Being stainless does not mean that your kitchen sinks will never lose its shine and gloss with time. But with proper care and maintenance, you can keep it shining for a longer period if not always.
What you need to do is follow this prevention and servicing steps to keep your stainless-steel sink looking like new.
Steps to maintenance
The great thing about stainless steel is that it is corrosive resistant and it actually thrives with regular cleaning. You don’t need to worry about your stainless steel to wear out because of excess cleaning, that is basically impossible.
Just follow these maintenance measures
- Always wash away the sink with some water to avoid any remains in sticking with the steel and staining the steel. Also, clean it with a sponge using some abrasive with warm water to keep it shining
- Remember to run the sponge with the polish lines, it will help in cleaning the remains and also you will avoid ruining the steel.
- Most cleaning abrasive are chemical products, leaving them on the steel can cause damage to the steel. It is advised to run some water in the sink to drain the chemical which might have remained after cleaning.
- Cleaning with hot water is advised as it removes particles which are difficult to remove and it also produces a shiny steel surface.
- Remember to clean the steel with a sponge rather than a ball of steel wool as they might leave some of their metal particles which become the cause of rusts on stainless steel.
- When you are done with that remember to clean the surface of your steel sink with a dry towel. It will take away every remaining particle which might react with the steel and cause any damage.
You can always add additional shine with these steps
- Baking soda acts as a great stainless-steel cleaner. It is a strong abrasive which is capable of cleaning every difficult food and water deposits alongside grease which gets stuck in the sink. But as strong an abrasive it is, it will not harm the steel of your sink making it a great cleaner
- Secondly, you can also use club soda to clean the sink after plugging it. Remember to use a sponge and later dry it with a dry cloth.
- Lastly, you can use a lint free cloth with some cooking oil and buff the steel to produce great shine.
These are some DIY cleaning and maintaining techniques to keep your sink as good as new. But this is not the end to your stainless-steel kitchen sinks. There are certain things you should and must avoid to maintain the health of kitchen sinks.
The things that must be avoided to maintain the health of your sink are..
- Avoid using steel wool to clean your stainless steel, it will leave scratches and iron particles which may become the cause of rust. Instead of scouring pads such as Scotch Brite to remove hard to remove particles.
- Do not leave your soap towel and cloth on the sink to dry. They might have bacteria and particles which can dull the steel.
- Avoid using acids to clean the steel sink, the acid will most probably react with the steel and cause damage.
- Never leave steel or iron utensils in the sink for prolonged periods. If there is any water in the sink it will react the utensils with the sink to cause rust.
- Do not cut vegetables and meat in the sink, any missed slice or chop can damage the surface of the sink.
These are some essential maintenance steps you need to take to keep your kitchen sink shining and maintained. Just keep cleaning regularly and use rubber gloves to clean to keep your hands safe from chemicals. Also, it is advised to never mix cleaners as they may react to produce a mixture which may damage the surface. If you are confused then you can always call experts to find the right cleaning solution. In the end it is up to you to keep your stainless kitchen clean and shining.
