It is necessary to disinfect the kitchen sink every few days to keep things germ-free. The sink is present in every kitchen, and it comes in various sizes, but the most common ones are between 25 to 35 inches.
How to Disinfect Kitchen Sink without Bleach? You can use various household products to disinfect the kitchen sink without using bleach. Treating the sink with hot water is the most suitable and easiest way to clean it from germs. In addition, vinegar and lemon have antibacterial properties due to their acidic nature. Furthermore, you can use baking soda, essential oils like tea tree oil, table salt, and hydrogen peroxide in combination with water that help to keep your place neat and clean. In addition, you can use ammonium wipes to clean your kitchen.
Sinks are made of Quartz, fireclay, stone composite, and stainless steel is the most popular and durable material.
So their cleaning may vary according to the nature of the material used in the constitution, and you have to be careful regarding this fact.
The selection of appropriate material and precise application will help you make your area safe from bacteria.
Hot water
Water is a beneficial sanitizer, but boiling makes it more efficient in its work.
Usually, kitchen utensils are washed with hot water because most viruses and bacteria can not live at high temperatures.
Heating the water above 99-degree Celcius makes it boil, and viruses and bacteria-free, and washing with it brings better results.
You have to boil water at least for 15 minutes to make it a better means of sterilizing but require proper care as you can make your hands burn.
It is not obligatory to use hot water for every type of material as you have to use warm water on graphite commonly present in composite ones. You can also use a bath mat in your kitchen and it will absorb extra water.
The quick and easy approach is to install a more efficient device for your dining area that will provide you with hot water every time.
White vinegar
White vinegar is beneficial in reducing the growth of bacteria.
The acetic acid in the vinegar is responsible for this, and its small amount is sufficient to make your kitchen sink germ-free
It is famous for removing lime material, grease, and germs, but you should clean the item before using vinegar.
It is better to mix water and vinegar in equal concentrations in a spray bottle and then use this mixture to clean kitchen products.
You can use it with other household products like sodium bicarbonate, known as baking soda.
You can apply it on stainless steel sinks to give it a shiny appearance that is safe to use.
However, it can cause discoloration to quartz sinks because of its acidic nature.
You can use it either as a spray or rub it with the sponge on the surface and then wash it with mild hot water.
Baking Soda
Baking soda that contains sodium bicarbonate helps disinfect the sinks in the kitchen.
Sprinkle the powdered baking soda and scrub it gently with a clean cloth but try to be specific to use it and avoid its contact with the shelves.
You can make a mixture of water, baking soda, and vinegar to increase the efficiency of sanitization and sterilization.
It is cheap and efficient because everyone has these household items in their cooking area.
Table Salt
Some bacteria can not tolerate salt because they are halotolerant, which means they are resistant to salts.
However, irrespective of this, you can use it with some water and clean the kitchen sink.
Salt absorbs the water from their bodies leading to the death of bacteria, and then a wash with warm water is helpful.
Mixing it with baking soda enhances its function as s sanitizer and disinfectant for this place.
If you are not careful, excessive exposure to salt with water can cause abrasion damage to the stainless steel.
Lemon
Lemon juice is suitable to disinfect the kitchen sink because it has antibacterial characteristics that work against many bacteria.
You can use the whole lemon or a spray bottle with lemon and water with a hot water treatment after it.
The efficiency of lemon increases by mixing baking soda and vinegar in a spray bottle.
It is perfect and significant to use on ceramic and stainless steel sinks, but excessive use can cause patches outside its surface.
Quartz sinks can have ever-lasting stains due to this acidic compound, but rinsing with water can reduce this process.
Dish soap
High-quality dish soap is helpful in disinfection of the utensils and the other places of the kitchen as the sink.
It has antibacterial agents in its composition that successfully kill them at any place in your home.
Use them carefully since they can cause abrasions on products such as dinner sets, shelves, and sinks.
You can use a block of mild dish soap, and similarly, combining water with the soap can make its effect less abrasive that avoid discoloration.
A nylon scrubber with dish soap secures its position as a sanitizer for composite sinks that have a combination of materials in their composition.
Use Alcohol
Many people use alcohol as a disinfectant because it has antibacterial properties that kill most bacteria on the sink.
You can use its spray containing double alcohol compared to a standard water mixture.
The addition of water to alcohol makes it mild, which helps to bring the glow and shine to the stainless steel sinks. You can rub this mixture to clean the products.
Try to be careful in its use as wash it with cold water because it is flammable and can catch fire.
Hydrogen peroxide
Firstly, you have to wash the sink with simple tap water and then a water spray mixed with hydrogen peroxide.
Although the exact concentration may vary, the standard is to use two and a half parts of water and only half of the hydrogen peroxide.
It is suitable for every type of sink because it has mild nature, and a simple wash with water can drain it into the pipelining.
Tea tree oil
A kitchen sink may contain more germs than a bathroom basin, therefore requires a more precise cleaning method.
Tea tree oil is full of antibacterial properties, and you can use it for better cleaning your home.
A combination of tea tree oil, baking soda, and warm water is effective against germs, and you can add a little vinegar to make it soluble. I have been using this for my kitchen for many years, and the results are always great.
Ammonium wipes
You can use ammonium wipes for the disinfection of the kitchen sinks because they contain quaternary ammonium compounds.
Ammonium compounds have germicidal properties against bacteria and viruses and inhibit fungal growth by using higher amounts.
There are many ammonium wipes in the market, but some companies like Lysol and Clorox offer a perfect range of wipes.
In my opinion, it is a better source of sterilization because it does not need an accurate concentration for mixing as with other disinfectants.
Why you should not use bleach to disinfect the Kitchen sinks?
It is better not to use bleach for the kitchen sinks as they have corrosive and abrasive nature that can cause discoloration to the stainless steel. Also, it can cause damage to your skin if used repeatedly.
You must be careful in using it because it creates a harmful gas by mixing with other agents like vinegar.
Some people use bleach on composite sinks and then complain about a rough surface caused by the abrasive action of bleach.
How often to disinfect the kitchen sink?
When you use your kitchen sink repeatedly every day, you are more likely to have germs in every corner.
It is better to disinfect the work area every 6 days to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses.
You can go for daily disinfection depending upon the nature of the building material of the sink and the disinfectant.
You can use dish soaps, hot water, and baking soda daily, but you have to be careful about their concentration.
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