Sink stains are as varied as the sinks available on the market.  I am sometimes contacted for advice on this issue and the following articles cover part of my response based on questioner not providing a clear picture of what we are dealing with.

1.  What type and color of sinks are we dealing with?

          A.  Assuming they are the enameled (porcelain type) sink which is metal with baked on paint that matches the color of the toilets/urinals.  These can become porous over time due to aging.  Once the enamel has become porous coffee and other colored stains can soak into the paint and become difficult to remove.  I am addressing white only since a colored sink may not respond well to the suggested process.

2.  How old are they and has this been an ongoing issue or just developed?

          A.  Rub your bare hand over the sink surface and note any changes in “roughness” from the top of the sink to the stained portions. The lack of glaze will be evident.  Assuming they are over ten years old the sinks may need to be cleaned regularly with a more aggressive method to keep their appearance up.  Of course, there are services that actually re-glaze fixtures to restore them but not sure how effective it is and real cost.

3.  What type stains are we dealing with?

          A.  Assuming that it is coffee and soda stains we may need to consider the pH/mineral issues and a local vendor would be best to assist in this area.  De-scaling to remove mineral  or rust deposits may not be the correct procedures and may actually cause further issues if mixed with other chemicals.  Be careful!!!.

Go back to pH and basic chemistry to deal with removing stains safely.


