How to clean a stainless steel kitchen sink in your rental property

Want to make sure your buy-to-let property is in tip-top condition for new tenants? We've made a series of videos with Harriet, owner of Calm Oasis Cleaners and Simply Business customer, to help you with basic landlord DIY tasks. Today: cleaning a stainless steel kitchen sink.

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Kitchen sinks are a common pain point in buy-to-let properties, especially if your previous tenants haven't given them the care they deserve. So how can you make sure your kitchen sink is spick and span?

Our video explains how to clean a kitchen sink in easy steps. Or, if you'd prefer text, read on for a point-by-point guide.

What you'll need to clean a kitchen sink

In order to clean your kitchen sink, you'll first need to gather some tools.

1. A bottle of proprietary kitchen sink cleaner
2. A cloth which you can dampen - don't use scourers!
3. A rag for drying off excess liquid
4. A spray bottle for your vinegar mixture
5. Some distilled vinegar, ready to be mixed with water

How to clean a stainless steel kitchen sink

Stainless steel needs a bit of extra care and attention. Follow these simple steps for an efficient way clean your stainless steel kitchen sink.

1. First, spray your kitchen sink with a proprietary sink cleaner. Let the liquid sit for two minutes
2. Using a damp cloth, wipe down the liquid on the sink. Don't use a scourer or anything else that could scratch the steel
3. Wipe the taps and rub into all of the sink's corners
4. Wash down the sink with water from the taps
5. Grab a rag, and use it to dry any excess liquid
6. Make a mix of half distilled vinegar and half water, and pour it into a spray bottle
7. Spray the mixture around the sink
8. Using a rag, buff the sink and taps until they shine
9. And you're done!

How to clean a ceramic kitchen sink

Does your property have a ceramic kitchen sink? The process is slightly different. To get your ceramic kitchen sink to shine, follow these steps:

1. Scrub away! Use a mixture of washing up liquid and warm water, mixed in a bowl, to remove all the dirty deposits around the sink
2. If you have non-coloured porcelain, soak some paper towels in bleach and use them to line the sink. Leave for half an hour, then remove. If your ceramic kitchen sink is coloured, try vinegar or baking soda in place of the bleach, as bleach can cause the colour to fade.
3. Use lemon juice to remove problem stains. Dab with a sponge, then rinse away with running water from the tap
4. Limescale deposits can build up on ceramic kitchen sinks. If you're struggling with these, use a vinegar mixture to scrub at them. Use a paper towel, then let the mixture sit for ten minutes before rubbing off with a cloth
5. Do you have a corian kitchen sink? This material is pretty hardy, but you still need to look after it. Look out for specialist corian cleaning paste to keep your corian kitchen sink spick and span

How to clean an aluminium kitchen sink

Is your kitchen sink aluminium? Follow these steps for this sink type:

1. Make a mixture of baking soda and water
2. Cover the sink in the mixture, scrubbing gently
3. Wash away any remaining mixture
4. If there are water spot stains on the sink, try dipping a sponge in white vinegar and scrubbing at the problem areas gently
5. Want to give your aluminium sink that extra shine? It might sound bizarre, but some baby oil does the trick! Dip a kitchen towel in the oil and buff up the sink to get it looking spick and span

How to clean the kitchen sink drain

The drain is often the problem area for all sink types, and blockages can be common. Need a quick way to clean your kitchen sink drain? Follow the steps below.

1. First, you could try using a specialist drain unblocker. Often these require you to pour a whole bottle down the drain, so these may not be the most cost effective solution
2. Alternatively, try making a mixture of baking soda, salt, and warm water
3. Pour a cup of your mixture down the drain
4. Follow this with an equal amount of boiling water
5. Try to encourage your tenants to repeat this process once every couple of weeks to ensure that the kitchen sink drain remains clear

We'll be bringing you a comprehensive series of buy-to-let DIY videos in the coming weeks, all of which will help you make sure your property is in great condition for prospective tenants. Stay tuned!