How to Clean Stainless Steel Sinks: Simple Care Guide

Knowing how to clean stainless steel sinks properly is the key to keeping your kitchen looking sharp day after day. Water spots, fingerprints, and everyday stains can quickly dull the surface, but gentle cleaners, regular wiping, and the occasional polish are usually all it takes to bring back the shine. 

You don’t need harsh chemicals either. Simple household items like baking soda, vinegar, and lemon can cut through grime and revive the smooth finish. With a few consistent habits, you can prevent scratches, reduce limescale, and keep your stainless steel sink looking new for years. At HOUSE OF ENKI, we understand what it takes to keep quality stainless steel looking its best, and by the end of this quick guide, you will too.

• Use mild, everyday products to gently clean and protect your sink

• Follow a simple routine to stop stains and dull patches from building up

• Keep the shine and avoid damage with regular, low-effort care

• Choose mild, non-abrasive cleaners made for stainless steel kitchen sinks so you lift grease and residue without damaging the sink’s surface or leaving scratch marks.

• Use a microfibre cloth or soft sponge as your main wet cleaning aids. They're gentle on the durable material and ideal for a basic clean with warm or hot water.

• Keep mild dish soap and hot water for daily care; for tougher stains or hard water spots, use baking soda, white vinegar, or a stainless-steel-specific cleaner, then simply rinse and dry.

• For a sparkling sink and to help prevent limescale, wipe the entire surface dry with a clean cloth or damp cloth followed by a dry one, then buff with a few drops of mineral oil or baby oil for extra shine and a more hygienic environment.

• Avoid harsh scrubbers: skip steel wool pads, scouring pads, and wire brushes, as they can leave permanent scratch marks on the sink’s surface.

• Don’t use gritty or powdered cleaners: abrasive formulas can dull the finish and make the metal more prone to staining over time.

• Keep bleach and chlorine-based products away: these can cause discolouration, pitting, and corrosion on stainless steel.

• Avoid oven cleaners and strong drain chemicals: they can strip or weaken the protective layer of the steel.

• Avoid silver dips and acidic descalers: if they aren’t specifically made for stainless steel, as they can attack the surface and cause patchy discolouration.

Regular care keeps stainless steel kitchen sinks looking fresh, preventing stains, odours, and water spots from building up. By keeping up with simple daily and weekly routines, you’ll help your sink stay smooth and shiny, instead of becoming scratched or dull over time.

For daily cleaning, simply rinse your stainless steel sink after each use to remove food particles, soap residue, and early water spots. 

Use warm water with a few drops of mild dish soap on a soft sponge or microfibre cloth, and avoid steel wool or abrasive pads that can scratch the surface. Once you’ve washed it, rinse thoroughly and wipe the bowl dry with a clean towel to stop mineral deposits and streaks forming as the water evaporates. 

If the sink needs a quick refresh, sprinkle a little baking soda to lift light residue before rinsing again. Keeping the sink clean and dry each day reduces buildup, helps preserve its natural shine, and prevents marks from metal utensils or cookware left sitting in the bowl.

Once a week, give your stainless steel sink a deeper clean to tackle stains, limescale, and grease. Sprinkle baking soda evenly over the bowl, then use a damp sponge to gently scrub in circular motions. It’s a mild abrasive, so it lifts grime without scratching. 

Next, pour or spray white vinegar over the surface; the fizz helps break down hard water deposits and soap scum. 

Rinse everything away with warm water, then rub half a lemon across the sink to neutralise odours and add a light, fresh-looking shine. Finish by drying the sink completely with a soft cloth so no water spots are left behind.

You can use the table below as a quick reference for weekly cleaning materials:

Stainless steel has a subtle grain made up of fine lines, and cleaning in the right direction makes a big difference. Before you start, run your fingers lightly over the sink to feel which way the grain runs. 

Use a microfibre cloth with warm water or a gentle cleaner and wipe slowly along those lines, rather than across them. The same applies when drying or polishing, follow the grain instead of using circular motions. This helps prevent micro-scratches, avoids swirl marks, and keeps the surface looking smooth and evenly polished.

Keeping the stainless steel surface clear of marks is mostly about regular cleaning and dealing with deposits before they build up. The steps below help tackle water spots, limescale and stubborn stains without damaging your sink.

• Water spots and light discolouration: Wipe the sink with a microfibre cloth dampened with equal parts clean water and white vinegar, following the grain. Rinse with clean water and leave the sink dry to stop new spots forming.
  
  

• Limescale around taps and drains: For chalky deposits in hard water areas, apply diluted vinegar or a lemon-based cleaning agent with a soft cloth and let it sit for a few minutes. For heavier buildup, soak a paper towel in the solution, place it on the area for 10-15 minutes, then wipe gently along the grain and rinse. If your taps are particularly prone to limescale, upgrading to modern kitchen taps with a smoother finish can make routine cleaning easier.
  
  

• Stubborn stains and rust spots: For more stubborn stains or light rust spots from utensils or other sharp objects, make a simple paste with baking soda and a small amount of water. Use a non-scratch sponge to rub lightly with the grain, rinse thoroughly, then dry with a clean cloth; if needed, finish with a stainless steel polish used sparingly.

Brushed stainless is the most common finish for kitchen sinks, with a visible grain that naturally hides light marks.

• Clean along the grain: Always wipe and polish in the same direction as the grain using a microfibre cloth and a gentle cleaning agent.

• Use mild abrasives only when needed: A light baking soda paste can be used for stubborn spots, but rub softly and rinse well.

• Polish lightly: Once the sink is clean and dry, add a few drops of mineral oil on a soft cloth and buff along the grain.

Polished finishes are more reflective and modern, but they also show fingerprints, water spots and scratches more easily.

• Gentle, frequent cleaning: Regular cleaning with warm water, mild dish soap and a microfibre cloth is better than occasional heavy scrubbing.

• Avoid anything abrasive: Skip powders, scouring creams and any rough pads. Stick to liquid cleaners labelled safe for stainless steel.

• Refine, don’t “cut back”: If the shine starts to fade, use a stainless steel polish sparingly, working with the grain. Buff until the gloss looks even, then remove all residue with a clean, dry cloth.

Gunmetal and other coloured stainless finishes (including PVD-coated options) give a bold, contemporary look, but they need a softer touch.

• No harsh chemicals: Avoid bleach, strong acids and aggressive descalers, as these can damage the coating and cause patchy discolouration. Use mild dish soap, warm water and soft cloths instead.

• Treat limescale carefully: For limescale around taps or drain edges, use a diluted vinegar solution applied with a cloth, not a soak, and rinse thoroughly. Never combine vinegar with bleach-based products.

• Polish with care: Rather than heavy buffing, focus on keeping the sink cleaned regularly and dried after use. If you use oil, apply a very small amount to a microfibre cloth and spread it thinly so the finish stays even and streak-free.

Keeping the bowl clean is only half the story, looking after the drain area helps prevent smells, staining and hidden build-up over time.

• Rinse away food scraps promptly so they don’t sit in the bowl or collect around the plughole.

• Clean around the drain regularly with mild dish soap and a soft cloth or sponge to reduce bacteria and grease build-up.

• Disinfect once a week by pouring a little diluted white vinegar or a mild antibacterial cleaner around the plughole, then rinse thoroughly and dry the surrounding steel.

• Use a sink strainer or basket to catch debris, empty and wash it daily so trapped food doesn’t start to smell. Replace it when it’s worn. You’ll find compatible options in our Kitchen Fittings and Accessories range.

• Flush the drain occasionally with a small amount of boiling water to help clear grease and tiny particles that normal rinsing can miss.

• Avoid leaving metal utensils, cookware, wet sponges or rubber sink mats sitting in the bowl for long periods, as they trap moisture and residue and can leave marks on the surface.

Keeping your stainless steel sink looking its best really comes down to gentle products, regular wipe-downs, and avoiding scratching the surface with harsh pads or hard or sharp objects. Most of the time, mild dish soap, baking soda, and a good stainless steel sink cleaner are all you’ll ever need. 

For anything more stubborn, we recommend working slowly, rinsing well, and protecting the finish so small particles don’t build up over time. If your current kitchen sink has seen better days, this routine will keep it going for longer, and when you’re ready to upgrade, explore our stainless steel inset sinks, undermount sinks or all-in-one kitchen sink and tap sets for a fresh start with much less work.