How to clean a kitchen sink

by Katrina - The Organised Housewife March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

Easy and practical tips for keeping your kitchen sink clean and bacteria-free. Prevent build-up from dirty dishes, crumbs, and grime with our daily cleaning routine to maintain a hygienic and sparkling kitchen sink.

The kitchen sink often becomes a hotspot for unsightly build-up, with dirty dishes, leftover crumbs in lunch boxes, and frequent handwashing contributing to food particles and grime accumulation. These areas around the edges and within the drain can become havens for bacteria. That’s why cleaning your sink regularly is essential – I make it a habit to give mine a thorough wipe every evening after finishing the dishes.

CLEANING KIT

Kat’s cleaning spray or antibacterial spray
Cleaning sponge
Mini cleaning brush
Cleaning paste or Lemon Soda Paste
White vinegar
Cleaning cloths
Bicarb soda
Rock salt
Ice
Lemon

steps to clean the kitchen sink

All these step and DIY recipes can be found in my book, The Clean Home.

quick clean

Clean your sink and tapware using the cleaning spray or warm, soapy water along with a cloth to prevent dirt and limescale accumulation.
Use a dry cleaning cloth to buff the surfaces for a spotless finish.

Kat’s Routine:
I give my sink a wipe over every evening after the dishes are done to remove crumbs and and oil build up from the dirty dishes.

deep clean

Start with a clutter free sink, remove all dishes from sink and rinse the sink removing any food and crumbs.

To clean the tap ware:

Spray tap ware with antibacterial spray and if needed use a mini cleaning brush to get into those hard to reach areas.
If you have dirt or lime build up around the tap, dab some cleaning paste over the area and leave for 5 minutes, then use the brush to clean away the build-up.

To clean the drains:

Soak plug in a cup of vinegar for 5 minutes, scrub with mini cleaning brush to remove any build up.
Use mini brush to remove build up around sink drain.
To help clean and remove odours, sprinkle 1/2 cup bicarb into the drain, then slowly pour 1 cup vinegar. Sit for 15 minutes. Wash away with boiling water.

To clean the food disposal:

Pour boiling water down the disposal.
Add 1/2 cup rock salt and 1 cup ice into your food disposal.
With the water running turn on your disposal until you can hear that all the salt and ice have crushed and gone.
Add 1/2 cup bicarb soda, let it sit for 30 minutes then pour 1/2 cup vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes. Turn on the tap, run the disposal.
Finish by chopping one lemon into wedges, add to disposal, run tap and disposal.

The salt and ice will work together scrubbing the blades and side of the internal disposal unit. The lemon will freshen it and naturally clean it.

@theorganisedhousewife Another clean with me moment, today it was the kitchen sink that needed a good scrub. #cleantok #cleaningtiktok #kitchencleaning ♬ original sound - Kat Springer

To clean and polish the sink

Clean water spots away with cleaning paste.
For a natural clean with a sprinkle of baking soda, rub the baking soda into the sink, with a sponge, then spray full strength vinegar. Alternatively, spray with antibacterial spray and wipe with a cleaning cloth, squirt sink with cream cleanser, wiping from the side of the sink and working your way down, rinse away with water.
Buff dry with a dry cleaning cloth.

Avoid the use of vinegar on concrete, porcelain or cast-iron sinks.

How often?

Daily – quick clean
Weekly – deep clean sink and tapware
Monthly – deep clean drains

Maintaining a clean and hygienic kitchen sink is important to keep ourselves healthy. By adding these easy-to-follow cleaning tips into your daily routine, you’ll not only prevent bacteria buildup but also prolong the life of your sink and tapware.

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