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The kitchen sink is the heart of your kitchen and one of the busiest places in many homes, especially if you have a family. Taking care of the health of this central station can often be overlooked, so here’s what you need to know.
The downside of neglect and not keeping your kitchen sink healthy is expensive plumbing bills, as well as the cost of pricey parts or replacement of the sink itself. Some cleaners can actually damage your sink’s finish if not rinsed off in a timely manner. If you live in a home with a septic tank, putting the wrong or too many chemicals down the drain can damage your septic tank and create an enormous replacement cost.
Here are three essentials you need to know for taking care of the heart of your kitchen – the kitchen sink.
Proteins especially stick to surfaces, but so do combinations of starches and sugars. Once these dry, they can be difficult to clean. Every time you wash dishes or wash food down the garbage disposal, you need to give the sink a quick scrub with a sponge using hot water and your favorite dish soap. Or you may need to give a little spray of a multi-surface cleaner, home expert Julie Utschig, of Caldrea, recommends.
Take care to avoid abrasive cleaners that could damage or leave scratches in your stainless steel or stone sink.
Also don’t allow water to build up or leave drops around the edges or surface of your sink, faucet, and handles. Hard water can produce buildup rather quickly if these aren’t wiped away, requiring special chemical treatment to remove.
The safest remedy for cleaning away hard water deposits is using vinegar. Put some in a spray bottle and squirt the surface with hard water stains. Allow it to sit for 5-15 minutes. After soaking, use an old toothbrush to scrub away. You may need a larger bristle brush for bigger areas. Make sure the brush will not be abrasive for your sink surface. For tougher stains, you may want to try products such as CLR, you can watch a video here.
Keeping your drain from clogging and eliminating odors doesn’t take a lot of work. One simple way of maintaining your drain on a regular basis is to pour a half-cup of baking soda, immediately followed by a half-cup of white vinegar. Then cover the drain with a wet rag. Allowed to sit for five minutes. Then, pour boiling water down the drain. This should unclog any small buildup, as well as diminish odors.
If you live in a house that has a septic tank rather than connects to a sewer, you have to take a little more care.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): You should limit the use of a garbage disposal or not use it at all. Never for cooking oil or grease down the drain. Use boiling water or a drain snake to clear drains, rather than chemical drain openers.
Mr. Rooter advises looking for natural products as hand and dish soaps instead of chemical-based soaps. Look for products listed as safe for septic systems.
