We moved into our current home two years ago. You know how it is when you move into a new home, you’ve got a to-do list a mile long. Cleaning the stained utility sink in our laundry room was on the list but kept getting pushed farther down the list as we tackled other chores. Cleaning the utility sink isn’t very glamorous or at least it’s not very glamorous until you finally do it and see your glorious looking-like-new utility sink. Then you wonder what had been keeping you from cleaning it for two whole years. The best part is that I cleaned this sink for pennies and without chemicals by using my favorite natural way to clean a utility sink and anything else that’s stained and grimy.
This past spring I shared our new kitchen renovation with you. I can’t tell you how over-the-moon happy our new kitchen continues to make me six months later.
Our laundry room and utility sink is just off the kitchen (through the door to the left of the cooktop). Once our kitchen renovation was completed it just highlighted how much the stained utility sink was bugging me, so I impetuously jumped on cleaning it before I even took before pictures (that’s how much it was bugging me!). The house is 20 years old and I assume that the utility sink is original to the house, so that means that was 20 years worth of grime and stains in that plastic utility sink that needed to be cleaned. Yuck!
The Natural Way to Clean a Utility Sink
My longtime favorite cleaning trick is to use a scrubby sponge and baking soda. Yep, you heard me right. A simple scrubby sponge, baking soda and a little elbow grease was able to take that grungy utility sink back to almost new.
I took less than an hour total of scrubbing to get rid of those stains, even in the corners of the sink. I’d just scrub until I was tired and then come back later to do a bit more until it was all bright and clean.
The baking soda and sponge even removed the gunk that was all over the faucet, crusted around the base of the faucet and crusted in the grooves of the built-in soap dishes.
Baking soda is my all-time favorite cleaner and was the perfect natural way to clean a utility sink that had 20 years of stains and build up. Do you use baking soda as a cleanser?
Check out these additional natural kitchen cleaner ideas from Katie at Kitchen Stewardship.
More ideas:
I’m a mom of 3, a veteran and military spouse. I’ve moved into 20+ homes all around the world. My passion is helping busy people make the space and time for what’s really important to them.
Cynthia L says
Susan, I love to use baking soda for cleaning. I am always amazed at how well it scrubs things clean. I would love to have a sink like this in my wash room.
susan says
It’s the first time I’ve had a laundry room tub and I’m loving it (especially now that it’s nice and clean).
monica says
That is so brilliant and so simple. I’ll be trying that on our utility sink. My husband, the plumber, learned something new with this post.
susan says
Lol, Monica. I’ll send your hubby a bill. 🙂
Janis @MommyBlogExpert says
Cleaning with harmful chemicals falls by the wayside with your fabulous idea which does as good if not better job of getting that sink looking its best. Baking soda has so many uses and it doesn’t harm our water supply like those chemicals do.
susan says
Baking soda is my favorite cleaning trick, Janis, and I’m with you about avoiding harmful chemicals.
Suzanne Gregory says
I am very impressed! As a cleaner, for this kind of stains, I usually use expensive toxic cleaners and the result is not better then this one! 🙂 I need to start using more natural cleaners as I am exposed to toxins every day and that isn’t good. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
susan says
Baking soda, spritzed with water and left overnight makes oven cleaning so much easier, too.
Linda Kinsman says
I love cleaning with baking soda too, but when I saw your post on Hometalk, I guessed you’d used white vinegar because I didn’t think baking soda would do the trick. Now I have to go tackle my icky sink.
susan says
Baking soda is my favorite natural cleaner, I use it on almost everything, Linda. White vinegar is a close second though. Have fun cleaning your sink ;).