I told you earlier todayabout the cupboard that Hubby and I bought for the new house that we need to strip. Well when we bought that, the owner threw in this sink. I think that I’d like to use it one of the bathrooms if I can get it cleaned up.
It’s a cute little old fashion sink. The basin is very oval in shape compared to most of these I’ve seen.
I haven’t tried a thing on cleaning it yet. I was hoping one of you might have a suggestion…Soft Scrub, Ajax, a homemade solution…what do you think. What’s my best chances on making this baby shine??
I use Whink’s “Rust Stain Remover” – comes in a brown bottle – in the bathroom cleaners isle in Walmart – love this stuff – we’ve got very hard water here and it works quickly and with low odor.
Just recently found the secret to cleaning hard water stains (which are quite common here in Texas). You have to literally SCRUB them away – no cleanser will do the job as well. Go to Hardware store/Walmart and purchase Drywall Sanding Screen – it comes in a long thin package. The fine grit 180 works really well. You can usually find this with drywall accessories. Cut the screen sheets into small pieces and use these (wet) to clean toilets/tubs – anything with a set in stain. Don’t know if it will work on rust stains but is magic on hard water stains. We recently remodeled and installed OLD ancient porcelain bath tub – I scrubbed/cleaned for MONTHS using a variety of chemicals and only got part of the stains out. Recently found this SECRET WEAPON and now the OLD ancient tub shines like new !!! Good Luck !
Magic Eraser! Love those things!
I watch ‘Rehab Addict’ on HGTV and she cleans up old sinks and bathtubs all the time–but says she doesn’t use any abrasive cleansers. So I would say something like Soft Scrub or ‘Bartenders Friend (I think that is what it is called–it is a powder, but not abrasive). It looks like she uses one of those green scrubby sheets, too–like for dishes.
Try looking for Zud…it comes as liquid or powder. If you can’t find it, let me know. I use it all the time. The other thing you can look for is ceramic range top cleaner. Good luck! It’s adorable :-)
Whink = no scrubbing! We use it on our hard water stains.
I watch rehab addict on HGTV and she does an amazing job on old tubs and sinks. She does not use any type of abrasive cleaners as NancyA says. She made an old sink just like yours sparkle just using old fashioned elbow grease (and it did look like she was using Bartenders friend). Maybe you can even find a link to the HGTV website.
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser does wonders on a lot of grime, but I don’t know if it will take care of rust. I’d start with that, then Bartenders Friend, before trying any chemicals or abrasives.
Wet paper towels in vinegar and let them sit on the spots for a few hours. Be sure to keep thrm wet. The are fairly easy to wipe ff after that. I tried it a month or so ago and was stunned at how well it did with very little scrubbing.
Oxalic acid is the ingredient in Barkeepers Friend that works on rust. Make a paste & let it sit. Zed has same ingredient. Never use chlorine bleach on rust as it sets it. Never use abrasives as will ruin the finish which makes it porous & will stain even worse and deeper, too.
I have removed similar stains using a paste of Cream of Tartar and Hydrogen Peroxide.
http://www.the36thavenue.com/2012/03/how-to-clean-a-porcelain-sink-2.html
Unless they’ve changed the name, it’s Bar Keepers Friend. I use it on my white ceramic kitchen sink, the bathtub, the bathroom sink. The only white ceramic I’ve not used it on is the toilet… hmmm, I wonder?
Magic Eraser!!!!!
I have VERY hard water and use a product called KRC-7 ( or it may be KCR-7) that I get at a plumbing supply store. I wet the tub and sink, put the gel on ( don’t get the liquid in the spray bottle), let it sit for twenty minutes or so and then use a nylon scrubbie to clean the tub.
CLR which stands for calcium, lime and rust. It’s a liquid. Put a white cotton t-shirt (rag) in the sink and pour some CLR on it. Let it soak. We use it all the time.
Another hint: I pour CLR into a plastic bag and put the shower massage head into the bag and fasten the bag closed with a rubber band. Let it soak for a while and it removes all of the hard water crud – you might have to scrub a bit but it works fabulously.