How to clean a kitchen sink fast with no chemicals – 3 methods

Sink cleaning hacks often involve keeping drains clear and odourless without harsh chemicals like bleach. But when it comes to the stainless steel sinks that are popular in kitchens, many people are unsure how to clean them without using commercial concoctions. Abrasive formulas can leave scratches and marks on an otherwise gleaming surface, which is why gentle cleaning solutions are often preferred.

But which ones actually work? Intrigued by the natural methods that are often suggested by cleaning fanatics, Express.co.uk has tested three cheap and quick solutions to see if they really work to transform a dirty kitchen sink. These include salt, apple cider vinegar, and half a lemon. 

Phoebe: Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a popular natural remedy for various health issues, often praised for its supposed fat-burning qualities, making it a common ingredient in health drinks and supplements. For me, it’s a summertime staple in my pantry for making salad dressings and homemade coleslaw.

I’ve never used it for household cleaning, but as someone who appreciates white vinegar’s natural grime-fighting power, I decided to try it when I ran out of my usual diluted white vinegar and Fairy Liquid mixture.

The difference is straightforward: apple cider vinegar is produced from fermented apple juice, giving it a fruity flavor and a pale amber hue, according to acvdrink.com. White vinegar, also known as distilled vinegar, is made from fermented grain alcohol (like corn or wheat) and has a sharp, acidic, and neutral taste.

Confronted with an unsightly stainless steel kitchen sink, I tested the pungent liquid. The Spruce recommends diluting one part apple cider vinegar with two parts water to create a surface cleaner, which I did. I poured 100ml of ACV into a jug, added 200ml of water, and transferred the mixture into an empty spray bottle.

During this cleaning process, a microfiber cloth is essential for wiping away the moisture and revealing the sink’s shiny finish, so skip your J-cloths. After a few minutes of scrubbing away limescale and soap scum, I was pleased with the results, although they didn’t have that wow factor.

The diluted vinegar spray was quite effective against surface grime but struggled to loosen tough stains on the draining board or around the plug hole—areas where I thought it would perform better. I believe adding grease-cutting dish soap could improve its effectiveness. It performs about the same as white vinegar, but it’s a dependable alternative when you’ve run out of the white stuff or prefer the apple-cider scent.

What does the science say?

Willy’s Live Apple Cider Vinegar describes the golden-hued liquid as “an excellent natural disinfectant” thanks to its antimicrobial properties. Primarily, the acetic acid helps kill germs and bacteria.

However, it may not be as effective against certain pathogens as commercial disinfectants, says Itamar Dor, founder of the Green Life blog. He told Better Homes & Gardens that for high-risk areas like cutting boards or places prone to bacterial buildup, stronger disinfectants or options like hydrogen peroxide or tea tree oil are recommended.

According to Nathaly Vieira, a professional cleaner and founder of Inspire Clean, one advantage it has over other natural remedies is that it also works well as a natural deodorizer.

Katherine: Washing up liquid 

Deep cleaning my sink used to be my most neglected household chore, but I have now learned it is important to do it regularly if you want to keep flies away in summer.

I used to put off sink cleaning because I never had the right product at home and often did not want to waste time going to the shops to buy a pricey chemical. However, I recently discovered that flies are attracted to leftover food scraps that become stuck in drains, so I decided to give my sink a good scrub to keep these pests out of my kitchen. 

After some research online, I found that it is really simple to clean out a sink drain in under five minutes. All you need is washing up liquid and a little salt for some extra cleaning power. 

It might sound bizarre, but sinks can be difficult to keep clean since they are exposed to lots of soap and food stains, which can cause grease to build up on the surface. 

However, washing-up liquid has been designed to break down the fats and oils in grease so they can easily be washed away so you can clean the stains without scrubbing for ages. .

Not only will washing up liquid clean the outer part of the sink, but it can also help clean out a plughole drain if grease is stuck inside the drain. 

Salt helps assist washing-up liquid because it is naturally abrasive. It will gently scrub away any stains without scratching the metal surface. It is also a natural disinfectant, helping to remove bacteria without the need for bleach or a stronger chemical product. 

How to clean a sink with washing up liquid

You will need:

• Four teaspoons of salt
• Four squirts of washing-up liquid
• One litre of boiling hot water from a kettle 

Method:

To begin, I simply sprinkle salt around the sink and onto any stained areas I can see. I then placed a generous amount of washing-up liquid onto a sponge and began scrubbing the surface. 

It took me less than five minutes to get rid of any marks on my sink as they came away very easily. I then boiled the kettle and poured it all over my sink to rinse away the soapy residue and my sink was sparkling clean without much effort or having to buy any new products. 

Nicola: Lemons

For me, cleaning the sink is one of those jobs that I will actively try to avoid for as long as I possibly can. It’s not really a difficult task, but it is annoying, and it feels pretty pointless. You just know it’s only a matter of time before it’s covered in watermarks, spillages, and crumbs once again.

But this week, I decided to stop putting it off and try a different technique from my usual scrubbing with a Dishmatic, hoping for the best. And I’m happy to say that it left such an impressive shine with virtually no effort involved at all.

Even better, all you need is one ingredient – a simple lemon.

It turns out the natural acidity in this popular citrus fruit is amazing for tackling marks on stainless steel sinks, leaving them so shiny they look brand new. It couldn’t be any easier to do either.

You can use a lemon, cut it in half, and scrub your sink and draining board like you’d use a sponge. I was astounded to see the limescale lift off the tap immediately. While I was initially concerned about all the lemony debris coming off the slice, I trusted the process and made sure I squeezed every bit of juice out possible.

Then, I used a damp cloth to wipe down the surfaces, making sure to get rid of any seeds or pieces of lemon that had fallen off. Give it another whip round with a dry cloth this time, and your sink should look as good as new.

Not only is lemon the perfect natural cleaning ingredient for adding shine, it also smells lovely and fresh, and boasts antibacterial properties too. Given that the kitchen is the home of food prep, it only makes sense to use the safest cleaning methods here – and this is definitely one of these.