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Cleaning Tips Kitchens

Brown Stains on Farmhouse Sink

last year

I'm noticing that my farmhouse sink has frequent brown stains, and I am wondering:

- If this is related to how I am cleaning my sink?

- Is there any way to fix/prevent this?

I remember last year I was cleaning my sink monthly and never noticed brown stains at the end of the week. I clean my farmhouse sink weekly with Scouring Pads and Ajax cleaner as there are numerous black marks that come from pots scratching the sink. In the attached photo you can see the left basin has more brown marks on the right basin.

Featured Answer

M Miller

last year

"scouring pads and Ajax" - two extremely abrasive cleaners. You've abraded off the finish of your sink. Too late now. As @Joseph Corlett, LLC said, your sink needs to be replaced. Whatever sink you replace it with, abide by the cleaning instructions of the manufacturer, or BarKeepers Friend powder is good. And when you replace the sink, go for a single bowl instead of the difficult 50-50 double bowls you have now. You will actually be able to wash things without banging into the divider.

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Comments (12)

Gerry
last year
Don’t use scouring pads. Use either Bon Ami or Barkeepers Friend. They won’t scratch and erode the porcelain finish.
icu222much18 thanked Gerry
roarah
last year
If it is cast iron the brown could be rust stains try peroxide to remove.
icu222much18 thanked roarah
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PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last year
Your sink is wearing out and needs to be replaced. I see it all the time.
icu222much18 thanked Joseph Corlett, LLC
icu222much18
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Thank you for your comments. For my next sink, should I be wiping using a cloth with BarKeepers Friend?

I'm also guessing there's no way for me to apply a new finish to the sink?
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last year
There is no refinishing of porcelain sinks that lasts that I've ever seen. You'll get plenty of offers from the spray-on guys, but several months later the coating begins to fail at the drain flange which they didn't bother to remove. The money you gave them would have made a nice down payment on a replacement sink.
icu222much18 thanked Joseph Corlett, LLC
Jeanne Cardwell
last year
If you get another porcelain sink get the grids for the bottom to prevent damage from pots etc.
I put mine in the dishwasher (top rack) almost every time I run it.
icu222much18 thanked Jeanne Cardwell
M Miller
last year
last modified: last year
should I be wiping using a cloth with BarKeepers Friend?

You sprinkle the BarKeepers Friend powder lightly around the sink. You do not let the powder stand, but immediately, with a wet sponge, wipe the powder all around with the wet sponge to clean the sink. Then rinse thoroughly with water using your faucet's spray function.

Your wet sponge must be just a sponge, not an abrasive sponge, not a scrubby sponge, not a scouring sponge. Just a sponge.
icu222much18 thanked M Miller
roarah
last year
Ajax has bleach and bleach oxidizes cast iron. The brown is rust leaching onto the porcelain. Soak a towel in peroxide and place it on the brown areas for a while and see if they lighten. Beach is not appropriate for a cast iron tub or sink.
icu222much18 thanked roarah
icu222much18
Original Author
last year
Thank you very much for the advice. Much appriciated <3
Oakley
last year
No need to buy a new sink, have it re-glazed or refinished which is done in your house.

The spots are from hard water and supposedly we're supposed to wipe the sink dry each time we use it. Riiight.

Barkeeper's Friend (powder) is abrasive, not sure why people say it's not. After I bought my sink I used Kohler's special cleaner for porcelain & I wasn't that impressed.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last year
"No need to buy a new sink, have it re-glazed or refinished which is done in your house."

Terrible advice. I've never seen the reglazing work more than a month or two. The reglazing guys don't even remove the disposal flange which is where the coating begins to peel. The $400.00 they're going to charge would have made a nice down payment on a sink replacement.

The only time a reglaze on a sink makes sense is if your house is for sale and you no longer live there.

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