a soft microfiber cloth and bleach-free cleaning spray when cleaning.
Fortunately, baking soda will soon have stainless steel gleaming again; all you need to do is sprinkle around your sink, before using a sponge and hot water to scrub down the sides of the basin, helping any grime and dirt to flow straight into the drain. Once finished, rinse away any remaining powder and use your microfiber cloth to dry the sink, leaving it looking sparkling clean and free from any water spots.
MORE: How to descale a kettle and prevent limescale
How to clean a porcelain kitchen sink
Porcelain is much more susceptible to stains and rust than stainless steel, so cleaning regularly is essential to maintain its polished finish. Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda are the perfect combination to remove stains quickly; start by sprinkling baking soda onto your sink while it is damp, before adding a few drops of hydrogen peroxide on top.
Use a sponge or brush to gently scrub the mix into your sink and lift stains, before rinsing with water and drying with a soft cloth.
READ: The ultimate weekly cleaning schedule to keep your house spotless
How to remove limescale from your kitchen sink
Limescale commonly builds up in hard water areas and can be a pain to clean from taps and sinks. However, a mix of water and white vinegar can be surprisingly effective at cleaning away hard water stains when applied with a soft cloth or sponge. Alternatively, there are many descaling and limescale removing products available, such as Viakal, which helps to remove limescale and restore your sink's natural shine.
What is the way to clean a sink drain?
Although there are several drain cleaners on the market that promise to clean inside pipes and freshen up your sink, these are often full of chemicals and can be damaging to the environment. Instead, consider a natural alternative by using vinegar and baking soda for an effective way to freshen up your kitchen sink drain.
Queen of Clean Lynsey Crombie previously shared her natural drain cleaner recipe with HELLO!, which she recommended is used weekly to maintain clean pipes.
"To prevent nasty odours and blockages, pour 100g/1/2 cup of bicarbonate of soda into the drain, then add 120ml/1/2 cup of white wine vinegar and leave for 15 minutes," Lynsey said. "The chemical reaction will help to break down fatty clogs. To finish, flush with boiling water from the kettle."
If you have plastic pipes, use warm or even cold water to rinse rather than boiling, as this can cause damage.
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