How to clean kitchen sink with vinegar

How to Clean Kitchen Sink the Right Way

You may think that with the amount of soap and water that runs into your kitchen sink every day, the sink is relatively clean. But that is simply not the case. The rinsing and splashing with dish soap that happens with daily use do nothing to clean your kitchen sink.

Between food particles, stagnant water, and whatever germs wash into the sink from your hands, the kitchen sink might be one of the germiest places in your home! So, how to clean kitchen sink? Check out these tips for cleaning your kitchen sink the right way!

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You just need a few simple tips to clean your kitchen sink like a pro. Once you follow this method, you’ll have a shining sink each and every day. We like to make sure our sink is clean before going to bed each night.

1. Give Your Sink a Thorough Rinse

Before you clean your kitchen sink you’ll want to finish off any dishes and then give the sink a thorough rinse. All food, liquids, and debris should be rinsed away before you start cleaning your kitchen sink. After you rinse, clear the drains as well.

Rinsing your sink free of food and debris is a good daily practice even when you don’t have time for a complete cleaning. For stainless steel sinks, acid and salt from food can damage the finish on your sink.

And for other types of sinks, it makes stains harder to clean. Rinsing your sink completely should be part of your nightly dishes routine.

2. Sprinkle Baking Soda All Over the Sink

Now that you’ve rinsed your sink of visible food and debris, sprinkle baking soda in the sink. Don’t hold back, try to cover the entire sink.

You can get canisters of baking soda like this that sprinkle:

Or you can drill some holes in the top of a mason jar. If you go the mason jar route, consider adding a few drops of your favorite essential oils to your baking soda. It will give your whole kitchen a great smell. We like lemon!

3.

Squirt Dish Soap on a Clean Sponge or Cloth

Once you have baking soda covering your sink, you are ready to start scrubbing. You can use a small amount of dish soap on your sponge or cloth for easier cleaning.

We love blue Dawn dish soap for just about everything!

4. Start Scrubbing!

Baking soda is abrasive but not enough to scratch stainless steel or other types of sinks. Scrub your sink from the top down so that you are working your way towards the drain. The best way to clean your kitchen sink is to use a circular motion and scrub out the entire sink.

5. Sanitize

After you’re done scrubbing your kitchen sink clean, you’ll want to sanitize it. Give your freshly scrubbed sink a good rinse to make sure everything you’ve cleaned off gets washed away and down the drain.

Next, soak some paper towels in white vinegar and use them to line your sink. Cover the entire sink and allow the towels and vinegar to sit for about 20 minutes. Vinegar is a natural sanitizer. And can also help remove hard water stains.

6. Clean Faucets

Now that your sink basin is clean and sanitized, don’t forget to clean your faucet and handle. Faucets and sink handles can be cleaned with a mild soapy solution. Dish soap or a surface cleaner and a sponge should work well.

After cleaning your faucets, use a vinegar-soaked cloth to wipe them down and sanitize these often handled surfaces.

7. Deodorize the Disposal or Drain

A stinky garbage disposal or drain won’t go well with your freshly cleaned kitchen sink. For a disposal, sprinkle about ½ cup of baking soda down your disposal and follow it with a cup of vinegar. The mixture will fizz for a few minutes. For a drain, just use a little less.

Follow the baking soda and vinegar with hot water for rinsing. This should sanitize and deodorize your drain or disposal.

Organized Mom Cleaning Essentials

We’re huge on using the basic cleaning essentials over and over again when it comes to cleaning. Here are some of our favorites to get nearly everything squeaky clean. Baking soda, vinegar, and essential oils are a staple for our cleaning kits!

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Tips on How to Disinfect & Keep Your Kitchen Sink Clean

The kitchen sink is often seen as a symbol of cleanliness. This is, after all, a place where you do most of your washing and cleaning. Look around any kitchen sink and there is a good chance you’ll find cleaning staples like soap, sponges, washcloths and brushes. Considering this, you might be surprised to know that the kitchen sink is usually one of the dirtiest things in a house.

The combination of moisture and food particles, along with other debris, creates a prime breeding ground for illness-causing bacteria. This is why it’s important for you to know how to clean your kitchen sink. Follow the steps below for a breakdown of what you’ll need to do!

Cleaning Different Types of Kitchen Sinks

There are many different types of kitchen sinks made up of different materials, from porcelain to brass. Some sinks require special care when cleaning and maintaining them. Copper sinks, for example, need regular waxing.

We’re going to concentrate on cleaning porcelain sinks and stainless-steel sinks as these are some of the most common types of kitchen sinks.

How to Clean Kitchen Sinks without Harsh Chemicals

When it comes to cleaning the inside of your house, you may want to avoid using chemical cleaners. Chemical cleaning agents can have strong odors and cause headaches and eye irritation. Some are extremely dangerous—and even toxic—if ingested. Chemical cleaners can present big risks especially if you have small children or pets.

For these reasons, natural cleaning alternatives have become very popular. They are far less risky to use and have around the house, and they are highly effective at cleaning. Below, we’ll outline how to clean your sink without the use of harsh chemicals. These methods work incredibly well, and you can use them for cleaning both porcelain and stainless-steel sinks.

Using White Vinegar

No guide on how to clean a kitchen sink would be complete without mention of white vinegar. White vinegar is great for tackling grease, germs and lime buildup.

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. Because of vinegar’s versatility as a cleanser, it’s a good idea to always have a spray bottle of it handy. After giving your sink a good rinse to clear out any debris, begin spraying down the sink with the vinegar solution and wipe dry.

Don’t forget your faucet! Vinegar works well for breaking up lime buildup that may have accumulated around the spout. To remove lime buildup, wet a cloth with vinegar and warm water and wipe the faucet clean.

If you are feeling adventurous, scrub your sink with baking soda before spraying with vinegar. Then, add the vinegar and witness the fizzing reaction between the baking soda and vinegar. Let the fizzing solution sit for a few minutes before rinsing and drying the sink.

Cleaning with Lemon

Another popular natural cleaning alternative is cleaning with lemon. The process is pretty simple. Just take a lemon, cut it in half or into smaller wedges and scrub your sink with the cut-up pieces. Add some salt for a little more help; its coarseness will help move any of the more difficult-to-remove particles stuck to your sink. Once you are satisfied, rinse and dry the sink.

Disinfecting Kitchen Sinks with Bleach

Warning: Do not use bleach in a stainless-steel sink. Bleach can be corrosive to the steel and ruin your sink. If you have a porcelain sink, check the pipes under your sink. Don’t use bleach if you have stainless-steel pipes.

Vinegar may be a reliable natural disinfectant, but if you’re looking for something with more of a kick, bleach may be the way to go. While it’s not very safe for stainless steel, a bleach solution can be safe for your porcelain sink.

There are two main methods you can use to disinfect your kitchen sink with bleach. First, you can plug the drain and fill your sink with warm water and add bleach to create a solution. Keep in mind, you need very little bleach to create a disinfecting solution. You should only use about one-fourth of a cup of bleach for every gallon of water. Let that solution sit in the sink for a few minutes before draining and rinsing thoroughly.

Alternatively, you can create a solution in a bucket or bowl and use it to wipe the sink. Remember to use gloves when handling the bleach to protect your hands. When you’re done disinfecting your sink, make sure to give it a strong rinse so all the bleach washes away.

How to Clean Sink Drains and Garbage Disposals

At this point, you may not be surprised that one of the best ways to clean both your sink’s drain and garbage disposal is by using the old baking soda and vinegar method. Add equal parts baking soda and vinegar down both drain holes of your sink and let the solution do the rest! After a few minutes, flush both sides of your sink with warm water.

To help with bad odors from your garbage disposal, put scraps of citrus peels into the disposal and run it with cool water. Some experts suggest freezing your citrus peels so they break up more easily in the disposal.

Of all your kitchen sink parts, the garbage disposal and drain take the brunt of debris and food waste. Because of this, it’s especially important to clean and maintain these parts. You’ll also want to consider clog-prevention tips like making sure you aren’t putting large pieces of food and grease down your drain.

If a problem eventually arises after normal wear and tear, having a home warranty plan can save you from high repair or replacement costs. You might even find that the cost of a home warranty is less than the cost of a garbage disposal repair!

Maintain Your Sink in between Cleanings

Regular cleanings are an important part of maintaining your sink and keeping your household healthy. Between cleanings, you can help keep your sink in good order by:

Spraying the sink with white vinegar after each use
Drying the sink after each use
Not leaving dishes or other items in the sink for an extended amount of time

With regular upkeep and cleaning, your kitchen sink shouldn’t be a source of stress. Though, after years of use, issues can inevitably arise with any appliance in your house. That’s why we’re here to provide you with tips and home warranty plans that keep your life moving and house functional.

How to clean a blockage in the sink - folk and professional remedies

A blockage in the sink is a common occurrence, even if the hostess maintains perfect cleanliness in the house / apartment and thoroughly flushes the sink from grease and dirt, and prevents food debris from entering the drain system. How to clear blockage without effort? It's simple - call a plumber and believe that he will come on time and do his job efficiently. But instead, you can do it on your own, especially since there are a lot of options. nine0003

  Contents:  1. How to clear a blockage in the sink with a plunger 2. How to clear a blockage in the sink without a plunger 3. Special tools for cleaning blockages in the sink 4. Mechanical cleaning of blockage in the sink

How to unblock a sink with a plunger

A very popular, well-known plunger for a long time is a real lifesaver in moments of sink clogging. The principle of its operation is simple - under pressure, a water hammer is created in the drain pipes, which contributes to the passage of accumulated dirt. nine0003

The plunger must be attached with the rubber side to the hole in the sink so that it is completely closed. Then 3-4 sharp shocks are made, during which you can hear the characteristic gurgling sounds in the pipes. Then the plunger is removed and, as a rule, the water from the sink begins to actively drain. If the drainage of water goes badly, then you need to repeat the procedure with a plunger. If dirt / debris / food particles rise up, they must be removed immediately - if they enter the drain again, they will again create a blockage. nine0003

A plunger is the answer to the question of how to clean the sink in the bathroom, because this method is suitable for any drain systems, including toilets.

How to unblock a sink without a plunger

If there is no plunger in the household, then you can use folk remedies, the basis for the preparation of which is ordinary baking soda. It is this product that has the ability to dissolve fats, which causes the cleaning of the drain system in the sink. So, the blockage in the sink can be removed in the following ways: nine0003

Pour three tablespoons of baking soda into the drain hole in the sink, then rinse everything with hot water, preferably boiling water;
Pour three tablespoons of baking soda with vinegar in an amount of 100 ml, wait 15 minutes - during this time the chemical reaction in the vessel will end. Then the solution is poured into the hole of the sink and after 3 minutes everything is washed with hot water;
Take equal amounts of ordinary washing powder and baking soda, pour into the sink drain system. Then pour vinegar in the same amount in the amount of 200 ml and after 2-5 minutes rinse everything with hot water. nine0024

These cleaners are great for even tough clogs, and baking soda works on both kitchen sinks and bathroom sinks. If the blockage happened in the kitchen, then most likely the cause of this will be fat accumulations - they are easiest to dissolve with vinegar, so in this case it is better to use the second recipe from the above for the cleaning procedure.

Sink blockage cleaner

There are a lot of such products on the market - they are aggressive, guarantee almost instant results. The task is to choose a cleaning agent that would not only quickly and efficiently remove blockages in the sink, but also be safe. We suggest using the products of the manufacturer "Nevskaya Cosmetics" - a means for cleaning pipes from blockages "Mr. Chister". It has excellent quality characteristics:

removes clogs in 15 minutes; nine0024
dissolves even hair and grease, but is completely safe for pipes;
disinfects;
eliminates unpleasant odors, even if the blockage in the sink is already old.

In addition, the Mr. Chister pipe cleaner is equipped with a special cap that prevents children from trying to taste the contents of the bright bottle. Before opening the bottle, you will need to press the cap and, holding it in this position, turn it - this is the only way the remedy will open. nine0003

See how quickly "Mr. Cleaner" dissolved the hair, and did not damage the spoon and plastic cup at all:

Removing a blockage in the sink is not difficult, but it is much more expedient to simply not let it happen. According to statistics, blockage occurs due to fat accumulations in the pipe, and they are taken just from the inner surface of the sink. This suggests that when cleaning the kitchen space, attention should be paid not only to tiled surfaces, but also to the sink - with special tools of the Mister Chister line from the manufacturer Nevskaya Cosmetics, even frozen fat can be removed and blockage can be prevented. nine0003

Mechanical drain blockage

This is a rather unpleasant procedure, but sometimes you have to carry it out. In kitchen sinks there is such a detail as a siphon - it retains various dirt, preventing it from forming a blockage in more distant pipes. Modern sink installation systems involve the installation of a removable siphon, so you just need to unscrew it, clean it and rinse it.

But mechanical cleaning of the siphon will be needed only if you use a plunger or folk remedies - they do not remove the unpleasant odor and the effect of them is short-lived. But professional products last longer and eliminate the need to manually clean the siphon. nine0003

It is quite possible to clear the blockage in the sink, you just need to choose a convenient way.

sink cleaning, video instruction, what you need, tips from a master, blockage prevention

Sewer blockage can be dealt with on your own without asking for help from utilities

If the sewer is clogged in the house, there are two ways to develop events. The first is to call a plumber, the second is to deal with the problem yourself. The second way is cheaper and faster. And ordinary soda and vinegar will act as materials for cleaning pipes. nine0003

Contents:

1 Where does the pipe clog more often?
2 Baking soda and vinegar - the first way to clean pipes
3 The second way to clean pipes with soda
4 The third way to get rid of blockages with soda
5 Cleaning the sink with soda and vinegar
6 Preventing blockages

In the first place among the most common areas of blockage - the pipe at the kitchen sink. Fat and food residues regularly settle in the pipes. Mesh filters on the drain, of course, save the day, but clogging can happen to them. nine0003

The filter on the drain is not always able to protect the sink from clogging

Grease deposited on the walls of the sewer pipe does not allow water to pass through

The pipe on the bathtub drain is the second most frequent cleaning. The hair remaining after shampooing “try” to clog the sewer in this area.

And only in third place in terms of blockages is the toilet drain. Accidents happen in this area if the rules for using the toilet are violated. Rags, baby diapers, hygiene items, plastic bags in the drain can cause pipe blockages. nine0003

You should pay attention to the following rule: if the water does not go into the pipe at all, and you have never cleaned the sewer before, it is still better to call the master. With minor blockages, it will be easier to deal with it yourself.

Soda and vinegar - the first way to clean pipes

This cleaning method is remarkable in that the solution is prepared in the pipe itself. It is necessary to act strictly according to the instructions:

Pour half a glass of ordinary baking soda down the drain. nine0024
Take the same amount of vinegar and also send it to the drain.
It is advisable to close the drain hole with a stopper and do not go into the sewer anymore, as a chemical reaction will take place there. You have to wait about two hours.
After the waiting time, pour hot boiled water into the pipe. It remains to wait a little.

This is an easy way to clear a blockage in a pipe. Strictly observe the proportions, do not take vinegar in a larger volume.

Using vinegar and soda to get rid of blockages in the sewer

Due to the chemical reaction that vinegar enters into with soda, cleaning occurs

The second way to clean the pipes with soda

Clean the drain hole of debris. First, manually, and then with the addition of boiling water (it will take about a liter). You have to wait 20-30 minutes.

The pipe must then be purged with a plunger. After that, soda is taken. A glass of soda is diluted with boiling water (1: 3), this mixture is poured into the drain hole. nine0003

The method is quite effective, but in case of severe blockage it requires duplication. However, it is also good because it can also disinfect the sewer.

The third way to get rid of blockages using soda

In addition to soda, this type of cleaning will also require salt. Salt and soda are mixed in a glass in different proportions. This mixture is sent to the drain. The pipe is filled with boiling water, preferably done overnight.

Everything is ready.

A mixture of soda and salt, poured with boiling water, should be left in the siphon for a long time

Cleaning the sink with soda and vinegar

These components are used in cleaning the sink, this process should be described separately: The walls must be perfectly dry.

Half a glass of soda is poured into the drain hole so that the soda does not linger on the surface, you can help it with a cotton swab - so it will get inside faster.

Vinegar is taken, half a glass is poured down the drain. nine0024
After two minutes, hot water is drained into the same hole.

The faucet opens and the water drain is controlled - you need to wait until it goes completely into the sewer, without stagnation.

Vinegar and soda can perfectly clean the pipes, sometimes some component is replaced with lemon, but even without it the effect will be obvious.

Cleaning the sink with baking soda and vinegar (video)

Blockage prevention

Experts advise not to skip preventive measures so as not to clog the sewer. nine0006 They are quite simple:

From time to time you need to disassemble the pipes and rinse them thoroughly.
Open the faucet once a week and flush the system with hot water to prevent the formation of grease deposits.
Use vinegar and baking soda as a prophylactic as well (at least once a year you can clean the pipes in this way).
Don't forget the plastic mesh filters. They look like small plastic gratings or made of more durable material, which are put on directly on the drain. nine0024
Make sure that food waste does not fall into the drain - with large permanent blockages, neither vinegar, nor soda, nor products from the store will be able to clean the pipes.

Soda solution for pipe cleaning (video)

Conclusion

Technical blockages can lead to serious consequences, causing an accident not only for you, but also for your neighbors. Preventive measures will be cheap, and will allow you to not encounter blockage problems at all. Therefore, even if the issue of clogging pipes is not worth it, vinegar and soda can not be hidden, but used as a means of prevention.