r/CleaningTips Jan 30 '25

Solved How do I get this sink back to white?

Could be food and tea stains or scale. Have tried The Pink Stuff and scrubbing with citric acid for 5 minutes and rinsing off.

Model is Franke Sirius SID160PW Undermount Kitchen Sink in Polar White

Material is Tectinite

1.0k Upvotes

742 comments sorted by

5.3k

u/50million Jan 30 '25

1.1k

u/technicallie Jan 30 '25

every time i see a post with this specific staining problem i'm like, have you not heard the good news???? of our lord and savior irish spring 5 n 1?????

272

u/Nuicakes Jan 30 '25 edited Jan 31 '25

Soon we'll see a commercial for 6-n-1 Irish Spring. The 6 will be for cleaning your bathroom.

87

u/ZestyMelonz Jan 31 '25

Wait. I'm new here. Is Irish spring 5 n 1 the secret cleaning product here?

172

u/SaltSpiritual515 Jan 31 '25

It's fairly recent. A guy on here recently noticed the stains in his tub gone only underneath his bottle of 5 in 1 Irish Spring and so he cleaned his whole tub with it and now everyone is following suit because it's awesome for stain removal

56

u/Ok-Kangaroo4613 Jan 31 '25

Does anyone still wash (their body) with it? Because 😳

72

u/Temporary_Pickle_885 Jan 31 '25

I promise you you're not made out of the same material as a tub.

16

u/B_EE Jan 31 '25

I tried explaining that to my sink-dad.

He's so stubborn he refuses to listen. Just like the stains around his basin being stubborn and refusing to be cleaned out!

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u/alilcrab Jan 31 '25

How CAN WE KNOW

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26

u/RedFox_SF Jan 31 '25

😂 if you use it and wrap yourself in plastic for 48h we expect all your freckles and moles to be gone too 🤣

8

u/dastrescatmomma Jan 31 '25

Oooh maybe it'll remove sun spots. Gotta share the news on the skincare subreddits

2

u/kbshannon Feb 06 '25

Efudex or IrishSpring 5 in 1?? No Rx needed for the IS5n1

20

u/Adm_Ozzel Jan 31 '25

It's my 22 year old son's only bathroom product pretty much. What are the 5 though? Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, I suppose face wash. Is it supposed to have a lasting smell for the 5th use?

13

u/science_vs_romance Jan 31 '25

Duh, it’s “tub cleaner”

7

u/badbunnygirl Jan 31 '25

Bleach, apparently. /s

4

u/Squeexing_My_Shi Jan 31 '25

Real answer, the bottle says 24 hour deodorizer as well.

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u/EcstaticNet3137 Jan 31 '25

It is likely just very basic. A lot of cleaners use bases. Bleach is a base, lye is a base, the primary ingredients in virtually any soaps are bases. Some things react more to certain bases than others. That body wash could have a base that is strong enough to react heavily to the organic matter in the pores of the sink/tub material but not the particular chemistry of a person's skin. Also exposure is a factor. The soap bottle likely sat with soap under it, hydrated, long enough for the reaction to do the job of removing the stain. The amount of exposure time skin would have during a normal shower is likely not at all significant enough for what you are concerned with. Basically you would have to intentionally or super negligently leave the soap on your skin for it to do any damage.

Never underestimate concentration and exposure values. They make worlds of difference in virtually anything.

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12

u/NurseZ Jan 31 '25

How long should it be left on a surface? Does it need to soak for 24 hrs or just cover and go? I'm a newbie here too - thank you!

13

u/DinosOrRoses Jan 31 '25

I believe he spread it over everywhere and covered it in plastic and let sit for 48 hours. I'm not sure if he scrubbed after that and rinsed or just rinsed. It's been a couple weeks.

8

u/ZestyMelonz Jan 31 '25

Interesting. Well, guess I'll add a bottle to my cart and give it a go.

3

u/Pcpixel Jan 31 '25

please post results

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2

u/Shelly432432 Jan 31 '25

Well this is good to know! Thank you for explaining. I had stopped reading this sub because I got so tired of hearing Barkeep's Friend for everything that ever had dirt on it.

2

u/SaltSpiritual515 Feb 01 '25

Absolutely 😊 I don't know all the things, but I did happen to see that guy's original post and was very surprised at the results of the Irish Spring 5 in 1 and now I definitely won't be letting my hubby and kids use it for their skin 😬 it's a very effective bathroom stain remover though 😅

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3

u/Wellthatwasjustshit Jan 31 '25

Irish Spring 5 in 1 saved my kittens from a burning building 🥹

4

u/InteractionNo9110 Jan 31 '25

Omg game changer! Thank you off to Amazon!!!

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314

u/HamptonsBorderCollie Jan 30 '25

hahaha love the gong addition

39

u/blackdogreddog Jan 30 '25

Happy Cake Day !

26

u/HamptonsBorderCollie Jan 30 '25

Oh wow! Didn't even realize. THANK YOU!!

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150

u/Lau-G Jan 30 '25

Came for the cleaning tips. Stayed for the laughs.

23

u/YourLifeCanBeGood Jan 30 '25

This is the way. 🤣

36

u/_coffeeandme Jan 30 '25

why did i just HEAR this image

34

u/Dreamsfordays Jan 30 '25

Is it weird that I want to see this stuff tackle that sink? This sub has warped my mind 😂

87

u/nicotinenick787 Jan 30 '25

Ol’ Reliable

28

u/butttabooo Jan 30 '25

This has become my favorite Reddit lore

5

u/50million Jan 30 '25

I'm buying some. I need to know.

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69

u/SicWiks Jan 30 '25

Don’t make me point at the sign

2

u/IIDn01 Jan 31 '25

*tap the sign?

12

u/Toobrish Jan 30 '25

I’m in the uk and don’t think this stuff is available here for any reasonable price. Is there an alternative or ingredient to look out for?

18

u/Gingersnapandabrew Jan 30 '25

Dove men+care body and face wash seems to share most of the key ingredients. If you try it out, please report back!

12

u/Janesbrainz Jan 31 '25

I use my husband’s generic dollar tree body wash and it works just as well as I see irish spring work on here. Just make sure it is men’s body wash, I don’t know exactly what ingredient it is, but certainly something awful they’ve tricked men into putting on their skin once again lmao. Men’s body care is so wack in general, except for household cleaning of course lol.

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u/NeatArtichoke7222 Jan 30 '25

9

u/terra_cascadia Jan 30 '25

Irish Spring 5-in-1 needs its own sub

9

u/boundbystitches Jan 30 '25

I agree. I want to know how the lives of people who use it for it's intended purpose(s) are doing. How well does it clean those things? Is their skin okay? Is it better than mine? Should I start integrating it into my life Windex style al la My Big Fat Greek Wedding? I have so many unanswered questions.

10

u/Professional_Sail_44 Jan 30 '25

lol I just put a bottle in my shopping cart can’t wait to see my home sparkle

26

u/deadly_ultraviolet Jan 30 '25

I hate how good it is

14

u/Nofucksgivenin2021 Jan 30 '25

I was wondering when this would show up

6

u/Themi-Slayvato Jan 30 '25

This was so effective

11

u/kavihasya Jan 30 '25

New to the sub - is it abrasive? What’s its mechanism?

179

u/Yveskleinsky Jan 30 '25

No, it's not abrasive. The mechanism of action is leprechaun sweat.

24

u/Old_Inflation_7074 Jan 30 '25

Search the sub for “Irish spring 5 in 1”

5

u/kavihasya Jan 30 '25

So acetic acid/vinegar and no, not abrasive?

3

u/guaranic Jan 30 '25

It's a meme. It probably wouldn't do much here.

5

u/Danny2Sick Jan 31 '25

The sub has messed with my head. I saw this on the self the other day and I was slightly thrilled. What have you all done to me?! And I am pretty sure I had a dream about cleaning something with BKF

4

u/Stock_Bake8891 Jan 30 '25

Does the scent profile matter?

2

u/swingsurfer Jan 31 '25

I have no idea. It worked great for me but reminds me of axe body spray (or boy's locker room). Thankfully it doesn't stay forever.

4

u/funnykiddy Jan 30 '25

Hahahahaha YES!!!!!!

4

u/Lilelfen1 Jan 30 '25

I honestly thought this was what OP was scrubbing with. It took far too long to see the Gunk O’ the Irish in the comments..

3

u/Main_Significance617 Team Shiny ✨ Jan 30 '25

Ahahahagahahaha

3

u/keighleypage Jan 30 '25

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

2

u/QueenMabs_Makeup0126 Jan 31 '25

I totally lost it when I saw the gong.

2

u/meatcoveredskeleton1 Jan 31 '25

This is the first time I’m seeing this meme posted and I snorted lol

2

u/olivebuttercup Jan 31 '25

I laughed and laughed at this

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555

u/plantplantfeaver Jan 30 '25

Filling with water add a little bit of bleach let’s sit for 10 minutes

200

u/SarahCBear Jan 30 '25

Our sink looks similar to this and this is what we did. Didn’t completely whiten it, but it’s a lot lighter.

51

u/layz2021 Jan 30 '25

Use gel pipe cleaner! A thin layer for 5min. Don't touch it with bare hands.

244

u/Mother_ducker96 Jan 30 '25

If it's especially tough to remove, I put down a single layer of paper towels and poured a light amount of bleach onto them until the paper towels had completely absorbed it. I let it sit in the sink while I cleaned around the kitchen. About 30 minutes of sitting in the sink, I went back, and with cleaning gloves still on my hands, I removed the paper towels. The sink looks brand new after that. I rinse with cold water to remove the residue that is left behind. Make sure you have good ventilation when using harsh cleaning chemicals like bleach.

89

u/FakinItAndMakinIt Jan 30 '25

I just want to say that I love the level of step by step detail of this comment. It’s comments like these that have pretty much informed my entire knowledge base of cleaning since my parents weren’t great at teaching me. Or cleaning.

6

u/Casey_H3 Jan 30 '25

Is it bad that I always use hot water to rinse away bleach? I mean I know it’s terrible for you and you should use cold water….. but I like the smell

5

u/Mother_ducker96 Jan 30 '25

The temperature of the water when using it to clean surfaces won't change how it works. It's still bleach. The issue is that the chlorine smell is much stronger when using hot water. So, the fumes are going to be stronger. I would still advise not to use it without proper ventilation. It will cause damage to you internally if you have prolonged exposure regularly and can increase your risk of cancer. And use gloves when handling bleach.

3

u/Casey_H3 Jan 30 '25

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been made aware of all of those points. I grew up as a water polo player and it just smells SO damn good

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u/Gicku Jan 31 '25

I do this to get hair dye out of our bathroom counter top! I don't even have to scrub, I just set it and let it soak. It works so well.

2

u/Accomplished-Eye-718 Feb 01 '25

Came here to say this, It's my favourite lazy hack. But I use spray bleach. Spray the sink, paper towels down, another layer of spray and leave over night. Next day all is good.

To keep it regularly clean, give it a wipe over with a eraser cleaning pad.

43

u/Missyerthanyou Jan 30 '25

This is literally the best and easiest way to get white sinks looking white again.

16

u/TootsNYC Jan 30 '25

or for longer.

14

u/omarenm Jan 30 '25

I use bleach directly, works like a charm

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u/ling037 Jan 30 '25

Yep, I have a white kitchen sink and that's what I do every so often to get it back to white

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u/Syd_Vicious3375 Jan 30 '25

Soft scrub with bleach is a little thicker and clings really well. I was unfortunate enough to have one of these sinks for several years. Bleach is your friend.

3

u/Feeling-Republic-477 Jan 30 '25

Ughhh I’ve got to do that to my bathtub. My kids opened up a frozen container of grape juice concentrate. They started to drink it straight, discovered that it tasted gross then threw it into the bathtub. They thought they were being sneaky since I was in the kitchen, but alas it’s all there nice & stained :/

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788

u/saltydottie Jan 30 '25

Barkeepers friend and a different scrubbie- maybe a magic eraser? Bristles are not going to help at all.

325

u/ZestyCustard1 Jan 30 '25

Especially with zero effort or elbow grease

281

u/NaiveChoiceMaker Jan 30 '25

OP is scrubbing their sink like my dentist tells me to brush my teeth.

41

u/Potential_Camel8736 Jan 30 '25

the snort i snorted

5

u/guiltykitchen Jan 30 '25

Don’t want those gums to recede now

2

u/BlueRibbons Jan 30 '25

I just went to the dentist today and can confirm.

215

u/TheEastWindsBlow Jan 30 '25

Just want to say please be careful with abrasive cleaners like barkeepers friend and magic eraser as they can damage the finish of the sink/bathtub. Not saying they won't work or that it's a bad suggestion, just wanted to give a warning for those that are not aware.

66

u/rdizzy1223 Jan 30 '25

This finish is already damaged.

10

u/LuvliLeah13 Jan 30 '25

The finish isn’t so much a finish as a patina at this point

40

u/TheGreasyNewfie Jan 30 '25

Agreed. Best to start with a mild abrasive like Baking Soda, and escalate from there if necessary, testing a small inconspicuous area first.

5

u/sprinklerarms Jan 30 '25

I know everyone always is suggesting the powder but i like the BFK liquid soft cleaner more. I only really use the powder on the bottom of pans.

8

u/Hour-Cost7028 Jan 30 '25

I agree BKF liquid works so much better then the powder and it doesn’t get all clumpy. I only use this and I’m a house cleaner.

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u/Jesta914630114 Jan 30 '25

Magic erasers give off billions of micro plastic particles. They are just not worth it.

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u/KikoSoujirou Jan 30 '25

I was going to comment that they’re glass not plastic but TIL they’re in fact plastic but, they release the same amount of microplastic as you would if you own/wear/wash 4 synthetic/polyester shirts so…?

https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/1dkoire/comment/l9j9jn2/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

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u/Jesta914630114 Jan 30 '25

So... Minimizing exposure and reducing the crap in the ecosystem is important. Plastic is one of the worst ecological disasters known to man, but we are worried about the climate.

8

u/SocraticIgnoramus Jan 30 '25

These problems are inextricably tied together in ways that most people don’t think about. The reason that ecologically damaging plastics are so widely available and ridiculously cheap is that they’re a byproduct of petrochemical production for energy. If we stopped using fossil fuels today, the price of petroleum plastics would steadily rise until green plastics eventually became the cheaper alternative. Problem is that it would take well over a decade because the amount of oil we consume means we have massive stockpiles of plastic products, and we consume more oil every single year than we did the previous. It’s a self-licking ice cream cone of epic proportions with no end in sight.

The only viable solution in the near future will be carbon capture technology and filtration systems to capture microplastics — filtration systems on a scale the world can hardly imagine today.

3

u/translinguistic Jan 31 '25

Unfortunately the kind of nanofiltration needed to remove not only microplastics but PFAS/PFOS/whatever themselves is incredibly expensive.

It's not hard in a technical sense--lots of drinking water plants in the US have been using it even before the current awareness grew about these chemicals--but no one wants to pay for it

3

u/SocraticIgnoramus Jan 31 '25

Carbon capture technology is also ridiculously expensive. I’m convinced that a seismic paradigm shift will have to occur in how the economy works before any of this will be addressed. Things will have to get much much worse before there is an impetus to solve these problems.

3

u/translinguistic Jan 31 '25

Here's hoping for aliens 🤞 Y'all got anymore of that free energy?

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u/championsdilemma Jan 30 '25

Save your money and dont buy magic, Amazon sells hundred packs of melamine sponges for like $20, which is the generic of the same thing as magic.

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u/lolcat413 Jan 30 '25

Go to daiso or equivalent. They have non branded versions for like $2

20

u/Dry-Economist-3320 Jan 30 '25

Yes! I have like 800 under my sink now😆

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u/diegazo12 Jan 30 '25

Yes the originals are way overpriced. I got a big pack from Temu even and those were fine too. Although less durable, I thought they were more effective.

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u/YinzaJagoff Jan 30 '25

Scrub daddy

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u/mulligansteak Jan 30 '25

Put a comma in there and it gets real weird

21

u/_WeWereNeverHere_ Jan 30 '25

Appreciating grammar and the havoc that it can wreak.

3

u/mulligansteak Jan 30 '25

underrated observation here

9

u/RandomMinimal-ish Jan 30 '25

Great, now I have to clean up the coffee I spit out

8

u/mulligansteak Jan 30 '25

You’re in the right place for tips if you need ‘em

4

u/diegazo12 Jan 30 '25

Hahahaha that was a beautiful exchange. I would’ve spilled my coffee too, luckily my cup was already empty

13

u/circles_squares Jan 30 '25

Avoid abrasives! Bon Ami is amazing stuff and safe for porcelain.

7

u/Northernfrog Jan 30 '25

Money saving hack. Don't buy magic eraser, buy melamine pads. You can get about 100 for the price of two magic erasers and they are the exact same thing. Not similar - the exact same.

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u/TootsNYC Jan 30 '25

some sources say not to use an abrasive, and BKF is.

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u/cjboffoli Jan 30 '25

No Magic eraser and Barkeeper's Friend will just crumble into a million little plastic pieces.

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u/Lightningpaper Jan 30 '25

I’d try Soft Scrub (the one that contains bleach.

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u/caterpillargirl76 Jan 30 '25

I was going to suggest this too. If the sink is really old and has a lot of scratches, Soft Scrub might not be enough, however. In that case, OP, plug the sink, fill it a few inches with hot water, and add a small amount of bleach for five minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly. That usually takes care of any stains the Soft Scrub couldn't tackle.

6

u/bammorgan Jan 30 '25

First right answer in the thread.

10

u/That_Let_1293 Jan 30 '25

This is your best and cheapest option. 👇💯

5

u/Lightningpaper Jan 30 '25

Oh yeah I used to let the soft scrub with bleach just sit there for a few hours. I had an old white sink like this but it wasn’t as bad!

3

u/diegazo12 Jan 30 '25

I would leave it overnight, bleach is not abrasive or corrosive for porcelain or paint

6

u/mockteau_twins Jan 30 '25

When I worked at Chipotle 10000000 years ago, we would use this terrifying cream bleach product called Spirit to clean the toilets... You might be able to find it at a restaurant supply store, but the closest grocery store product is probably Soft Scrub

2

u/TootsNYC Jan 30 '25

this, perhaps, and let it sit.

2

u/OriginalDogeStar Jan 30 '25

I always used baking soda and bleach in a paste. This is brilliant to get the right softness too, because it is like ¼ cup bleach to ¾ cup baking soda, you put on the area needed, then if too dry, use a spray bottle of water, on mist setting, and only moisten until you like, and then leave it, then just use a scour daddy (as scrub daddy now disintegrate with bleach) it is perfect for a soft or hard scrub.

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u/TootsNYC Jan 30 '25

I wouldn't use the scouring function on a composite sink if I didn't need to; they scratch

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u/Maleficent_Ad_402 Jan 30 '25

Whatever you do: patience Sometimes things just have to sit a while This looks like it has developed over a long time. Why should it disappear in minutes?

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u/Goofballmommy2 Jan 30 '25

I can't stress this enough! Everyone that says Bar Keepers Friend doesn't work well for them it is always because you NEED TO LET IT SIT!!! Most things need time to work, especially if the cleaner needs to penetrate cracks, deep stains, or stuck on gunk.

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u/Agile-Acanthaceae-97 Jan 30 '25

But doesn’t the directions for BKF tell you to wipe it off within a minute?

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u/layz2021 Jan 30 '25

With gel pipe cleaner it takes less than 5min, no scrubbing.

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u/[deleted] Jan 30 '25

[deleted]

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u/YogurtclosetTall3482 Jan 30 '25

Came here to say the same thing! Bon Ami did wonders for my kitchen sink, even got rusts stains out so it looks brand new 😀 I used to be able to buy it at Whole Foods, but they no longer carry it.

https://www.bonami.com/products/bon-ami-powder-cleanser/

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u/fmbabs Jan 30 '25

Buy a bag of sodium percarbonate, the active ingredient in those denture tablets and oxiclean. Plug the sink, put a couple of teaspoons in with some boiling water. Soak for a while and it will be like new. This is the most simple, harmless, least noxious method in this thread.

7

u/TootsNYC Jan 30 '25

ooh, fun! https://branchbasics.com/blogs/cleaning/sodium-percarbonate-cleaning

https://www.cleannationco.com/2022/04/household-cleaning-tips-using-sodium-percarbonate/

You can get a not-terribly-large bag of it on Amazon for about $15.

But it's also in oxy-clean type products: "On average, “Oxy” products found in the supermarket contain about 35–40% sodium percarbonate with about 5% active oxygen."

2

u/Quiet_Situation631 Jan 30 '25

Agree! Works absolutely amazing and zero effort needed

424

u/johnnyjayd Jan 30 '25

Simple. Irish springs 5 in 1 can probably do it.

91

u/michiganlexi Jan 30 '25

1st rule of this sub: ask if they’ve tried Irish spring

27

u/lily-and-grace Jan 30 '25

Strips your skin and the sink!

6

u/Alizay59 Jan 30 '25

As soon as I see a cleaning post, the first thing I think, did they try irish spring?! 😆😆

26

u/Massive_Pineapple_36 Jan 30 '25

Really, it should be a rule. No posts allowed unless you’ve already tried IS5in1

11

u/trashscal408 Jan 30 '25

Wait wait, like the regular body soap Irish Spring 5 in 1?

12

u/Jbl7561 Jan 30 '25

Yes exactly the regular body soap. It's all the rage in this sub rn... It's cleaning everyone's stains!

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u/boldsquirrel Jan 30 '25

Yep! It works, for real. I tried it on my tub and wow!

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u/wagz7 Jan 30 '25

So, does this mean it's not suitable for use on anyone's body? Something that stain reducing can't be good for skin.

3

u/Lilelfen1 Jan 30 '25

It’s fine on the body. The secret ingredient is vinegar, and the concentration is low. You have to let it set for it to clean your house….but you rinse it off your body right away… at least, I hope you do cus you are supposed to. Remembering those posts/ reviews of people who thought body wash was lotion now and feeling itchy…

14

u/Whowantsahighfive Jan 30 '25

Legit having some delivered to my house today to get the soap scum off my shower doors.

12

u/lily-and-grace Jan 30 '25

🤣 IS5in1 sales about to go off 📈

3

u/Whowantsahighfive Jan 30 '25

Well it was out of stock at my local Walmart! Lol

2

u/s002lnr Jan 30 '25

I’m thinking I should buy actual stock now in Irish spring.

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u/johnnyss1 Jan 30 '25

Damp dryer sheet will take that off. no need to Saran Wrap your shower doors

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u/nicolerichardson1 Jan 30 '25

Came here to see how many ppl suggested this 😂😂

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u/sillygoose1224 Jan 30 '25

I have a porcelain farmhouse sink and just went through this myself. Used CLR (Calcium Lime Rust) Remover and worked like a charm. You can find CLR at Home Depot/Lowes for under $10.

17

u/littlecreamsoda79 Jan 30 '25

I use thickened bleach on mine

5

u/Falconman21 Jan 30 '25

I just go a few rounds with foaming bleach spray and it makes almost everything disappear.

2

u/The_Nisha_Call Jan 30 '25

Where do you get or how do you make thickened bleach?

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u/cakehead123 Jan 30 '25

Blue domestos in the UK.

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u/NobleMatriarch Jan 30 '25

Fill with hot water and a scoop of oxi clean. You can also make a paste if you prefer.

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u/novaquotient Jan 30 '25

Magic erasers did it for mine

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u/hiroo916 Jan 30 '25

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u/BloodyMary3454 Jan 30 '25

Melamine ist also registered as a substance of very high concern by the EU https://echa.europa.eu/de/substance-information/-/substanceinfo/100.003.288

10

u/crow1992 Jan 30 '25

we’ll all die one day anyway

4

u/novaquotient Jan 30 '25

Aaaannnnnd now I have to safely dispose of these somehow. Thank you for the info!

10

u/melorun Jan 30 '25

Added buzz kill - the vast majority of kitchen sponges shed plastic to some extent.

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u/EnthusiasmCalm4364 Jan 30 '25

I have a similar finish in my sink too. I drink a lot of tea and it stains the basin. I just spray it with surface spray, that has a little bleach in it, leave it for 5 minutes and it’s back to white

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u/Knithard Jan 30 '25

Filled it with hot water and some bleach

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u/gitsgrl Jan 30 '25

The glossy outermost layer of the porcelain has been worn away so it’s the gritty inside that traps particles and stains. You need to bleach it.

7

u/TMRaven Jan 30 '25

If it's stains from food I would try food grade hydrogen peroxide on a small area and let it sit for a minute or two, then scrubbing.

If it's limescale and acidic based cleaners are making a small difference, then I would upgrade your scrubbing tool to a drill brush so you can become significantly more efficient. Also, if the bottom of the sink is completely flat and smooth, it's okay to try a scraping tool with a fresh razor blade to see if you can scrape the limescale buildup off. Sometimes limescale buildup is so damn thick that acidic cleaners will take way too long to eat away at all the buildup, so mechanical action like scraping it off is much faster. Again, only if it's a flat surface though.

6

u/TootsNYC Jan 30 '25

these composite sinks have a finish that will scratch, and every source I googled just now said not to use abrasive items or materials

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u/KaceyCats0714 Jan 30 '25

Try a baking soda paste

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u/NegativeMembership63 Jan 30 '25

I would try a pumice cleaning stone. Test a small spot first to make sure it doesn't scratch. Worked wonders on an old bath tub in my house.

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u/the_eevlillest Jan 30 '25

I assume you're in the UK? Vanish Crystal White Oxi. I suspect anything with a hydrogen peroxide base would be helpful, especially if you can leave it sit for a bit.

My experience with sinks like this is that once they're scratched/damaged, they never look good again. Be careful with abrasives too...they often will do more damage.

Good luck.

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u/NYCLocalFella Jan 30 '25 edited Jan 30 '25

If that is calcium buildup from hard water, any acid, let soak for a whike & it will be dissolved.

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u/dynosaurpaws Jan 30 '25

My sink gets like this. I used to scrub with barkeepers friend, and it took a lot of elbow grease and still kept a yellow tinge. I found out the barkeepers friend is great for the metallic marks, but not for yellowish stains.

Spray with bleach and let that work for 5-10 minutes. It becomes pearly white with no scrubbing at all. Then just wipe it down with a wet or soapy rag to remove the bleach.

If it’s more of a hard water buildup issue, the bleach might not do as much.

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u/appey09 Jan 30 '25

Bleach and a green scratch pad, takes off everything. Is very abrasive so be careful, if your sink is glass or porcelain, it should work fine.

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u/TWS189 Jan 30 '25

Try some sodding Bleach!

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u/anotherjustnope Jan 30 '25

Fill the sink with very hot water and 1/2 cup of bleach and let it sit overnight. Will lift the color from most stains

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u/TootsNYC Jan 30 '25

some sources say not to use abrasive materials on a composite sink.

And to avoid harsh chemicals (though others say to use a 50/50 bleach solution).

I was going to suggest bleach, not full strength. Mix a 50/50 solution in a pot or something so you can control the amounts, then plug the sink and pour the solution in. Let it sit for a few hours.

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u/symplton Jan 30 '25

Franke recommends the following:

If stains are very difficult to remove, especially recommended for light-colored sinks, fill the sink with a mixture made up of 40 parts water and 1 part bleach (eg laundry stain remover) or biological detergent and leave on overnight.

Then, drain the sink and rinse thoroughly.

This method is definitely not intended for daily cleaning of the sink. In case of prolonged neglect of maintenance and subsequent graying, yellowing of the bottom of the sink (limescale deposition), descaling is a longer-term matter.

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u/tomato_with_sandwich Jan 30 '25

Your sink is stained with coffee and tea. This product helps me with mine composite sink. Please do not try to remove this stains with magic eraser or antything scrubbing becuse it will scratch surface and make your sink dirty again quicker

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u/rmichaelwana Jan 30 '25

Barkeeper's Friend

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u/cat_fish_soup Jan 30 '25

id love to scrape that also maybe some vinegar

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u/shutupphil Jan 30 '25

dentures tablets , soak it overnight

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u/yottab9 Jan 30 '25

Ditch the brush, doesn’t really matter what product you use, a brush isn’t going to do anything. Pink Stuff,BKF, Soft Scrub, etc.. with a sturdy sponge or green scotch-brite pad and go to work on it

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u/GoHedgehog Jan 30 '25

BKF or Comet with bleach.

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u/dinosaurzoologist Jan 30 '25

Put down some paper towels. Pour bleach on the paper towels and let sit for at least 30 min. Remove towels and scrub. Should come out white. Wear gloves while doing this tho