Are under mount Sinks hard to keep clean?

15 years ago

I was helping a friend pick out a sink and she is leaning toward an under mount sink. I have a drop in. Another customer heard us talking and interrupted us, saying her under mount kitchen sink had been a mistake - she says she is always cleaning the crevice between the granite and the sink. "Never again", she said.

Now my GF and I are wondering if this is common or maybe her granite wasn't cut the right size or ??? I can't remember anyone else mentioning this problem.

If you don't have this problem, how did you avoid it? She really loves the look of an under mount. I told her I knew just where I could get the answer. LOL!

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Comments (9)

chefnewbie
15 years ago
I never have trouble with my undermount. It is much easier to keep clean than a top mount with a rim. Stuff was always getting stuck there. My sink is mounted with the granite slightly overhanging the sink - it really is almost flush. I just hose down the edge with the sprayer occasionally and will give it a wipe with an eraser when it needs it.
Undermounts always look clean.
petra_granite
15 years ago
Well: maybe if she used clear caulk that would be ok: waterproff: she may have a gap that should be filled!
Ok the drop in has a seam all the way around the sink!

Undermount:
plus you get to push anything into the sink: and you don't want to get UP under the lip of drop in sink.

But go to a friends house maybe or a granite shop and see if they have model kitchen set up: and see if you are able to tell:

I an interested what others have to say about their undermount sink experiences!!
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petra_granite
15 years ago
Undermount:
plus you get to push anything into the sink: and you don't want to get UP under the lip of drop in sink.

don't want to get "water" under the sink that may hurt the granite. You would have to seal the sink on top of the granite with drop in: .

Maybe that lady had a bad installer cut the granite wrong.

I have never heard that complaint before.
monicakm_gw
15 years ago
When we remodeled our kitchen 6 1/2 years ago, I too worried about stuff accumulating under the granite with an undermount sink. Everyone told me it wasn't an issue and they were right. I don't have any problem. I clean it just as I do the rest of the sink and have never had a "buildup" of any kind there. LOVE my undermount, the clean look and being able to just sweep crumbs and stuff right off into the sink.
Monica
golddust
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the quick responses. It does sound like a bad install. Maybe she has a sink reveal or a half undermount? (Can't think of the right term.)

So I should just tell her to make sure her undermount sink is flush with the inside of the sink or should I tell her to have the granite stick out a tiny bit into the sink?
muscat
15 years ago
I have an undermount, with what I think they call a "slight reveal" in that the hole in the granite is big enough that a tiny bit of the "lip" of the sink is still visible. So there is no crevice hidden below where "stuff" can get. It is super easy to clean, and though the "line" is not as sophisticated looking as it would be with zero reveal, it is so easy to keep clean that I like it this way. With zero reveal, you SHOULD also have no problem, as long as the curved edge of the sink is caulked, and they cut the granite perfectly. With a negative reveal, you can end up with a little area underneath that is hard to see, and so may not stay clean.
lowspark
15 years ago
My undermount is flush. No gap or crevice. No problems with cleaning. Sweeping crumbs into the sink, now THAT'S where stuff got stuck in the old days when I had a drop in. That rim was impossible to clean. Much happier with the undermount and I love how it looks.
kompy
15 years ago
Tell your friend to buy a squeegie. The rim on my old sink was much harder to keep clean...now things sweep right in. I will never have a rimmed sink again.
happytobehome
15 years ago
I have a slight reveal like muscats and agree it is so easy to clean. So much easier than trying to keep the caulk clean on the drop-in sink with a toothbrush. Also, I love being able to sweep crumbs right into the sink!

Are under mount Sinks hard to keep clean?

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Are under mount Sinks hard to keep clean?

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