I recently moved into a new house with a lovely white farmhouse sink in the kitchen. I’ve always had stainless steel before. I am finding that I can’t put pans in the sink at all, or it gets gray marks/scratches. I wash the pans on the counter and rinse them in the skin without allowing them to touch it. I have used baking soda with Windex sprayed on top, and that does a reasonable job. Does anyone have any other products to recommend?
Do I need to get a plastic liner?
I have a white sink, possibly enamel?
I do get light gray marks but Bar Keepers Friend takes it right off.
What kind of pots are you using?
Barkeeper’s Friend. It’ll take those gray marks off easily.
Home depot has different sink racks but you can buy one especially for your sink’s brand if you choose
KRAUS
Stainless Steel Bottom Grid for KHF200-33 Single Bowl 33in. Farmhouse Kitchen Sink, 29 11/16in. x 15 11/16in. x 1 3/8in.
I also vote for the bottom grid. I have on in my farm sink. It keeps the black mark and also protects glassware and keeps the dish sponge dry and…
Yes, I always use a rack in the bottom of my farm sinks. My sinks are by Rohl and I’ve ordered the Rohl racks from Amazon. They offer both stainless and white options. I prefer the stainless because the white coating can melt if you put a really hot, heavy pan on it.
My pans are All Clad stainless. I’ll try the Barkeeper’s Friend.
I don’t know the brand, I’ll look for it.
Wouldn’t the stainless racks be just as bad as the pans? Or do they have plastic feet?
The stainless racks do have plastic nubs over the feet
BKF is also great for cleaning pots and pans. Le Creuset recommends it. I have stainless pans and it makes them look like new. Gold container. You’ll find it with the Comet and Ajax usually.
https://www.barkeepersfriend.com/cleaning-products/cleanser/
I love Barkeeper’s Friend. I always thought all the shake canisters were interchangeable, (like Comet), but once I tried BKF there was no going back. I also have a white porcelain sink and use a transparent rubber piece that drapes over the middle between my two sinks. The gray marks happen so easily, but at least they come off easily too.
There is nothing like BKF.
Another Bar Keepers Friend user - it’s kept our 2 year old white porcelain farm house sink nice and white
As a certified slob, cook and major pan user and soaker I would get a plastic insert bowl to protect it. The last white sink we had was a nightmare.
I have a cream colored Kohler porcelain sink and am always marking it up. One of the things they recommend is Soft Scrub gel with bleach. I’ve had good luck with that. And I keep forgetting to pick up a liner.
Enjoy your new home!
I never had much luck getting out the marks from pans, and I got them often. My sink was an expensive Kohler and I tried many types of cleaners. The rack in the bottom doesn’t stop side marks, especially in a double bowl sink.
Swore I’d never have another white sink. Planning kitchen in a remodel house. White really looks nice, but stainless certainly is more forgiving. Currently having this tussle in my brain!
Stainless has its own issues, IMO - water spots and such.
The main reason I use a grid in the bottom of the sink is to prevent chips from heavy pots like Le Creuset. I always clean the sink with Bar Keepers Friend and then I spray it with Tilex. I think the bleach in Tilex gives it a bright white shine.
My go to is Bon Ami (key ingredients are limestone and baking soda) - it seems a little less gritty than Barkeeper’s - translates to smoother finish on my sink.
I love my white Kohler farm sink. I only clean the pot marks out every few weeks. I use Soft Scrub, though Bar Keepers Friend would be great too. I like my kitchen to be a place where people live, love, and cook. It’s never a magazine picture, nor would I want it to be.
I hate my white porcelain sink. But it cleans up nicely with Bar Keeper’s Friend. You can also use Cerama Bryte on it,. More gentle, but not as good IMO.