Things You'll Need:
- Towel
- Rubber sink mat
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Step 1
Place items into your sink gently. Avoid dropping or throwing pots, pans and dinnerware into the sink with any kind of force. Instead, rest the items to be cleaned gently in the sink, or onto the counter beside your sink. Try to avoid scraping the sink with metal or sharp cooking utensils. Also, placing hot cookware into a porcelain sink can cause damage to the surface by weakening the porcelain veneer. Certain types of cooking implements are less likely to damage your sink such as silicone, plastic or rounded glass.
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Step 2
Use appropriate cleaning products. Harsh abrasives and cleaning pads can scuff and scratch white porcelain sinks. Additionally, many harsh cleaners can cause staining to the white porcelain. "Soft" cleansers contain enough abrasives to clean the surface without damaging the finish. Pastes of water and baking soda or vinegar rinses are also popular for cleaning porcelain, while lemon juice can reduce or eliminate stains. Regardless of your choice of cleanser, follow your manufacturer's directions for maintaining your sink.
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Step 3
Clean your sink quickly after it becomes dirty. Avoid allowing foods and other kitchen messes to dry and harden onto your sink's surface. Cleaning these difficult messes could cause damage to your sink as you attempt to remove them. Additionally some cooking and food-based messes can cause corrosion, flaking or wear to previously damaged areas of the finish.
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Step 4
Pad your sink to avoid damage. Many home goods stores sell rubber or plastic mats, equipped with drainage, to line the bottom of your sink. Another more economical method is to place a kitchen towel or rag into the bottom of your sink. However, should you choose this method remember to wring out and wash the towel shortly after use, otherwise the towel could harbor unsafe bacteria.
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Step 5
Contact your local home improvement store for advice. Many home improvement stores have additional information on different brands of sinks. They also have a wide variety of products used for the protection and maintenance of porcelain sinks, many of which may become useful in your quest to avoid scratching your sink. If possible, have the brand, model number and even the age of sink available to help the home improvement professional provide you with the most detailed, accurate information for your sink.
