ClEaNiNg Of KiTcHeN'S SiNk

The sink is often the kitchen's eyesore.Even a beautiful cast-iron farmhouse sink can look dreadful.

CLEAR CLOGGED DRAINS:


Baking soda and vinegar also clear clogged drains. Get the water out, fill drain with baking soda, pour in vinegar. When it stops bubbling, hit it with the plunger. Follow with lots of hot water - boiling, if your hot water heater is set below 160 degrees.

Cleaning the Sink

For light stains, rub with a fresh cut lemon.
For dark stains (like rust) rub with a paste of borax and lemon juice.

Stainless Steel Sink

Baking soda or club soda is excellent to clean stainless steel sinks.
To remove water spots from a stainless steel sink, use a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol. Spots on stainless steel also can be removed with white vinegar.
If your kids leave toothpaste in sinks, take a washcloth and clean the sink and fixture with the paste.Rub stainless steel sinks with lighter fluid if rust marks appear. After the rust disappears, wipe with your regular kitchen cleaner.

For a sparkling white sink, place paper towels across the bottom of your sink and saturate with household bleach. Let sit for ½ hour. Rinse. Never use bleach in colored porcelain sinks, because it will fade the color. Clean with mild liquid detergents, vinegar, or baking soda.

Sparkling Sink

Wipe a stainless steel sink with vinegar or a touch of oil on a cloth to make the sink sparkle.

Cleaning Porcelain

Lighter fluid will remove most dark, stubborn stains from porcelain sinks and bathtubs.ary if it's surrounded by a ragtag collection of disintegrating sponges and a cheap plastic bottle of dishwashing liquid. Take care to outfit your sink with the right accessories and cleaning up will feel more like a privilege than a chore.


Essential Accessories Soap and Sponges

The easiest way to make over a sink is to get rid of that hideous bottle of dishwashing liquid by decanting it into a restaurant-style syrup dispenser. A capacious sponge tray keeps brushes, hand soap, and scrubbers neatly organized. Twelve-ounce glass syrup dispenser, $8, Broadway Panhandler, 866-266-5927. Sink Mats When you're washing, use clear plastic mats to protect your sink from scratches, and your glass and china from getting chipped or cracked; $6, the Container Store. Dish Drainer It's a necessary evil, but that doesn't mean it should be painful to look at. This compact stainless-steel model takes care of delicate dishes without stealing too much counter space. A neat flatware box drains directly into the sink.

Sink Etiquette

A well-kept sink area reduces the amount of bacteria lurking in your kitchen.
Brushes and abrasive scrubbers should be washed free of food particles with hot, sudsy water, or cleaned in the dishwasher at least once a day. Odors indicate that bacteria are growing.
Don't use sponges to clean up after raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs. But if you do, wash the sponges in hot, soapy water, then sanitize them in the microwave.
Sanitize your sink's drain and garbage disposal once a week. Pour down a mixture of one teaspoon regular chlorine bleach and one quart water.