A Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Your Bathroom Sink

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All the secrets to maintaining a clean and pristine sink

Co-authored by Melanie Garcia and Ali Garbacz, B.A.

Last Updated: July 9, 2023 Fact Checked

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Performing Routine Cleaning

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Removing Tough Stains

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Keeping Your Sink Clean

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Q&A

Toothpaste stains, rust, and dirt are all things that can take away from the clean shine of your bathroom sink, but it's super easy to get your sink sparkling again. In this article, we'll cover the cleaners and tools that work best for your type of sink and walk you through how to use them so your sink always looks immaculate. Once you’re finished reading, you’ll be more than ready to treat your bathroom sink to a thorough cleaning!

Things You Should Know

Wipe down the entire surface of your sink with a damp cloth or sponge to get rid of any dirt or grime and then rinse the sink with clean water.
Spray sink cleaner liberally around the entire sink and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the cleaning properties to activate. Then, rinse the product away with clean water.
Sprinkle baking soda over tough stains and use a damp cloth or sponge to rub the baking soda into the stains and remove them.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Performing Routine Cleaning

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Take a soft sponge or cloth and dampen it with water. Then, use it to wipe off any surface grime or buildups of dirt. Do this initial wipe-down when your sink is dry so that you can more easily pick up hair, dirt, and other debris dirtying the surface. Don’t forget to wipe around the drain and the faucet as well.
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Rinse the sink to get rid of any dirt. Turn on the faucet and run hot water into the sink. Hot water will loosen any buildups of soap, dirt, and any other grime and wash them down the drain. Splash the water around the inside of the sink and use a soft cloth or sponge to wipe the outside of the sink if necessary.
- Make sure to rinse the sink before you use a bathroom cleaning product.
- If you don't rinse the sink, you may still have some lingering dirt and debris when you go in with your cleaners and disinfectants.
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Spray the entire sink with a sink cleaner. Choose a bathroom cleaner of your choice and liberally spray the sink. Make sure to get all parts of the sink, including around the entire inside of the sink, around the drain and faucet, and behind the faucet.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Melanie Garcia
Professional House Cleaner

Expert Interview. 10 October 2019.} Let the cleaner sit for a few minutes so that its cleaning properties can take full effect. The type of cleaner you use may vary depending on the material your sink is made of.
- For metal or stainless steel sinks, avoid using any abrasive cleaners. Look for a stainless steel cleaner or an all-purpose cleaner.^{[2]
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- For porcelain sinks, use an all-purpose cleaner, a liquid abrasive cleaner, or a non-abrasive cleaner.
- For ceramic sinks, use an all-purpose, non-abrasive cleaner. It can either be diluted or full-strength.
- For glass sinks, use an all-purpose, non-abrasive cleaner, a glass and multi-surface cleaner, or a general tub/tile/sink cleaner.
- If possible, purchase a sink cleaner that also works as a disinfectant. That way, you don't have to perform an extra step to disinfect your sink later.
EXPERT TIP

Fabricio Ferraz
House Cleaning Professional
Fabricio Ferraz is the Co-Owner and Operator of Hire a Cleaning. Hire a Cleaning is a family owned and operated business that has been serving San Francisco, California homes for over 10 years.

Fabricio Ferraz
House Cleaning Professional

Our Expert Agrees: For cleaning products to be effective in the bathroom, you have to apply them and let them sit. If you don't, the bacteria in your bathroom can continue to accumulate for up to a year, which can lead to health problems.
Take a clean cloth, dampen it with clean water, and wipe down the entire surface of your sink once again. Pay special attention to particularly dirty areas and apply pressure to your cloth to get rid of stubborn stains.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Melanie Garcia
Professional House Cleaner

Expert Interview. 10 October 2019.} Avoid using abrasive cleaning tools, such as steel wool or anything else with metal in it, as they can scratch the surface of your sink.^{[4]
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Disinfect your sink with bleach. If your sink cleaner doesn’t have disinfecting properties, fill your sink with cold water and add a little bit of bleach to it. Use only about 1 capful (about 3 ml) of bleach for every gallon (3.8 L) of water. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes, then drain your sink and give it a final wipe down with a damp sponge. Finally, leave it to air dry completely.^{[5]
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- Make sure to thoroughly rinse and wipe down your sink to get rid of all of the bleach once you’ve finished disinfecting.
- Only use bleach on white porcelain sinks, as they can damage the color of colored porcelain.
- Do not use bleach that contains sodium hypochlorite on metal sinks since this can cause corrosion and dull the finish. Instead, use bleach that only contains sodium percarbonate or hydrogen peroxide.^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Removing Tough Stains

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If your bathroom sink is still dirty after you've done a standard cleaning, sprinkle baking across the entire surface of the sink. Make sure your sink is completely dry before doing this. The abrasive force of the baking soda will help remove tough stains, but it isn’t so abrasive that it’ll damage your sink.^{[7]
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Scrub the sink with a damp cloth or sponge. Take a clean cloth or sponge and wet it under clean water. Then, use it to scrub the sink down, applying pressure to the areas that have stains. The little bit of water on your cloth will help turn the baking soda into a paste that you’ll rub into the stains.^{[8]
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- Swirl your cloth around in circles while you rub the baking soda into the surface of the sink.
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Rinse the sink with clean water. After you've scrubbed the sink, thoroughly rinse it to remove all leftover baking soda by splashing water around the surface and using a soaked cloth to scrub away any remaining paste.^{[9]
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Research source} If you don't rinse it immediately, some of the stains may re-set.
- Another option is to rinse the sink with white vinegar, which can help disinfect your sink and get rid of hard water stains.
Letting any baking soda dry on your sink can leave behind streak marks or spots, undoing all of your hard work. Use a clean cloth to thoroughly dry the inside of your sink, around the drain, and behind the faucet to get rid of any remaining baking soda and water.^{[10]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Keeping Your Sink Clean

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Rinse the sink after every use. By rinsing the sink after every use, you’re preventing dirt and grime from building up. Rinse your sink with clean water after you brush your teeth, wash your face, and wash your hands so that there’s no leftover soap, toothpaste, or other cosmetics in the sink. Also be sure to always rinse the sink with clean water if you notice any dirt or stains.^{[11]
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- Make a habit of also disinfecting your sink daily since bacteria and germs can accumulate pretty quickly.
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Unclog your sink regularly. It’s equally as important to keep your drain clean as it is to keep the outer surface of your sink clean. Your pipes can get clogged up with hair, soap, and other bathroom products, so unclogging your sink at least once a year or more will help keep it clean and pristine. Some options for unclogging include using a bent wire hanger to fish out any blockages, or flushing out the drain with 4 cups (1 L) of boiling water.^{[12]
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- A clogged sink can allow dirt and grime to build up in the basin since the water isn’t able to drain as quickly.
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Avoid laying metal on the surface of your sink. One of the toughest stains to get out of a sink, especially porcelain bathroom sinks, are rust stains. To prevent these kinds of stains from tarnishing your sink’s surface, avoid laying any tools or other objects made out of metal on your sink. Because of the presence of moisture in your bathroom, metal will quickly rust and leave an unappealing reddish-brown stain.
- To remove rust stains, mix 1 tbsp (17 g) of baking soda with 2 cups (473 ml) of water and rub the solution onto the stain with a clean cloth or paper towel. Rinse and wipe the area with a damp paper towel once the stain is gone.^{[13]
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- If the rust stain won't come out with baking soda, you may need to use an abrasive cleaner like Comet cleaning powder. However, make sure whatever product you use is safe on the material your sink is made of.

Community Q&A

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How do I remove a stopper from the bathroom sink?

Community Answer

You can use the tip of a tail comb and press down on one side of the stopper; the other side of the stopper should pop up, although sometimes it doesn't. In that case, use a thin knife or nail file to get between the stopper and the drain, then gently lift. You can always try running very cold water and letting the stopper sit in it for a few minutes before trying these methods. The cold water should harden and slightly shrink the stopper, making it a little easier. Don't forget to wash the knife afterward and disinfect the nail file with a little rubbing alcohol so that it is safe to use for your nails. Next time, try to not put the stopper so far into the sink.

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