If I am in the wrong spot I apologize,as I just drifted over from cooks talk.So,my point is if this has been discussed before I apologize again but I need advice.We installed a cultured marble sinktop in our bathroom this past summer as my DH wanted to build the cabinet and thought it would be easier than a drop in.Problem is I did some visiting to bldg.supply stores etc. and everyone said a cultured marble sink would stain with very hard water,which I have.I told him this but he had the ‘ listen to your partner ‘ switch turned off in his head each time we discussed it including the day we went to giant store to pick out a sink.The clerk even spoke the same caution.After 23 yrs.I pick my battles,so we got the the cultured marble sinktop.A little venting here.So about a month ago said spouse says ‘what’s with the sink?It looks dingy.’Screaming only in my head I repeated everything I had found out previously about hard water etc. and he was astonished,like this is the first he knew?!!!!!!!
FINALLY THE QUESTION : How can I clean that sink?I have been using vinegar and a plastic scrubbie,but what a tedious job. HELP…you wizards……Deb
Replies
I moved to an area with really hard water. I noticed the sink got scummy faster than I was used to. I don't think it matters what the sink or counter top material is; it's the water.
Most of the spots weren't so much hard water spots (which vineger is effective on) as soap scum spots. Try soap scum remover.
A softener is a wonderful idea and will make a difference you will notice, not just in the sink, but in the shower and dishwasher, too.
Thanks Wayne I'll try the soap scum thing but you should see the inside of my kettle.Deb
I hope it works. Let us know how it does.
You were right and I'm doing a happy dance for you!I bought some Hertel spray for removing soap scum and hard water stains.I had to spray and wait a couple of times but it worked.The second time I used a plastic scrubbie and it all came off.The only bad thing is I hate the way all that stuff smells and it stuffs me up.Thank you,thank you,thank you.Deb
You're welcome. Better living through chemistry. I'm glad it worked! Thank you for letting us know.
Now do you have any tips on how to remove hair ect.that gets caught in drain thing?My old sink just had a rubber plug so access to the drain was easy with tweazers.The new sink of course has that pop up plug.So far I haven't had to do it but just to be prepared.Deb
I can think of a few ways.
One is to use drain cleaner periodically.
Another is to take off the trap and clean it occasionally. (Be careful not to do this after pouring drain cleaner down unless the drain cleaner has been flushed away, because drain cleaner is so caustic to your skin and eyes.)
Another would be to unscrew the nut that holds the drain popup lever to the back side of the drain line and pull the lever and ball out. Then remove the drain plug from up above and run a small snake down there with a corkscrew tip and try to snag the hair and pull it out.
Another is to comb your hair in the bedroom mirror where the hair can be picked up when you vacuum the carpet.
Thanks Wayne.I try not to use drain cleaner except in a dire situation as we have a septic tank.The other solutions sound good.Due to a long hair dog and forced air heating sometimes this stuff blows up into the sink.I never brush my hair over the sink but DH will occasionally trim his beard over the sink confident that he can recover it all......impossible!Maybe you can tell this a chore that occurs only to me.Not to undersell DH there are lots of things he does for the household that would never occur to me.He does a lot of the house cleaning as I have a chronic disease that prevents me from doing much.The bathroom is my cleaning territory and I thought if I could find out answers to my questions without involving him it would be one less thing he had to think about.Thanks for your help and clear suggestions.You"ll always be a star for shining up my bathroom sink.Deb.
I simply remove the drain cap...just pull it out and then I have a hanger cut into a 12" piece with a small hook bent on the end. Just go down the drain and start fishing and come up with all the hair. Works great!!!!
Thanks,Jack. Will I have trouble getting it back together? Deb
debe,
No....you will not have any trouble placing the drain cap back into the drain. Just drop it in and everything will be normal. When you do pull the hanger back out from the drain you may snag one of the inner parts......do not forced it out. Just push it back down a bit and rotate the hook so you do not catch anythin...except hair and crud!!! Good luck
"Just pop out the drain cap." HAH! Some drain plugs work that way. I foolishly had to have a fancy German model that has to be taken apart below the sink to get the gross thing out to clean. It takes me at least 30 minutes every time to get the thing adjusted when I try to replace it.
I am glad to hear you say that as there did not seem to be a simple way to pop the drain plug out on our middle of the road fawcet set,but I did not want to seem too sink impaired.After all i lived 15 yrs.with vice gripes for a handle on my hot water tap before this new sink and taps came into my life.Deb
My wife bought a "drain-cleaning brush", looks sort of like a miniature bottle brush. About 18 inches long & 3/8 inches in diameter, very flexible. She just slips it down into the drain around the stopper, wiggles it around a bit and pulls out all kinds of gunk.
That brush sounds neat but my DH must of got tired of my complaining and he removed the stopper permanently.It is all in the details.I think to those people that design stuff it would never occur to them that gunk had to be fished out of a sink trap.Deb ps. I still want one of those brushes!
Have you tried just plain white vinegar for cleaning the sink? or tea kettles for that matter. I'd start by diluting with water half and half, but could use pure vinegar. It's less nasty than most storebought cleaners and I like the smell. Lots of scum removers have phosphoric acid which wil really ruin metal quickly and will even etch cultured stone if left on and not rinsed adequately. Phosphoric acid will wreck your hands too and it very bad on open wounds--from my chemist dad, he says it will find its way in and attack the bone. Anyway, I like vinegar (but my wife hates it).
Crazy,but I am just now seeing your reply.Vinegar is a favourite cleaner of mine, for everything from sinks to floors to animal pee.There was still crud that did not come off with just vinegar so I do resort to the commercial stuff ocassionally.Thanks for the warnings though,I'll be extra careful as all sorts of chemicals bother me..Sorry once again for taking so long to see your reply.Deb