Friday, February 27, 2009

Cleaning the Bathroom Sink

Cleaning a bathroom sink is pretty straight forward. It is a place that should be clean and germ free. I love a shiny clean sink! Here is how I clean my bathroom sink.

One of the things I always stress to my customers is to keep beauty products off of the counter. If they need to have lots and lots of beauty products on the counter .. I ask them to put them in a basket. If they are in a basket, you take the basket off the counter to clean - verses lots and lots of beauty products.

It is too time consuming to remove beauty products because there tends to be a lot of them and they are small. To cut down on the time of cleaning, it is better to have all surfaces clutter free.

I like to clean the sinks with Comet. I sprinkle the comet on a damp sink. (these pictures are from a clients house - mine are NOT this beautiful)
I have a sponge with an abrasive no scratch surface in the sink. I put a little bit of water in the sink with the drain closed. Make sure you clean the drain area and on top of the drain stopper. I scrub the sink thoroughly. Also, since this sink is raised up - I clean the outside of the exposed sink too.
With my sponge nice an bubbly with the comet I then scrub sink fixture with comet in my sponge. Then I clean the whole counter with the bubbles and comet in my sponge. (your counter has been previously emptied of all beauty products and decorations. ) If they have a holder for a bar of soap, I wash it and shine it up too.
Then I get a wash cloth and rinse everything with water to get all the comet off the sink, fixture and counter.
Then I dry everything with a towel - I use white hand towels. Clean the mirror above the sink. Here I am using the Sprayway cleaner - but you can use 409 window cleaner or Windex. Wipe it clean with no streaks.
Don't use Pledge furniture polish - it doesn't work. See post here:
Next I polish the sink and counter with Pledge. Yup, that is right - I polish everything. You will not believe how shiny and protected the surface is when you polish it. You spray the polish on and make sure you buff it up to a brilliant shine. I think that is the key word - Buff it up. Lots of people spray furniture polish on their surface and just wipe. You need to buff it up to get the full affect of the shine and protection.
This also protects the counter from being dyed from beauty products and if nail polish gets on the counter - you can rub a razer blade underneath it and it comes right off - easily. On a brushed nickel fixture, you can shine it right up with furniture polish. If it is shiny fixture - polish isn't a good look on them - I shine them up with my window towel - you can use Windex to shine them up too.
Then I polish the cabinets. If the cabinets are white cabinets or painted cabinets - wipe them down with your wet wash cloth and use 409 if needed to get off stains or smudges. It's important to polish your wood cabinets to keep them protected from the moisture in a bathroom.
Then you put all the beauty products back. Aaaaah so beautifully clean, sparkling and germ free. Another shining sink and shiny fixture. Sooooooo clean.
Another thing I do at my home is wipe out my sink every day after I use it. I love the look of a clean sink.

9 comments:

Ann Marie said...

Of course I adore this post!
I love your cleaning posts..

That is a very contemporary looking bathroom. I have never seen a sink like that one....How interesting...

Ok.. Some questions. I have been to 2 different stores and I can't find 409 glass cleaner. Where do you buy it?

2nd question.. I have never heard of putting pledge on everything.. Which pledge? Like for wood? And do you even spray the sink?

It doesn't feel oily?

Also.. I got your note in the mail.. Thanks much! XO
Happy weekend!

Scrappy Girl said...

Great tips!

If you want to join AMR just click on the logo in my sidebar...you sign up and after approval you will have access to the message board and can participate in the challenges. There are alot of very nice ladies!

Janel said...

Hi Sondra,
What a great post! I just love how you go through the job step by step! You should put yourself on Youtube.com :)

Between your cleaning posts and Ann Marie's organizing posts, I should have a beautiful home in no time...you two are the best!!!

Have a nice weekend...Janel in NJ

Robyn said...

Do you know if you can polish granite counter tops? I know some cleaning products can damage them. What do you do?

Zoey said...

It really makes a difference to me too! Great job! I know that I couldn't clean for a living. Those home owners are lucky to have you! I would love to have a cleaning lady!

Sondra said...

Ann Marie, I purchased a whole yeasrs supply at Albertsons while it was on sale last week. I thought I could get it at Walmart, Winco or Fred Meyers. I usually stock up for a year when they are on sale for $2.50 or less.

Pledge or Kleen Guard - wood furniture polish. Yes - in the sink and buff it up. It shines so beautifully and protects. I use it in the shower too - that post is coming next week.

Robyn... I use furniture polish on every granite counter I clean... it shines up really nice -- buff it up to a shine... Does a great job and protects!

Thanks for all the lovely comments.

Scrappy Girl-I'll have to check out AMR... it might get me movitated to be creative too!

Brian and Tracy Atkinson said...

I am proud to say - I do exactly as you described. I need to buy stock in pledge. My favorite stuff!

TLC said...

What a great post. Everyone is loving this and i think this is wonderful! Question: To get a really could BUFF, what type of cloth do you use? One with an extra rough surface?

That sink was REALLY pretty.
I likey.

I use 409 all the time. And the smell of Pledge orange wood, Oh boy, How I LOOOVVVEEE that smell.

Hope you have a GREAT weekend. Take a good breathe break :)

CB said...

I am loving your cleaning posts!

These ladies above me said it all - Ditto! ha ha

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