How To Care For Your Stone Or Copper Sink

Stone Vessel Sink / Stone Wash Basin Care

Due to the porous nature of natural stone certain substances can stain your stone vessel sink, and stone sinks can also absorb moisture if they are not properly protected. Polished surfaces are much less porous while unpolished surfaces are more porous, making them susceptible to staining and moisture absorption. We recommend that you wipe up spills immediately and do not allow surface deposits of water bi-products such as calcium, salt, lime or detergents to build up on your stone sink. Stone vessel sinks should be cleaned regularly by using a soft cloth or a sponge with a solution of a non-abrasive light neutral detergent (PH7) as well as warm water. Make sure that you thoroughly rinse and dry the stone sink after cleaning.

We recommend that you use a professional stone cleaner solution which can be purchased from a local hardware store. DO NOT use any acidic tub and tile cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, ammonia, abrasive or soft paste cleaners, vinegar, alcohol, window cleaners or lemon juice. In addition DO NOT use abrasive cleaning pads such as steel wool, metal brushes or scouring powders.

Hand polish your stone sink periodically for the best glossy shine. Stone polishing pads and products can be purchased from your local hardware store. Finally, stone sinks require special care to maintain their natural beauty, use a stone sealer at least once a year and follow the instructions provided. Stone sealer products can be purchased from your local hardware store.

Copper Vessel Sink / Copper Wash Basin Care

Copper vessel sinks are unique in a way that unlike other materials, copper naturally develops a unique patina that can neither be rushed, nor duplicated as it reacts to the environment around it. There are two types of copper finishes, natural brown and a clear glossy shine.

The natural brown sinks are most susceptible to stains caused by hard water and acid based chemicals. We recommend that you DO NOT use any type of chemical to clean your copper vessel sink. If you experience hard water we recommend wiping the sink down after each use with a gentle soft cloth to avoid spotting. If for some reason an acidic food or chemical comes in contact with your sink a bright shiny spot will remain. This shiny spot can be cleaned with soap and water but only time will completely remove the spot as the sink recovers its natural patina. It is important to remember than copper sink manufacturers do not offer a warranty on the finish, only the structure of the sink, so care should be taken not to leave anything on the sink surface after its use such as acidic fluids, cleaning products, toothpaste, food etc.

The finish on copper sinks can also be damaged or removed if you put something extremely hot or acidic on the surface of the sink. This is particularly important when it comes to copper kitchen sinks. Putting a hot pan from the stove right into the sink will likely remove the finish.

Cleaning the copper sink will be dependent on the type of finish it has. If you have a "shiny copper" sink, similar to what a penny looks like, you can use a copper polish such as Wrights Copper Cream to keep it looking new. Do not use copper polish on sinks with a patina (sinks that are NOT shiny like a penny) because the copper polish may take the patina off, leaving you with blotchy spots. For the majority of copper sinks, cleaning should only be done with soap and water. Do not use any abrasives or chemicals as these will change the finish on the sink.

If you wish for the sink to develop its own unique patina simply give it time to slowly age. However, if you would like to keep your copper sink looking like it did when you first installed it, we recommend waxing the sink every 2-3 months. A good coat of a high quality car wax or carnauba wax will create a protective coating between the copper and the "elements" to prevent it from changing color. Remember to re-wax the copper at regular intervals to keep the sink looking like new.

Copper sinks also have a unique antibacterial advantage. Cooper is actually more sanitary that any other sink material, bacteria is only shown to live for a few hours on a copper sink vs. days on a stainless steel one.