The Secret to Cleaning Stainless Steel Sinks
I’m just going to say this bluntly. My stainless steel sink is gross. I try to wipe the sink down after doing the dishes to keep it clean but this doesn’t always happen. I just grateful that the dishes get done so we have clean dishes to eat off. Sometimes when I go on a cleaning spree, I like to make my stainless steel sink extra shiny, because I like shiny things, and I’m willing to share this secret with you. But, you have to read my tutorial on How to Clean Your Sink in order to find out.
Scrub sink with hot water and soap.
Rinse stainless steel sink with hot water
Sprinkle baking soda in sink and scrub
Scrub disposal area with a toothbrush paying special attention to the rubber flap
WARNING the next photo is nasty and you may want to throw up just a little. The nastiness hiding just below the rubber flap and more than likely the cause of the sink stink. Rinse and buff dry
My apologies for the previous photo, it needed to be shared. Secret Step! Pour oil onto cloth and buff the stainless steel sink for extra shininess
I used olive oil on my sink because that’s what I had, you can also use baby oil or mineral oil. The oil helps to keep your stainless steel sink shinier for longer. However, if you apply too much and do not buff off the extra, the oil can make the stainless steel dirty more quickly. I cleaned my sink this way last night and when I got up this morning, I was still amazed at how shiny the sink was. Here’s the best part, you can clean your stainless steel appliances the same way. Even if you just wipe down your stainless steel appliance with hot water and soap, buffing it with oil helps to remove excess grime, like little finger prints, while giving your appliance extra shine.
Now lets some before and afters to prove that my sink is was nasty and now it’s shiny!
I don’t think that was quite enough so let’s do one showing it all up close and personal.
How do you clean your stainless steel sink?
Angela
I just use soft scrub or bar keepers friend to clean with. I also figured out (after desperately trying to make my old stainless sink look good for years), that there are different grades of stainless and some have more lustor. My new sink cleans up much easier than the old one, but I never heard of using the oil so that may have helped. I admit it’s not a job I look forward to, but I always like looking at it when it’s all cleaned up!
Thanks for the tips Liz. I’ve noticed since I’ve buffed the sink with oil, food is having a harder time sticking to it, making the shine last longer.
I have had a porcelain sink for 25 years and I just remarried and have a dirty stainless steel sink, I clean and clean and it stays that way for maybe an hour. I am so thankful for your explanation. Going right now to try it.
You’re welcome Janis, I hope it works well for you.
I use rubbing alcohol and cotton cloths. Much easier, less mess, super shine. This works on chrome also.
Pinned…this is awesome! Christine from Little Brags
Thanks so much Christine!
Great tips! Thanks so much for linking up to The DIY’ers!
Thank you! I love coming.
it looks great! I could going through all this for clients, but for my own sink I think just buffing with a microfiber cloth is good enough. I usually clean the basin with bon ami and the outside with a homemade vinegar/water AP spray.
I usually just scrub it with soap and water but I like to do this every once in a while when I have time.
I clean my SS sink with soap and hot water then buff it with a really good microfiber cloth.. A damp microfiber cloth is all you need to clean and shine a SS dishwasher and fridge too!
I clean mine with a mixture of Dr. Bronners peppermint liquid soap and baking soda – I am going to try buffing with the oil – never heard of that. Thanks for sharing.
Yes, the oil is what makes the sink extra shiny and helps to keep it cleaner (as far as I have noticed).
Hahaha I’m terrible…I never have much time so I wait until just before bed (due to the smell, it dissipates over night) and pour a bit of bleach in, swish it around a bit, let it sit for 5 minutes, drain and rinse and presto! Super shiny sink! I really love your natural method however!
Thanks! I think sinks need an occasional bleaching, just to disinfect/sanitize as it is the dirtiest area in the home.
I hand wash my daughter’s bottles with Dawn a few times a day and each time I use the bottle brush to clean the sink. It seems to be working just fine. That is, until my husband and teenage son get a hold of it.
I also wipe down the sink after doing the dishes with a little soap and have the husband problem. 🙂 Although he is a good helper with the dishes.
Not sure if I would use the same bottle brush for the bottles as the sink.
Great tips!! Thanks for sharing! You are one of the fan favorites at the Sunday Showcase from the Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Here is the link to the showcase so you can check out your feature! Hope to see your prettiness again at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Thanks so much Kathryn!
Thanks so much Angela, my laundry room sink needs this treatment done today!
I hope this worked well for you, even the laundry room sink needs some love and shine. 🙂
The rubber guard in the disposal will come out and you can soak it in bleach water and then run it through the dishwasher. I just hand mine on the top rack onto one of the divider wires. I try to run it through every time I wash dishes and it doesn’t get so gunky.
I didn’t know that the rubber part came out! This is a genius idea and would make cleaning below the flap guard easier. Thanks so much for your comment Carol.
Thanks, Angela I had never thought to clean under the rubber with a toothbrush. I had always used my hand the toothbrush will go farther . I’m a little afraid of pulling the rubber out and getting it back in. Any instructions? The oil pure genius!
You’re welcome Cynthia! I’ve never taken the rubber flap out but from a little research I’v figured out that some just pop out and others need the disposal removed to properly change the rubber flap. I think cleaning it with a tooth brush will work just fine until it really needs to be replaced.
You can also wipe it down with furniture polish, like the old english oil polish.
That’s an interesting idea Marci. Thanks so much for visiting!
I use an SOS pad and scrub in the direction of the grain of the stainless. Rinse and the water will bead up.
I have done that from time to time as that method also works well to remove the grease and grime build up. Thanks for stopping by Carol!
Yes Carol Smith, I was just going to say the same thing. I take my disposal guard out and clean it weekly at least. Of course another {light bulb moment} is that you can pick up a new one fairly cheap if yours gets unsightly. I also had the kids leave a baking pan in sink with water over night= rust :-0. As upset as I was, it was probably more their prayers than anything but lime-away got it off with a lot of elbow grease. I wipe mine dry almost every time I use it too.
I first clean with Dawn , then clean with Shaklee Basic H,then Shaklee Basic G.to kill germs, then I have to use vinegar & water for the faucet as Shaklee does not remove the water spots and the vinegar water does….but just using the Dawn and then rinse with the vinegar & water would be good enough….but since I bought the Shaklee, I decided to go ahead and use it, but would definitely NEVER buy it again……
Use lemon oil to make shiny and buff off. Smells good and looks fantastic!
I used a bathroom cleaner on stainless kitchen sink and it dulled it and left water type spots that I could not get off. I will try this method. Do you have any other suggestions if it does not work?
This is a good idea. I have my own cleaning business and use stainless steel cleaner on the sinks, but this maybe a cheaper idea to try
I have a BLACK Porcelain sink. Not my idea, the previous person in the home had it installed. How do I clean that, and keep it clean? Thank you
Hi, I have also used windex on a stainless steel sink.
This is the right decision for sinks.
I have a cleaning service and speed is as important as the result.
We have bleach in a spray bottle. Spray the sink down, let it sit for just a minute and wipe out. it will be spotless.
Next take Pledge Spray Wax and spray just a little in the sink. Take a clean micro fibre cloth an polish. Total time about 2.5 minutes. Results..outstanding!
I have someone that comes to the house to clean and looks like she wiped my stainless steel fridge down with something that I cannot seem to get the smudges and the dullness out. Will this above help w/ that and the oil?
Hi! The best and easiest trick for me for a super shiny and clean sink is to spray it with a mixture of regular dishwasher soap and vinegar. Scrub, let it sit for while, wash and dry – done!
If you clean the sink as stated and then pour in rubbing alcohol and wipe entire sink with the alcohol it will also give you a great shine.
Brilliant! I am going to use a little oil on my sink and my stainless trash can. I love getting all the crannies de linked on anything, but how much better when they stay that way. And the disposal thing is gross. A useful thing that needs a redesign to eliminate the gross factor. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing with us all these informative tips in stainless cleaning
Been really helpful
Keep up the great work always!
Love this! The final step of oiling the sink is the step I was missing! So happy I found you on Pinterest!
Scrubbing bubbles make a stainless steel sink look great. If your in a hurry.Remember to wipe it dry for an extra shiny finish.
The rubber flap for the garbage disposal will pull up and off easily to clean instead of using a tooth brush.
If I use oil on my appliances would that not cause dog hair to stick to them more!
Thanks for the tips!! Stainless steel sinks and appliances are very hard to keep clean let alone shiny. Question..doesn’t the oil make them feel greasy??
Angela, I tried your idea and talk about a big difference! Thank you! I also found another great idea that I thought I’d share with you. A friend of mine very recently told me to try WD-40 so I have that a try also and was amazed!!
My issue is with scratches in my ss sink. Do these options work on scratches?
Thanks,
Thanks for sharing the details.
I, too have a sink that I love to shine.
Sometimes after cleaning, I buff with oil, or sometimes after rinsing good, I stop the sink and put a little water and a little Jet Dry. I kinda splash it around the sides and top and then drain the sink and let it dry. Ta-Da, it’s shiny!.