DESIDERATA

Something about a clean sink makes the whole space feel fresher. And they get so dirty so quickly. And just smell…funky. Or maybe that’s just my house. My boy children have an extraordinary ability to get toothpaste everywhere, the kitchen sink collects goodness knows what, etc.

So let’s tackle it. Deep clean all of the sinks in your house for step eight. As we go from deep clean to maintenance, we’ll end up doing room by room but while all your sink deep cleaning stuff is out, do them all.

The non-negotiables:

• Clean out the sink. This is a gimme but you can’t clean it if it’s full of dishes or toothbrushes or plants (yeah, I’m guilty!)
• Scrub with soap and water. There are tons of bathroom cleaners on the market that work well. But you know what? Dish soap does too and I love not having to have a specialty cleaner for everything.
• Scrub the caulk. I have one of these spinning brushes that I love but an old toothbrush works just as well. If your grout/caulk is beyond repair, then remove it, scrub the area with a little diluted bleach, let dry, and re-caulk.
• Clean the drains. I see tons of cleaning hacks and most of them sound so interesting but I’m just a little too lazy for that and just use a foaming pod and let it do its thing. If your drain is actually clogged, spend the time to flush it with draino and you might need a specialty tool to get into the p trap. Or just save some time (but not money) and call a plumber. Either way, this is your time to actually get it done, not just let it sit on the “to-do list”.
• Polish. Depending on your fixtures, you might need some specialty cleaner help here. For standard fixtures, a dry microfiber cloth works shockingly well and that might be all you need. I have a copper sink in the kitchen so use a copper polish but just soap and water and then a dry cloth polish on all the rest of the fixtures.

The maybe negotiables:

• Replace your fixtures. Sometimes it’s just time to switch and a shiny (or matte!) new faucet can change the look of your entire space
• Use a drain basket. I don’t have a disposal so keeping things from going down the drain is extra important. I have two and rotate them every day – dirty one gets run through the dishwasher and the clean one gets placed and ready for the next day.
• Style it. Aesthetically pleasing soap containers and dishes are a cheap way to level-up a functional space. No need to go crazy and simple is much better but an inexpensive soap tray and a clean-looking dispenser give some serious “put together home” vibes. Choose something that fits your style but I’m always an advocate for clean, plain, and simple when it comes to functional pieces. I want them to blend into the background and enhance my decor, not have it be the focal point.

Maintenance:

• Wipe down the sinks every day. I do the bathrooms in the morning after I’ve finished getting ready and the kitchen in the evenings after the dishes.
• Scrub once a week. Weekly, give it a little extra elbow grease with soap and water. Don’t forget the fixtures!
• Deep clean once a month. Set a reminder on your calendar for one month from today (and then recurring monthly) that it’s deep clean the sinks day and do the entire “step eight” process.

Your turn:

What are your clean the drains hacks?

Any tips, tricks, and favorites for specialty finishes?

Go get that sink un-stunk.