Fresh Sinks and Free-Flowing Drains: How to Clean Your Sink and Drain Naturally
Why Your Sink Deserves a Deep Clean Today
The sinks in our kitchens and laundry are hard working. If you don’t have a reliable way to clean your sink, they can get pretty grimy – especially down the plug hole. When you think about all the jobs our sinks help with – washing dirt of vegetables, emptying the mop water, washing the dishes, cleaning up after a sick child, soaking laundry, chicken juices, emptying the Bissel, washing the cat (?!?). That’s a lot of gross build up right? A good deep clean is a must!
Scientists wondered, just how dirty do our sinks get? Studies show our sinks can be dirtier than our loos. I bet just after reading that list above you probably aren’t that surprised. This build up of germy stuff isn’t from doing anything particularly bad, it’s from normal family-life use, and maybe a bit of irregular cleaning. To make things just a bit grosser, then throw in a soggy sponge that’s been hanging around for too many days. And what the studies show is you might actually have a situation that can make you legitimately sick with gastro. Gross. And preferably avoided!
It doesn’t stop with grimy sinks. You might notice your sink is emptying slow and wafting some bad smells your way – these are issues in your sink drain. The best way to keep your drains clear is by avoiding drain clogging baddies like fats and small pieces of food and keeping up with regular drain maintenance.
But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Here’s our quick and easy 5-minute routine to keep your sinks and drains clean and odour-free without relying on harsh chemicals.
How to clean your sink & drain naturally
1. Check the Drain: Start by looking down the drain and pulling out any visible debris. If you have obvious build-up, pick it out of your drain and do a quick wash with some Home Cleaning Castile Soap (gross I know, but totally necessary). TIP: some newer sinks have drains that the plug fitting can be unscrewed with the plug on its side and used as screwdriver. IF you have a drain that does this then undo the screw and lift off the top plate of the drain. Now carefully clean inside, be mindful that while in most cases the parts are all attached and water proof – some are not. Before running water with parts undone, gently check if the start of the drain is attached to the underside of the sink.
2. Pre-flush with Hot Water: When you clean your drain you need to prime the pipes because you can’t reach them to give them a scrub. To do this, boil your kettle, let it sit for a minute, and then pre-flush your drain with most of the hot jug water. This will soften build up like fats and algae. It makes it easier for the washing soda in the next step.
3. Add Washing Soda: Dissolve ¼ cup of washing soda in about 200ml of the just boiled water (use the remaining water from the kettle). Stir to dissolve. Pour this down the drain, then wait about an hour. During this time the washing soda will start stripping and softening grime off the insides of the drain. Fats are dissolved into washing soda because washing soda is alkaline, which will make fatty residues easier to wash away. Bacteria and algae are also killed by the pH of washing soda – this will help with unblocking and also odour.
4. Add Vinegar: Unblocking and clearing your drain has never been so fun! Pour about one cup of undiluted Figgy strong white vinegar down the drain. When the vinegar and washing soda mix it will cause a reaction – the two mixing will cause fizzing which will help to dislodge the softened gunk and grime – because washing soda is a stronger cleaner than baking soda – this will give a better fizzing reaction. Use a cloth to force the bubbles down and keep them contained in the drainpipe. This will make sure all the action happens where it is most useful. Now flush the drain with a good amount of hot water from the tap.
5. A good scrub to clean your sink: Next, take a dollop of cleaning paste and scrub the inside of your sink with a damp cloth or scrubbing brush. Make sure to work the paste right up all sides and into the overflow vents if your sink has them. The paste works best when the surface is dry or damp as it can really grip the build-up to scrub it off. Rinse away with water then wipe out your sink for a perfect shine finish. Figgy eco cloths are super absorbent and great for this task. Enjoy your sparkling sink because you’re done!
Why Avoid Chemical Drain Cleaners?
Chemical drain cleaners are often used and recommended for their quick and effective clog-clearing capabilities, but they come with significant drawbacks. These cleaners typically contain harsh chemicals like sodium hydroxide (lye), sulfuric acid, and hydrochloric acid, which can have serious health, environmental, and plumbing consequences.
1. Health Risks: Chemical drain cleaners can cause severe burns if they come into contact with skin, eyes, or mucous membranes. Inhaling the fumes can lead to respiratory issues, including inflammation of the lungs and upper airways, making it harder or painful to breathe. Long-term exposure can even result in chronic respiratory problems.
2. Environmental Impact: These chemicals can contaminate groundwater and harm aquatic life when they enter water systems. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by these cleaners contribute to air pollution, particularly in urban areas, affecting overall air quality.
3. Damage to Plumbing and Septic Systems: Chemical drain cleaners can corrode pipes, especially older metal pipes and PVC. This corrosion can lead to leaks, cracks, or even pipe bursts over time. Additionally, these chemicals can destroy beneficial bacteria in septic systems, disrupting waste breakdown and potentially leading to costly repairs.
sink and drain cleaning tips.
- Daily Maintenance: We recommend to clean your sink each day using a squirt of Home Cleaning Castile Soap and give it a scrub or cleaning with our Cleaning Paste
- Drain flushing: Remembering to occasionally flush your drain with a larger volume of water, or even a jug of hot water occasionally like in the pre-flush above will help to keep gunk and grime down.
- Deep Clean Monthly: Give your sinks and drains a deep clean every month to keep them in top shape and avoid your drains clogging up.
- Avoid fats down the drain: This is an almost certain way to clog your drain. When fats that are solid at room temperature are hot and liquid and poured down the drain – the quickly cool and solidify. Instead, let fats solidify in the pan, then scrape out with a fish slice, wrap in paper and put it either in the compost or in the bin.
- Slow draining drain: head outside and check your gully trap where you sink drain comes out of your house, this can get a build up that slows the flow of water getting out.
- Use the strainer: Along with fats – letting food go down the drain is best avoided. Keep peas and corn out of your drain by using a strainer – in modern sinks this is the plug lifted slightly. for older sinks look for a drain strainer at your local hardware shop.
- Pour very dirty waste water outside: Try to get into the habit of tipping very dirty water either down the toilet or outside on a non-food garden or onto grass. This would include things like mop water and Bissell water.
- Keeping bacteria at bay: keep up with a daily clean of your sink and changing your dishcloth regularly – especially after wiping up germy things like chicken juice or touching the floor.
So there you have it! A simple and effective way to clean your sink and drain without harsh chemicals and nasty smells. By using natural, non-toxic methods like washing soda and vinegar, you’re not only ensuring a sparkling clean sink but also doing your bit for the environment.
And If you’ve still have a cleaning buzz after tackling your sinks and drains, give your taps and bench a go. A lovely clean bench is food for the soul, and our Everyday Spray is the perfect sidekick to get this job done!
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