It’s worth rinsing and drying the sink every time you use it to prevent the buildup of limescale,’ says Lucy Searle. We recommend the use of ‘Shiny Sinks’ which is available from large supermarkets or good hardware stores and when used regularly will assist in maintaining your sink. We would point out that the use of a plastic washing up bowl will over time cause the development of regular abrasion marks over the sink’s surface. If you don’t have time to head to the supermarket and need to clean your stainless steel sink with something you already have in the house, it might be a good idea to head into your bathroom and grab your toothpaste. There’s nothing more cringe-worthy than passing by a sink covered in water spots or stains—both of which stared me straight in the face this morning as I made my coffee. It might seem like a low-priority cleaning task, but it’s worth learning how to polish a stainless steel sink so that these types of smudges won’t taunt you every time you wash a dish. Always remember to test any cleaning method on a small, inconspicuous area of the sink first to ensure it doesn’t cause any damage or discolouration.’ How to maintain a clean stainless steel sink

Every time you run water in your sink, take your clean dishtowel and dry it out (I lay out a clean one every night as part of my before-bed routine). Before you know it, you will be doing this everytime you leave your kitchen! The rest of the family will, too. No more water spots. You will have a clean and shiny sink. You can use this method to remove rust from stainless steel, too. 5. Alternative ways to clean a stainless steel sink To successfully clean a stainless steel sink with baking soda and vinegar, Ava suggests using a spray bottle filled with vinegar. Then, you can spray it onto the stainless steel sink, focusing mainly on the toughest areas of grime or the most stubborn hard water deposits. Spoiler alert—there’s not a whole lot of elbow grease involved. And you certainly don’t need to spend a ton of money on polishing products to get the job done. ( We’re all about DIY cleaning.) You’ll need flour, a soft cloth and warm, soapy water for optimal results.You’ll normally find the cream of tartar down the baking aisle, but what you might not realise is that cream of tartar can actually make a very effective stainless steel cleaner. Now if you have a stainless steel sink, I recommend all of the above directions with one extra instruction added: after you soak your sink, rinse well, and use SOS pads to scrub it. This will buff the finish. It will look like new. Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd / Lizzie Orme) What is the best thing to clean a stainless steel sink with? Cleanfluencer Rebecca, @home_at_number_15 warns against using steel wool pads on stainless steel. 'Scrubbing away can leave iron particles behind, which causes rust and corrosion,' she says. First, you need to give your stainless steel a good clean. Hard water deposits and discolouration will both affect the shine of your stainless steel sink, so you should always give it a good clean using natural ingredients such as lemon and baking soda or toothpaste.

In fact, our Ideal Home writer Jullia Joson, found that using a mixture of vinegar and baking soda was the best way to clean her stainless steel sink when she tried it herself. 3. Use cream of tartar If you live in a hard water area, limescale deposits can build up on a stainless steel sink, compromising its appearance. Look to pantry ingredients to get rid of it: a stainless steel sink is one of the things you can clean with vinegar. I want you to smile from ear to ear when you gaze upon your shiny sink. I have heard every excuse in the world. Even old sinks can look new again with a little elbow grease. Here is how you do it:

White vinegar is acidic, which makes it effective in dissolving mineral deposits and hard water stains. It also acts as a natural disinfectant, killing germs and bacteria,’ explains Ava Wilson from Unclutterer.

Don't use anything abrasive as it could leave permanent scratches, ruining your stainless steel sink over time. Avoid using bleach as this can discolour stainless steel. How to remove odours from a sink Club soda Simply fill a spray bottle full of club soda and spray down the sink. Be sure to wipe dry with a microfiber cloth and always wipe in the direction of the grain of the sink.To insure that your family remembers this, put a note in the sink. It will get their attention and remind them where to put the dishes. Be patient! They have never been taught, either. It is going to take some practice. Ultimately, what you need to use will depend on the state of your stainless steel sink. If it’s a new sink that’s barely been used, you should be able to get away with cleaning it every day with just dish soap and water. But if your stainless steel sink is older and needs some serious TLC, it’s best to opt for a deeper clean using acidic products such as vinegar, lemon, or cream of tartar. How can I make my stainless steel sink look new again?

We would point out that unless the particles are completely removed they will return. It is therefore very important that after cleaning the sink, it is dried thoroughly. This process needs to continue at least daily for a period of 7 to 10 days until the problem disappears. Don’t have a fit if someone doesn’t take as much pride in your sink as you do. It is very easy to fix. You have already done the hard part; you will never have to go through this process again. Daily maintenance will keep it looking this way all the time. Nasty, hurtful words are not as easy to repair. Just be sure and tell your family what you are trying to do. They will think you have gone crazy. That’s because cream of tartar is mildly acidic, which means that it can eat away at the hard water spots or discolouration that are often extremely common in stainless steel sinks. But what do you do with it? To do this, simply apply a few drops of baby oil to a soft cloth and rub it in the direction of the grain. Mistakes to avoid when cleaning a stainless steel sink Dish soap is a great cleaner for stainless steel sinks, and one you’ll already have to hand. If you prefer to use a specialist product, Sara San Angelo aka The Cleaning Lady says, ‘ Bar Keeper’s Friend is the best thing I've used to clean stainless steel sinks.It is non-abrasive and will not harm the finish. And your sink will shine like new!’ What will damage stainless steel?If you still don’t like the way it looks, then you can try some car wax. Just know in your heart that you have cleaned it very well now, and it doesn’t have to be perfect. Our perfectionism is what got us in this situation in the first place! Apply a small amount of non-gel white toothpaste to a toothbrush or soft cloth. Gently scrub any stains or discoloured areas. Rinse thoroughly with water and dry with a clean cloth,’ says Ava. However, she does offer a warning to those looking to use this method. Cleaning a stainless steel sink is a little different to knowing how to clean a granite sink, or other materials. Cleaning experts at Ecozone explain that the main culprits of dull sinks are limescale build-up and watermarks. Research has shown our kitchen sinks can often contain more germs than our toilets, and according to cleaning service Blanco, any stainless steel surface is best cleaned immediately after use to prevent limescale. So, first, remove dishes and any bits of food from the plughole, as leaving food to fester may attract fruit flies, the last thing you want buzzing around your lovely kitchen island sink ideas. 2. Wipe with the soft side of your sponge If you leave the vinegar on the sink for around 10-15 minutes, the vinegar should do all of the hard work for you, but you’ll want to give the sink a final scrub, rinse, and buff when this is done.