The sink is the first thing you see when entering the bathroom, but it gets dirty quickly. When you decide to clean it, it takes so long! One morning, you gather your supplies, scrub and scrub again, and wipe the sink. The next day you find soap and toothpaste on it. It’s frustrating, and cleaning the bathroom sink isn’t the funnier task, but I’ll give you tips, so it doesn’t take that long.
What you’ll need to clean your bathroom sink
Except if your sink or the counters are made with stone, you don’t need fancy products: a sponge, an all-purpose cleaner, and some vinegar will do the trick. The cleanser I use is similar to this one. I like it because it doesn’t contain petrochemical ingredients, is non-abrasive, acid-free, and easy to use. In addition, its solid form means there are fewer plastic containers than liquid stuff. You may think it’s expensive, but it lasts really longer than a cleaner bottle. So in the end, you’ll win.
What about natural stones?
Even if they are sealed, they don’t handle harsh cleaners. You can’t use vinegar, lemon juice, or anti-limescale on them because it’s too acidic. Bleach is contraindicated as well; it’s too alkaline. Also, abrasive products can scratch them. So you’ll have to be careful when choosing the cleaner for your stone. Whatever you choose, it mustn’t contain acid or bleach and be non-abrasive. They say you can use the blissfully clean cleaner on stones, but I haven’t tested it myself, so, as with any other new cleaner, take the time to try it on a small surface before using it.
Weekly cleaning your bathroom sink
First, remove everything that sits on the sink or countertops. Next, put some cleaner on your sponge and remove the soap deposits you’ll find on the soap holder. Then wipe your sink and faucet with your sponge. You don’t need to scrub yet. Let it sit for a few minutes.
Meantime, you can wash the mirror or wipe the bathtub the same way. After these few minutes, scrub your sink. It will be easier than if you did it right away. Some stains may resist if you didn’t clean your sink for a long time. If it’s better, don’t worry too much about it. You will get rid of the stains in the following weeks. Next, wipe the countertops and spot clean where necessary.
Rinse the sink and soap holder. To rinse the countertops, wash your sponge and when the water is clear, wipe a small surface in linear movement, as if you were collecting breadcrumbs. Rewash the sponge and repeat until you’ve cleaned the whole surface.
Put back what belongs to the countertop and look at your shiny sink.
You don’t need to use bleach or other disinfectants unless somebody in your home is ill. Keeping the sink clean will be enough to limit bacterias multiplication.
Removing limescale
Wait, that’s great, but there is still that limescale!
First, as I said, you can’t use vinegar, lemon juice, or anti-limescale on stones. More on that later.
If your sink and countertops are not made of stone, you lucky person will be able to use cleaning vinegar. (you can also use cooking vinegar, but it won’t work as well). Put some vinegar in a spray bottle and mist the areas where limescale builds up. Wait for 5 minutes and scrub. If needed, repeat this step once more. Don’t forget to rinse!
For those stubborn spaces, you can also soak paper towels in vinegar and let them sit for as long as several hours. Hot vinegar works even better for this task.
When your countertop is made with stone, you could use the same method but be careful and rinse every droplet of vinegar that could fall on it quickly.
Limescale and limestone are both based on calcium carbonate. Because they have similar structures, if something cleans limescale, it will damage calcium carbonate-based stones such as travertine and marble. But even the stones sold as granite can contain some amount of calcite that will badly react with vinegar. So better safe than sorry, I recommend you don’t use vinegar, lemon juice, or anti-limescale on any stone.
You still have a solution. Use a sharp knife or a razor blade to remove as much deposit as possible and wash the spot with your usual cleaner. Be careful not to scratch the stone, especially if it is polished.
Don't forget your checklist!
Are you tired of running like a headless chicken each time you know someone is about to knock on the door?
Worry no more! Grab this checklist and be ready next time your friend want to stop by. You’ll even know what to do if they stay overnight.
Daily cleaning of your bathroom sink
Keeping your bathroom sink clean is a simple way to make sure you’re not wasting time washing it later. To limit scrubbing and limescale, wipe and spot clean the sink daily with a microfiber cloth. The easiest is to keep the cloth nearby and add cleaning the bathroom sink to your morning routine.
Also, try to dry the sink and faucet after each use. For that, use a cotton towel or even an old T-shirt. It won’t take long, and you’ll save time in the end! Pinky promise!
Before leaving you, let me give you my last tip. Cleaning is always easier when you don’t have to go through the whole house to get your cleaning products. So reserve a small place in your bathroom for the cleaning stuff.
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