How To Clean & Care for a Porcelain Kitchen Sink
Porcelain can be a sustaining and beautiful option for the bathroom and kitchen. I personally have an apron porcelain kitchen sink at home…and I love it. However, it needs to be maintained every couple of weeks to keep the stains at bay. Porcelain is a “porous” surface, which means that stains and bacteria can sit inside of the pores and buildup with use.
You’ll want to use a product that’s slightly abrasive (because, pores…just like the kind you have on your face). In addition to an abrasive product, the right tool to accompany the cleaning process can help lift and remove the dirt/debris from the porous surface. Here are my top recommended products, from professionally cleaning houses for over 15 years:
Bristled Brushes
Before we dive into products, let’s start with the tools you’ll use first. I’ve included a few resources for you for the bathroom, too.
If you’re scrubbing a porcelain sink, you’ll want to use a dish brush.
If you’re scrubbing a porcelain shower, you’ll want to use a hard bristled hand brush and/or a sponge with an abrasive side.
If you’re scrubbing a porcelain toilet, a reusable washable scrubber and glove or a toilet brush is fine.
Eco Friendly Maintenance Cleaner
The Tidy People Sink+Toilet Cleaner is a great way to maintain your porcelain if there’s no staining involved inside the porcelain.
Add Baking Soda for a Boost
At The Tidy People, we like to do things the eco friendly way when possible, before trying out something harsher.
Sprinkle baking soda & activate with water and dish soap or The Tidy People sink + toilet cleaner to create a paste. Scrub the sink with a bristled brush, rinse with water, then dry with a terry cloth towel.
If No Luck…Try Bleach
When all else fails, a good bleach cleaner almost always does the trick.
THE CLEANING PROCESS
Step 1: Whichever product you choose, generously pour the product directly on the porcelain surface.
Step 2: Activate the cleaner with water by running water over it in the sink.
Step 3: Scrub slowly with the brush, ensuring that the cleaner gets into the pores of the porcelain.
Step 4: Rinse with water.
Step 5: Polish dry with terry cloth cleaning towels to remove any excess debris and cleaner.
REFINISHING PORCELAIN
Lastly, this isn’t talked about enough, but even though porcelain is lasting, the finish on it can and does wear down in time. It will eventually need to be refinished. You’ll notice that no matter what you use to clean it, there are stains and possible chips in the surface.
Hiring a pro to refinish this will return your porcelain to it’s original pristine condition.
