I had one in my former house, just like the one you're describingg. If you absolutely can't live without it, have it re-enameled, and you might be better off. Mine was old and VERY pitted. NOTHING would clean it - even straight bleach - because of the pits and the worn surface.

I have modern stainless double sinks in my current (even older than the last one) house. I won't go back to the type of sink you're describing.

If you really want the enamel sink, go for it; but they do take extra cleaning time. Especially, if you have hard water, then they will often be yellowed. But, it's no different than scrubbing your bathroom sink, toilet. I use Zudd on mine, can't beat it. The sink has been in constant use since the 1950's or maybe 1940's and there is very little pitting. Also, if it's an old sink, there may be chips in the enamel. Is your sink in good condition overall?

Here's mine. It's TINY. I like it a lot, but I may end up replacing it in the future, as I can't fit a dishwasher underneath, and our portable dishwasher takes up too much space.

(hope the link works)

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen sink

That's my favorite little sink, Cecilia. If I had room in my pantry, I'd put one like it in there.

My apartment is the only one--out of 6O in my building--that still has its original 1926 porcelain-over-cast-iron sink on legs. It's one of the reasons I took this place. That and my black Jaspe linoleum counters. Also original

The day I came to check the place out, the manager was Mr. Personality as he showed me the big closets & the big bathroom & the smooth-as silk operation of the original wooden windows, but he quickly turned cringing & apologetic when I walked into the kitchen. I didn't understand why, till I caught sight of the sink. I had never actually seen a sink on legs before, except, of course, in Dorothea Lange photos of the tenements in the Depression. At any rate, when he saw my expression, he immediately piped in "I'm going to replace the sink, no problem."

I put an end to that talk right there. No way he was touching this baby. If he had ripped it out and turned this perfect Jazz-age time capsule into the kind of generic dime-a-dozen kitchen I saw in the all the other apartments, with their can lights & ceiling fans & laminate floors, I would have gone to my next appointment at another building down the block without a moment's hesitation. As it was, I signed a lease on the spot.

Sure, my sink doesn't have the gleam of brand-new porcelain, and it takes a few more minutes to clean than a stainless steel number, but for one thing it's not like I actually cook, and for another, the cleaning woman charges the same either way. And if a sink on legs doesn't bother her, why should it bother me? No, my sink on legs is in it for the duration. I only wish I could change one thing. I wish it were Nile green.

Regards,

MAGNAVERDE

tcast

I have an old sink from the 1920s in my laundry room. It used to be the kitchen sink before the laundry room was added on. It is a wall mounted sink with a wall mounted faucet. I investigated the possibility of putting it back in my kitchen, but for some reason there is a vent pipe for the plumbing running diagonally in the wall right where the faucet would need to be--hence a big expense to re-plumb.

I called a local company and asked about having the sink re-enameled and they said DO NOT DO THIS WITH A KITCHEN SINK! They said that it's okay for bathrooms, which get light use compared to a kitchen sink. According to the owner who I talked with, the re-enameled surface does not hold up to the hard use it will get in a kitchen, and when it starts to come off it's worse than having the original finish.

I have had a lot of old plumbing fixtures, having lived in old houses nearly all my life. The only one that I really hated cleaning was an enameled cast iron tub that was badly pitted from some caustic cleaner that had been used on it by a PO. IMO enameled cast iron is no harder to clean than stainless--I use Comet or Ajax and it looks like new. They will show black scuffs from aluminum pots and pans, but they come off easily.

BTW, I only thought my old sink was enamel on cast iron. When I crawled under the sink and checked out the under side of the sink, I could see that it is vitreous china. This sink has been terribly abused--everything too yucky to go in the kitchen sink gets washed in the laundry room. When we moved out of the kitchen for our remodel, I used Goo Gone to get rid of the old paint stains, Whink to get rid of the old rust stains, and a final scrub with Comet and it looked fantastic.

I love old things but not old sinks. Once the porclein gets rough there is nothing that will make it look clean. I fight enough with the claw tubs we have. The porclein has seen much better days.

I have seen on tv where peeps have taken old clawfooted tubs and had them rebaked to give them a new lease on life. I've no idea what it would cost or if they'd do it with sinks but for those loving those porclien sinks it's something to thik about.

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I ended up winning the auction so it looks like I have a new sink! I just couldn't resist it since it was the exact size I needed and less than $20. Hopefully it will look great. And if it doesn't work out, perhaps a new planter for my yard (just kidding). If you want to see what it looks like, it was item #5957532550 on e*bay.

magnaverde, could you post a photo of your sink and also your linoleum? I'm sure I'm not the only one dying to see it!

I will not be keeping my old enameled cast iron kitchen sink with its high back and intriguing 45 degree angle for faucet & handles. It is beyond maintenance, sadly. I'll try to send it on to the local salvage yard to give it a chance. It had a sprayer, when did those come into play? Anyone?

Good for you! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do ours!
Yes, it does stain a little easier, but a little bleach and or cleaners mentioned above takes care of it quickly.
{{!gwi}}
Mary Lu

Now, that's a kitchen sink!

Mary Lu, wow!!! Great sink! Thank you for sharing your good fortune.

I want to see more sinks! I now feel greedy!

I'm sorry. I was just reorganizing my photobucket pictures and realized too late that I moved the picture I just posted of the sink! sorry. Here it is again.
{{!gwi}}
Mary Lu

Word of advice: If the porcelain is in good shape, don't use anything abrasive like regular cleanser in it. It will quickly wear off the thin layer of glass, and then the sink will be porous and much harder to clean.

Bon Ami is generally thought to be mild enough not to wear away the glass. Softscrub may work as well.

Zud is good for rust stains, but if left on too long it will eat through the glass and the porcelain like a hot knife though butter.

I have two sinks alot like that! Except ours sit on really old cabinets. The one downstairs sits on a sink base that's metal, and the one upstairs sits on a rounded edge wooden cabinet.

We're keeping them both, because even though they're beat to he**, we love the way they look...the upstairs kitchen sink will eventually become part of 'the bar'.

spambdamn,

I know of one manufacturer that does not recommecnd "Softscrub", I am not sure which one. It might have been Shaw.

Great sink Scullybean and at a great price. But oh boy, the shipping charges unless you are picking it up.

There are places which can do the firing of actual new porcelain finish--not the epoxy finish which is what the usual "reglazing" is--- it does cost a lot (so I've heard) but supposedly in the range of "possible", and comparable to the cost of new designer/high quality fixtures... when you consider that new kitchen sinks can be $500- $1000 and more, maybe the same $ spent on re-porcelain is worth it?

Just an idea for those of you who don't want to keep your old enamel sinks in the kitchen...they are fantastic and attractive in your potting table (if you're a gardener). I have one I found on a old farm site. The house had fallen down and the sink was outside, frozen to the ground. The farmer gave me permission to take whatever I wanted-I got tons of great stuff! but that's another storey. I already had a potting table in my greenhouse but used the enamel sink for an outside potting station. It's a huge sink but very shallow, just right for potting. Any leftover soil just goes down the hole into a old stainless wash tub for storage.
I wonder what that sink was used for originally. It's too shallow for dishwashing...maybe for cleaning up in a mudroom? Any ideas?

The ones in our house are in the kitchens...and I've had sinks just like that in apartments all over Chicago...they are shallow, but they were used for dishes.