The kitchen sink sees a lot of action and can quickly become stained and dirty from food particles, grease, hard water deposits, and more. While you can use regular cleaning products to wipe it down, making your own DIY scrub is an inexpensive and effective way to naturally clean and disinfect your sink.
Why DIY Kitchen Sink Scrubs Are Effective
DIY scrubs are easy to customize to your needs. I can include ingredients that cut through grease, remove stains, disinfect, and make the sink sparkle. Common ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, and lemon have natural cleaning abilities. Essential oils add antibacterial properties and a fresh scent. I can mix up a scrub tailored to my sink’s needs.
DIY scrubs are also economical. Most ingredients like salt, baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice are inexpensive kitchen staples. Making my own allows me to clean my sink thoroughly without spending much money.
Gather the Right Supplies
Putting together a DIY sink scrub begins with gathering the right supplies:
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Abrasives – Coarse salts, baking soda, or sugar help scour the sink. I recommend kosher or sea salt.
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Acids – Lemon juice, vinegar, or citrus peels help dissolve hard water stains and grease. White vinegar works well for most sinks.
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Essential oils – Oils like lemon, lavender, eucalyptus, or tea tree add antibacterial properties and scent. Lemon essential oil provides a fresh smell.
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Liquid castile soap – Use a natural soap like Dr. Bronner’s for extra cleaning power and to help ingredients combine.
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Bottle or container – Store the scrub in a squeeze bottle for easy use. Jars or containers work too.
My Go-To DIY Sink Scrub Recipe
This simple recipe makes an excellent all-purpose kitchen sink scrubbing paste:
Kitchen Sink Scrubbing Paste
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1⁄4 cup liquid castile soap
- 10-15 drops lemon essential oil
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
Mix the baking soda and castile soap first. Then add the lemon oil, vinegar, and water. Adjust liquids as needed to get a paste-like texture. Scoop into a container and use as needed on wet surfaces. Rinse thoroughly.
The baking soda scrubs while the vinegar dissolves grime. Lemon oil adds antibacterial properties and makes the sink smell fresh. I like keeping this by my sink to use each night after dinner to help prevent buildup.
More Targeted Scrubs to Try
Here are some other scrub recipes tailored to specific needs:
For Grease Buildup
- 1⁄2 cup baking soda
- 2 tsp dish soap
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 10 drops tea tree oil
The dish soap helps cut through oily grime. Lemon juice dissolves it further while tea tree oil sanitizes.
For Hard Water Stains
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1⁄4 cup baking soda
- 10 drops lavender oil
The vinegar helps dissolve mineral deposits and water spots. Baking soda gives light abrasion. Lavender oil adds a calming scent.
For Bad Smells
- 1 cup baking soda
- 2 tsp hydrogen peroxide
- 10 drops eucalyptus oil
Baking soda naturally deodorizes while hydrogen peroxide disinfects. Eucalyptus oil lends its fresh, clean scent.
Application Tips and Tricks
To get the most out of DIY sink scrubs:
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Wet the sink before applying scrub. The water helps the scrub spread and work into stains.
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Use a sponge, brush, or scrubby pad to work the mixture over the surface. Scrub gently but thoroughly.
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Focus on stained or dirty areas, letting the scrub sit for 3-5 minutes before rinsing if needed.
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Always rinse sink thoroughly after cleaning to avoid residue.
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Wipe down with a dry cloth or towel to prevent new water spots.
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Store unused scrub in an airtight container. Most recipes last 3-4 weeks.
Keep That Sink Sparkling
With minimal time and money, I can mix up powerful DIY scrubs that keep my kitchen sink looking freshly cleaned. Using natural ingredients tailored to my needs, I can bust through grease, eliminate stains, remove mineral deposits, and kill germs for a pristine, hygienic sink. A little regular scrubbing keeps the area an ongoing point of pride in my kitchen.
