We've all heard that the kitchen sink tends to be the most germ containing arena of the entire home, and I would have to agree. No matter what type of sink, this is where dried on food splatters, coffee/tea/Kool-aid stains, and other "mysterious matter" accumulates rapidly. Don't bother wasting your time with a multi-purpose spray cleaner. Grab a scouring scrub first!
The surface scrub I carry with me is the Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. I transfer the soda into a plastic Rubbermaid bottle with a pour spout for easy sprinkling. It is the least expensive of the three ($2.66 for a 4lb. box) and deodorizes while cleaning too. The only surface to avoid using it on is aluminum, because it can remove the protective oxide layer. Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a fine powder leached from deposits of the natural mineral nahcolite, found in the Piceance Basin in Colorado for over 155 years. It was used earlier than that by ancient Egyptians as a cleansing soap. Who would've thought we'd be eating and cleaning with ground up rocks? In 1846, two New York bakers (Church & Dwight Co., Inc.) established the first factory, with the Arm & Hammer logo being added in the 1860's. Like vinegar, baking soda is edible and has many uses other than for cleaning or baking. You can find more cost effective ideas by visiting http://www.armandhammer.com/.
Another mild-powdered cleanser regaining popularity with the "Green" cleaning fans, has been on store shelves for 120 years under the French term for "Good Friend," Bon Ami. The Faultless starch/ Bon Ami Company uses the slogan "Hasn't scratched yet" with a newly hatched baby chick on the can, inferring Bon Ami's safety for all surfaces. Bon Ami consists of Sodium Carbonate, Calcium Carbonate and Feldspar. This combination works quite well on tough jobs and is safe for cleaning aluminum also. Apparently, the only stains it could not remove were the bloody finger prints from the organ keys in the Don Knotts classic, "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken." It was one of our favorites growing up and I'm sure Mom tired of hearing us repeat "...and they used Bon Ami!" for days after watching it. At $1.50 a can, this cleaner is still a good bargain. You can check out their new line of liquid cleansers and dish soaps at http://www.bonami.com/.
One whiff of the floral/herbal scents of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Surface Scrub cleansers and it may be the last natural scrubbing cleanser you put in your shopping cart, or, if shopping at http://www.mrsmeyers.com/, your shopping "bucket!" Though I couldn't locate a debut date for this product distributed by Clean & Company LLC, the website gives the background of the real Mrs. Thelma Meyer. She raised nine children in Iowa, one of which started the product line over the past decade. This newer cleanser contains Calcium Carbonate, Oxygen Bleach, Plant-Derived Surfactants, Fragrance & Essential oils. If you are like me and enjoy the smell of flowers, herbs, and cookies you might be scrubbing that sink every other day! I enjoy the relaxing lavender, but Basil, Lemon Verbena, Geranium, and Baby Blossom are also very nice. Seasonal scents are also available on line: Orange Clove, Iowa Pine, Cranberry, & Snicker Doodle. For allergy sensitive noses they offer Scent-Free, as well. The company site offers the surface scrub price of $4.99, but I found it for $4.49 at http://www.drugstore.com/.
Whichever scouring scrub you keep under your sink, make sure it is ammonia - , chlorine bleach - , paraben - , and phosphate - free, so you aren't breathing in toxins or absorbing them through your skin. It's wonderful to enjoy a clean home, but you shouldn't have to sacrifice your health for it. Scrub away!
