But your kitchen sink sees a lot of use in a week, from grimy pots and pans to leftover soil from your freshly watered houseplant. And as much as we wish it were different, it doesn’t always smell like roses in your dish disposer. The natural buildup of old food and grime can linger in your kitchen sink and drain and drift to the rest of your home if not cleaned properly or often enough. So show your kitchen sink and drain some love, and clean them regularly with our how-to instructions. Then add your kitchen drain and sink to your weekly cleaning routine to make it a habit.
Before Getting Started
First, make sure your sink is completely cleared of food items, coffee mugs, or dish racks. Then, give it a quick pre-rinse to wash down any visible crumbs. Once that’s done, grab your rubber gloves and get ready to clean your kitchen sink. Remember, cleaning varies by material, so follow the method that works best for the type of kitchen sink you have.
How to Clean a Stainless-Steel Kitchen Sink
Stainless steel is tougher than most sink materials. Compared to white kitchen sinks, stainless steel is less likely to permanently stain or rust. However, watch out for its real enemies—acidic foods, bleach, and abrasive scrubbers—as they can alter a stainless-steel sink’s finish. For this reason, avoid letting acidic foods sit in the sink for long periods, and don’t use bleach-based sprays.
What You Need
Baking sodaDish soapPlush microfiber cloth
Step 1: Apply Cleaner and Scrub
Start by coating the wet sink in baking soda and adding a little dish soap and hot water to your sponge. Whenever you scrub a sink, start with the sides of the basin and work your way down, pushing any grime directly into the drain. Keep adding soap and water as needed or until the surface is scum-free.
Step 2: Rinse and Dry
Rinse with clean water. Stainless steel is notorious for showing water spots, so be sure to wipe your clean sink down using a plush microfiber cloth to dry and buff.
How to Clean a White Kitchen Sink
A white kitchen sink will show rust and food splatters, not to mention coffee and wine stains. Look to hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to help lift stains and restore your sink to its original state.
What You Need
Hydrogen peroxideBaking sodaSpongeScrub brush (optional)Soft cloth
Step 1: Apply Cleaner and Scrub
First, pat the sink down with a wet cloth until it’s slightly damp, then sprinkle baking soda onto the basin until it’s fully covered. Next, add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide over the baking soda and use a sponge or brush to start scrubbing.
Step 2: Drain and Dry
Once thoroughly cleaned, wash the mixture down the drain and dry with a soft cloth
How to Clean a Porcelain Kitchen Sink
Glossy porcelain sinks are susceptible to rust and stains like white sinks are. While you can use the same method as white sinks to clean a porcelain sink, you’ll want to use a different approach to remove rust to protect its pearly finish.
What You Need
LemonSaltDish soapMicrofiber cloth
Step 1: Treat Rust Stains
Simply sprinkle salt on a lemon half and scrub it directly on the rust until the elements have worked their magic.
Step 2: Rinse and Dry
Wash it clean with warm, soapy water and use a microfiber cloth to dry.
How to Clean Kitchen Faucets and Handles
All faucets and handles can be cleaned using soapy water, no matter the material. Use a sponge or brush to wipe them down and a toothbrush for those super hard-to-reach areas. Still seeing white spots after your scrub? That’s lime buildup from the minerals in your tap water. Adding a spoonful of vinegar to the soapy water mixture and doing one final scrub should do the trick.
How to Clean a Kitchen Drain and Disposal
Kitchen smells should invite you in, not keep you away! Our two-part method to clean a kitchen sink’s drain will help eliminate those unwanted odors. We’ll show you how to clean a smelly drain in a kitchen using three kitchen staples you likely already have on hand.
How to Clean a Kitchen Drain with Baking Soda and Vinegar
Learning how to clean a kitchen sink drain with baking soda and vinegar is easy! Plus, the pair remedies more than just funky smells—it’s a tried and true method for unclogging drains.
What You Need
Baking sodaWhite vinegarBoiling water
Step 1: Pour Mixture Down Drain
Remember the 1:2 ratio: one part baking soda to two parts white vinegar. Pour the baking soda down the drain, then slowly add the white vinegar. Wait 15 minutes for the bubbling duo to do its thing.
Step 2: Add Boiling Water
Wash away with boiling hot water to rid the drain of any remaining residue.
How to Clean a Garbage Disposal
This simple mixture does the trick for cleaning a disposal.
What You Need
Lemon wedgesCoarse or sea saltIce cubes
Fill your garbage disposal with a few lemon wedges, salt, and ice cubes. Then, with the cold water running, turn your garbage disposal on until the ice is gone. Salt scrubs the blades while ice helps knock off any gunk and grime. Coarse salt works best, so look to rock or sea salt if you have either on hand. The lemon? That’s to help deodorize and create a fresh-smelling scent, of course! And don’t forget about cleaning your bathroom sink! Look to our easy tutorial to help cross it off your to-do list.
