As beautiful and appealing as porcelain sinks are, they can be quite hard to maintain. Here’s how to whiten porcelain sink quickly.
Most households have white shiny porcelain sinks in bathrooms and kitchens installed in them. Thus making whitening porcelain sink a very highly searched topic all over the world.
The white hues that make it popular are also very easy to get stained but difficult to clean up.
There are also numerous ways suggested and experimented with by people to find the best way to clean a porcelain kitchen sink. However, none of them seem to be universally applicable for all types of stains. If you have tried all methods and have not been successful, don’t worry, you are not alone in this.
Various methods have been devised, but people often do them incorrectly, thereby failing to see results. Continue reading this article for detailed step-by-step guidance on how to restore a porcelain sink white again.
Can You Get Your Porcelain Sink White Again?
A highly searched question on the internet is whether or not it is possible to get porcelain sink white again. If you too wonder this, put your mind at ease, as it is possible to whiten a stained porcelain sink.
By following instructions, using the right products, and keeping some patience, it is possible to make your sink look new.
Depending on how severely stained the porcelain sink is, it can sometimes take longer to make it spotless. However, by repeating the process in such cases periodically, your sink will gradually revert to its original white shade.
How To Whiten Porcelain Sink
Porcelain sinks can be found in almost every household now. However, owners of such shiny white porcelain sink often find it challenging to maintain their original color.
Various factors make a porcelain sink develop stains or an overall yellowish color. To make the porcelain sink look new again, follow these steps:
Materials needed:
- Bleach
- Dish Soap
- Soft Sponge
- Paper Towels
- Packaged Sink Shining products
- Warm Water
Step 1: Cleaning The Sink
The first step to making your porcelain sink white again is cleaning it. The first method that can be helpful is a simple, gentle cleaning with a soft sponge and dish soap.
First, put a little dish soap on the sponge and spread it over the sink. Then, using a circular motion, gently cleanse the entire sink. This would get rid of all the surface dirt and grime and allow you to check for deeper stains if any.
Step 2: Clean The Stains
The next step would be to clean off these stains. There are four common types of stains found in porcelain sinks.
- Yellow stains from hard water or oil residue.
- Brown stains can occur for a variety of reasons.
- Lime deposits due to excess exposure to minerals like calcium.
- Metal stains or rust from metals.
Depending upon the type and severity of the stain, you need to pick the correct cleaning method. Keep in mind that these methods, while effective, are dependent on a variety of factors.
So, a method may produce unbelievable results for the person here on YouTube but not do much for you. The variation in results could be from different reasons.
Environmental factors, the intensity of stain, and materials used (including water) are all responsible. Find the appropriate measures for cleaning your sink below.
Step 3: Whitening the Sink
Once all the stains have gone, you should see a white sink. However, if it is still not up to your expectations, then you need to do this. After completely whitening the porcelain sink, it is time to make it look brand new.
For this, cover your sink with paper towels and pour bleach all over it. Let it sit for 30 minutes, and then remove the paper towels. Rinse your sink with warm water.
It must be noted that bleach can discolor your porcelain, so unless you have a white porcelain sink, do not use it. Those who have a colored porcelain sink can use one of the many sink shining products available on the market.
Make sure you read the instructions and label before purchasing to ensure you get the correct product for your sink. Use it as per instructions to get a shiny sink.
Once all of these steps are done, you will get a shiny porcelain sink that looks brand new. Don’t overdo any of the steps, or it can lead to your sink developing scratches or indentations. These, in the long term, would make your sink more prone to getting stained.
Why is My White Porcelain Sink Turning Yellow?
There are a couple of reasons leading to a white porcelain sink turning yellow. One of the most common reasons is the sink being exposed to hard water. Hard water is water with a high concentration of minerals. If your water source is a borewell or a stream, you will be receiving hard water.
Another reason is the collection of oil at the bottom of the sink. If oil or oil-based products are used near the sink and they drop in the sink, yellow stains may occur. To prevent these, you must wipe the product off before washing the sink.
How to Whiten Yellowed Porcelain?
The yellow color stains or completely yellowed porcelain are the results of long-term exposure to hard water. Hard water contains a lot of minerals which lead to the yellowing of the white porcelain. An intense concentration of different minerals and chemicals can lead to yellow stains.
These stains can also result from improperly cleaned oil spills. If oil spills or spilling of oil-based products are directly washed off, they can leave the oil film behind. If yellow stains are detected soon, it is easier to clean them with a simple combination of Borax and lemon juice.
However, if they have been there for a while, it can be quite time-consuming to get rid of them. A combination of different methods, starting from the mildest, can work towards eliminating the yellow stains. It is important to remember that using the right products is essential and following a structured approach is vital.
How to Clean a Porcelain Sink?
There are a number of ways that can be used to whiten a porcelain sink. Which method you use would depend upon the type of stain you are dealing with. Cleaning a yellow stain requires different methods than cleaning a brown stain.
Materials needed:
- Lemon Juice
- Vinegar
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Bleach
- Borax Powder
- Baking Soda
- Paper Towels
- Packaged Cleaners
- Warm Water
- Liquid soap
- Non-abrasive sponge
Now an important thing to remember is that not all stains require all of these products to be used. Hence, following these steps is essential.
Step 1: Identifying the Stains
To clean a porcelain sink, start off by pouring some liquid soap on a non-abrasive sponge. Start scrubbing your sink gently in a circular motion. This would help remove all external stains like toothpaste stains, etc.
Once all external stains are off, you will be able to see what kind of deep-seated stains you are dealing with. Whether it is yellow stains, brown stains, lime buildup, metal stains, a combination, etc.
Step 2: Use a Non-abrasive Cleaning Method
For everyday stains like yellow stains or brown spots, start the cleaning process by first using non-abrasive methods. This would include using Baking Soda and Lemon Juice.
Spread a generous amount of baking soda on the stains and then pour vinegar on them. Let this sit for 30 minutes before wiping it off. Clean the entire sink with warm water after that.
Step 3: Use Stronger Agents
If some stains have still not gone, it means they are much more deep-seated. Porcelain has a smooth surface, but dirt can often be deep inside the top layer. In such cases, using mildly abrasive methods helps.
You can either use hydrogen peroxide or a combination of Borax and lime juice. If using Borax and lemon juice, you need to prepare a paste.
Take half a cup of Borax and juice of half lime to prepare this paste. Adjust quantities as per your requirement. Spread this all over the stains, and scrub it in gently with a soft sponge. Cover it with paper towels and let it sit for 30-60 minutes. Then clean off with warm water.
How to Restore Shine to Porcelain Sink?
Restoring shine to a porcelain sink is relatively easy. In order to restore shine to a porcelain sink, all you need is paper towels, bleach, and water. It must be remembered that this method is only suitable for white porcelain sinks. This is because bleach can fade off the color of the porcelain itself.
To begin restoring the shine of a white porcelain sink, cover the sink with paper towels. After this, soak the sink in bleach and let it rest for roughly half an hour.
Thereafter, remove all the soaked paper towels and soon wash the sink with water to remove any bleach residue.
How to Get Brown Stains Out of the Porcelain Sink?
Brown stains, commonly referred to as tough stains or stubborn stains, can take a lot of effort to be removed. To remove these stains from a white porcelain sink, you need a potent cleaning agent.
To remove these stains, you need Lemon juice and Borax. Combine the two ingredients to make a paste. Apply this paste to your white sink with the help of a soft-ish sponge. Do not over scrub or apply too much force.
Then let it sit till it dries out and finally wash it off with warm running water. Use Hydrogen Peroxide if the stains are solid.
How to Keep a Porcelain Sink White?
One of the easiest ways to keep a porcelain sink white is by cleaning it regularly. Different stains like yellow or brown stains or lime deposits appear for different reasons.
Whatever the reason for occurrence may be, all of these can be pretty difficult to get rid of. Regular maintenance can help prevent buildup in the first place.
Thereby preventing the need for deep cleaning and frantic searches on the best methods to do so. It is important to remember that different compositions of water can also cause these buildups. As such, cleaning with items like vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or bleach periodically can help.
How to Keep a White Porcelain Sink Clean?
It is not an impossible task to keep a white porcelain sink clean. To begin with, you must know what kind of water the sink is being exposed to regularly. Hard water, for example, can lead to lime deposits. Thus, having this information would allow you to adopt the necessary cleaning regimen.
Cleaning with vinegar and baking soda combination or hydrogen peroxide once a week would prevent the buildup of stubborn stains. Use a gentle scrubber to avoid scratches, and use bleach only if necessary and in minimal quantities. However, overusing potent cleaning agents must be avoided.
How to Protect the White Porcelain Sink?
Remember the saying “prevention is better than cure”? That applies here too. While wear and tear cannot be stopped, its effects can be controlled and prevented. Environmental factors, exposure to certain chemicals and minerals, and buildup all contribute to the kind of staining you see.
Identify these factors and start taking appropriate measures from day 1 to prevent grime and dirt buildup. Make sure you clean it daily, deep clean it once a week, and do not over scrub or use aggravating materials. Ensure your white porcelain sink is able to properly dry as moisture can spell trouble as well.
Re-cap
There are a number of ways in which a porcelain sink can be cleaned and restored to its brand new look. While there are a lot of products that can be used, not starting with the harshest methods is critical.
These robust methods can cause damage to the sink in other manners and must be avoided unless necessary.
Bleach, for example, must not be used at all on colored porcelain sinks. It can discolor them in addition to removing the stains and spots. Bleach on white sinks must also be used for a maximum of 30 minutes at a time.
Artificial cleaning agents, which are abundantly available in the market, must also be picked carefully.
Read the instructions and warning at the back to find a suitable one. Most importantly, these methods vary in results based on a number of factors. What delivers a sparkling sink for someone may just do the needful for another.
