How to Clean Sink with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Clean-sink-with-baking-soda-and-vinegar
  • Author: Amanda Arnold
  • Posted On: June 9, 2023
  • Updated On: September 19, 2023

Baking soda and vinegar is a powerful duo. No matter if you are looking for an effective odor neutralizer or stain remover. The same combination can help with the cleaning of your kitchen sink.

The chemical reaction between vinegar and baking soda is responsible for their cleaning action. Indeed, the acidic properties of baking soda and vinegar are more than enough to deal with a blocked sink drain.

This remedy works pretty well if your sink drain is clogging or blocking. You can simply fix this issue by cleaning your sink drain with natural ingredients. The good part about these ingredients is that they are easily available in your kitchen pantry and are quite inexpensive. That’s why it is recommended to use these  natural ingredients to prevent the unnecessary use of chemical-based cleaners and products for your kitchen sink.

If you want to learn how to unclog a kitchen sink with baking soda and vinegar, read this article for the best unclogging tips and methods with these ingredients.

Benefits of Baking Soda and Vinegar for Sink Cleaning

No doubt, you can clean the sink with baking soda and vinegar as they work great as natural cleaners. Further, it is completely safe to use vinegar and baking soda as drain cleaner. Some of the benefits of using it for sink cleaning are:

Benefits of Baking Soda and Vinegar for Sink Cleaning

1. Open Clogged Drains

If you see under the kitchen sink leak, it may be because of clogged or blocked drain, you can fix this clogging simply by using baking soda or vinegar. When you clean the sink with baking soda and vinegar mixture, the mixture will create bubbles in your drain and help to eradicate the clogging stuff.

You can use baking soda and vinegar separately to clean the sink drain. But you can also combine these ingredients to boost their cleaning potential. Also, you can also use warm water to clean sink baking soda and vinegar. Warm water will boost the cleaning or unclogging process. 

2. Easy to Use

The best thing about these natural ingredients is that you can even use them daily to clean your sink drain. Indeed, it would be a great way to get clogging free drains. However, you may need to use mild cleaners or professional clog cleaning products to deal with severe clogging or drain blockage.

3. Inexpensive 

Baking soda and vinegar are the common ingredients easily available in the kitchen. So, don’t have to worry about the cost of buying expensive cleaning agents.

4. Eliminates the Need for Sink Replacement

Regular cleaning using vinegar and baking soda keeps the clogging issue at bay. With regular maintenance, it eliminates the need for replacing your sink drain.

How Often Do You Need to Clean Sink with Baking Soda and Vinegar

The cleaning frequency and time required for cleaning your sink drain using vinegar and baking soda depends on the existing condition of your sink. 

You can clean the sink with baking soda and vinegar if you want to fix your leaky kitchen sink. The reason is that your kitchen sink may start leaking because of blocked or clogged water in drain pipes. 

Even if there are no signs of clogging or water blockage in your kitchen sink drain, you can still clean the sink with baking soda and vinegar at least once or twice in a month. This is important for the maintenance of your kitchen sink. Additionally, it will also help you to get rid of drain odor from your kitchen.

Benefits of Baking Soda and Vinegar for Sink Cleaning

Best Ways to Unclog Kitchen Sink with Baking Soda and Vinegar

If you want to clean the sink with baking soda and vinegar yourself rather than hiring a professional cleaner or contractor, you can surely do it proficiently by choosing the right steps and equipment. The thing you will need to unclog sink with baking soda and vinegar are;

  • Paper towel
  • Bowl
  • Baking soda
  • Warm water
  • White vinegar
  • Sink plunger
  • Drain strainer basket stopper

1) Clean Your Sink

Clean Your Sink

Even if there is no mess around your kitchen sink, you still need to clean your sink area and wash it off with water. You can also use a soft sponge with a mild detergent to clean the surface of your kitchen sink.

It would be easier for you to clean the sink with baking soda and vinegar in a clean and mess-free environment. After rinsing off your kitchen sink, dry it off appropriately with a paper towel. It is necessary to dry your kitchen before sprinkling baking soda over there.

2) Sprinkle Baking Soda

Sprinkle Baking Soda

Once the sink has dried, sprinkle the baking soda on the surface of your kitchen sink drain strainer basket and all around the sink thoroughly. You can use a damp sponge to clean the sink surface or spread baking soda all around.

Ensure to let the baking soda drop down the drain pipe to unclog it appropriately. Baking soda will not damage your kitchen sink drain pipe. So, you can let the baking soda drop down the pipe without any risk of damage.

Moreover, gently scrubbing the sink with a sponge will also help to remove stains or any debris from your kitchen sink. Don’t worry, baking soda is a natural ingredient. So, you can unclog the kitchen sink with baking soda without compromising the surface of your kitchen sink as there are no chances of scratches.

3) Pour Vinegar in Sink

Pour Vinegar in Sink

Once you have scrubbed your kitchen sink with baking soda, let the baking soda sit on the surface. Next, pour white vinegar on the sink that already has baking soda there. The vinegar will react with baking soda immediately and erupt bubbles.

Don’t worry, this reaction doesn’t affect the surface of your kitchen sink. This reaction will also disinfect your kitchen sink. Ensure to pour enough white vinegar so it can react with baking soda easily in the sink.

4) Add Warm Water

add warm water

Once you have cleaned the sink with baking soda and vinegar, you are all set to pour warm water in the sink. You don’t need to use boiling water to clean your sink. Luke warm water is more than enough to let go the baking soda and vinegar mixture down in your kitchen sink drain.

At that point, baking soda, vinegar and warm water mixture will remove any remaining debris or clogging material from your kitchen sink drain.

5) Dry the Kitchen Sink

Dry the Kitchen Sink

Once you have cleaned the sink with baking soda and vinegar, you still need to wipe out the remaining with a paper towel or a dry cloth. Ensure there are no stains or any other left outs on your kitchen sink. If there are any, simply rub them off with a dry cloth.

Keep You Kitchen Sink Clean

No doubt, you can clean the sink with baking soda and vinegar to get rid of drain clogging or blockage. It also helps to clean overflow hole in a sink. This method is an inexpensive way to remove the debris. Moreover, you can also save your kitchen sink from clogging or water leakage by considering the following tips:

  • Don’t put off your kitchen sink drain basket while washing off dishes. It will help to collect the food remaining or other stuff on the surface of the strainer basket.
  • Use a paper towel firstly to clean greasy or oily dishes before washing them off in your kitchen sink.
  • Clean your sink with baking soda and vinegar at least twice in a week to keep the sink drain well-maintained.
  • Keep the attached garbage disposal system well-maintained by checking its pipes and overall functionality from time to time. 

Vinegar and Baking Soda for a Clean Sink

Baking soda and vinegar are the commonly used household ingredients that you can use for cleaning your kitchen sink. You can use it frequently to prevent clogged sinks that can affect the functionality of your kitchen. 

While cleaning your sink with the vinegar, make sure to avoid contact with the agents and use appropriate hand protection gauge. Also, be gentle while pouring hot water and vinegar to the kitchen sink. 

Using vinegar and baking soda for sink cleaning is enough. However, if you still feel that your kitchen sink isn’t clean, then you can consult a professional cleaner for getting the job done.

FAQs

  • What Happens When Baking Soda Interacts with Vinegar?
    When we combine baking soda with vinegar a chemical reaction takes place. Vinegar (acetic acid) reacts with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) that results in the production of carbon dioxide that appears as bubbles during the cleaning process.
  • What is the Ratio of Vinegar and Baking Soda for Kitchen Cleaning?
    Normally, the ratio we use for cleaning purposes is one part baking soda added in two parts of vinegar.
  • What is the Best Concentration of Vinegar for Cleaning?
    Vinegar can be used in a 1:1 ratio of water that means you have to mix vinegar in equal quantities of water to get the best results.
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Author: Amanda Arnold

Amanda has been working with ConstructionHow since 2021. Her experience spans over 5 years in the creative niche such as home decor and trends, landscaping, renovations, and custom architectural values. As a home designer expert, she has a keen eye for the latest home improvement trends with accurate facts that readers find impossible to ignore. Being invested in home-building trends is how she has gained her lucrative expertise exploring more to bring a positive ambiance for all homeowners (and even tenants!). Currently, she lives in a beautiful beach home, a source of fascination for her.

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