How To Clean Porcelain Sinks

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Porcelain sinks often seem daunting to clean. They’re a gorgeous addition to your bathroom or kitchen, but they do have the habit of easily getting scratched or ruined. That being said, practice makes perfect.

By cleaning and maintaining it the right way, your porcelain sink can stick around for a very long time…it may even be around when you’re thinking of handing down your crystals to your grandkids!

This article contains solutions on how to deal with different kinds of stains that mar your porcelain. So without further ado, let’s jump into the simple ways you can make your porcelain sink sparkle!

Outline

1. Gentle Sponge and Dish Soap

Keep it simple guys. A little bit of soap and water never hurt anybody. Turn the water up as hot as it can go. Or rather, how hot you can tolerate touching it.

Use some grease-cutting soap like dish soap and rub the entire sink with soap and hot water. Use circular motions to really massage the soap into the porcelain. The hotter the water, the shinier the sink.

Caution: Only clean porcelain with a soft sponge or cloth. Never use abrasive cleaning solutions either.

2. Bleach It

Sometimes, yellowish stains can mess up your pristine sink. Sort of like when you pour the perfect pancake but then discover there’s a small blob that accidentally dropped from the ladle ruining the perfect circle. Don’t you hate that?

Spray the sink down with bleach…try really hard not to get some on your shirt or skin while doing so. Let the bleach sit for a bit so that it can work its magic. Give it a thorough scrub again and watch your sink come back to life.

3. Coffee Stains

A late start to your morning? That’s probably why you’re trying to curl your hair in the bathroom while drinking coffee at the same time. Only for your hand to accidentally knock over the cup while you reach for your mascara. Trust me, I’ve been there. It’s not pretty.

So dip a damp washcloth in baking soda and using circular motions, wipe down the sink. Let the residue sit for 10-15 minutes before you do your normal cleaning routine using soap and hot water!

4. Rust Stains

If there’s rust on your sink, it may be too late to restore it to its pristine state. But don’t fret! You can still try your best to clean it up.

Mix about 1 cup of borax and 1/4 of a cup of lemon juice to make a thick paste. Rub it all over the sink with a sponge, and have a great time with it. Personally, it’s about as fun as playing in the dirt when you were a kid. Good memories right? Rinse it clean with warm or lukewarm water to cut through all the lemon and paste.

5. Grease Spots

Don’t ask me how, but with a dog and kids…random spots just don’t shock me anymore. Seriously. Give me a pair of rubber gloves and cleaner, and it’ll look as good as Beyonce always looks. Sorry, did I say good? I meant flawless. 24/7. Seriously, how can someone look so perfect for so many years?

Mix about a tablespoon of ammonia with a gallon of hot water. Pour it over the sink and wait for about 10-20 minutes. If any grease remains, repeat this process until the grease is gone.

6. Pumice Stone

Pumice stones are usually used to scrub feet but due to their volcanic properties, it’s perfect for your sink too. Make sure it’s wet while you rub it over the stains. Stone on a stone isn’t a bad idea, so don’t freak out!

Pumice stones have unique properties that make them perfect for the job. Like who would have thought Robert Downey Jr. would single-handedly jump-start an entire franchise? Anyway, use the pumice rock. Before I start a full-on super fan breakdown of his Marvel movies.

7. Cream of Tartar and Vinegar

If you’re a baker, you definitely have these go-to items on hand. They’re cheap and quite multi-functional to be used around the house. Mix equal parts of cream of tartar and vinegar and form a mixture. Apply it over the sink, and then do your normal cleaning routine.

You can also use equal parts of cream of tartar with hydrogen peroxide. Both work equally well. It just depends on what you have on hand at the moment.

Related: 8 Clever Vinegar Hacks

Porcelain Sink Maintenance

Use any gentle soap or dish soap to clean it once a week and prevent the buildup of scum. Give the sink a deep clean at least once a month.
Always use a soft cleaning sponge and non-abrasive cleaners. Baking soda and cream of tartar are only mildly abrasive, so they are safe to use and won’t cause scratches.
If you’re using an acidic cleaner like vinegar, don’t let it sit on the sink for too long. Rinse the sink with plain water immediately after cleaning it with vinegar.

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