How to Whip Up an Eco-Friendly Stainless-Steel Sink Cleaner
If your sink’s looking more “blah” than “brilliant,” it’s time for a quick kitchen pick-me-up. This Stainless-Steel Sink Cleaner uses simple ingredients like vinegar, Dawn dish soap, and an optional baking-soda boost, to tackle limescale, soap scum, and everyday grime.
Heating the mixture speeds up mineral breakdown, activates the soap, and even produces a little steam to help the cleaner penetrate tough spots.
You’ll spend less elbow grease scrubbing and more admiring that mirror-like shine.
Tools & Materials
- 1 cup (240 ml) white distilled vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dawn dish soap
- (Optional) ½–1 teaspoon baking soda for extra scrubbing power
- Medium saucepan
- Rubber gloves
- Soft scrub brush or old toothbrush
- Heat-safe spray bottle
- Microfiber cloths or soft towels
Hometalk may receive a small affiliate commission from purchases made via Amazon links in this article but at no cost to you.
1. Warm the Vinegar
Pour 1 cup of white distilled vinegar into your saucepan. Heat over medium just until it steams, no need to boil. That steam helps soften hard-water deposits so they wipe away in a snap.
2. Stir in the Dish Soap
Turn off the heat and wait a few minutes so it’s not scalding.
Stir in 1 tablespoon Dawn dish soap.
3. Transfer to Spray Bottle
Carefully pour the warm solution into your heat-safe spray bottle. Give it a gentle shake so soap and vinegar meld.
4. Optional Baking Soda Boost
For extra-stubborn spots, sprinkle baking soda all over the sink.
5. Spray, Soak & Scrub
Spray: Mist the entire sink, walls, base, and around the drain.
When the mixture hits the baking soda it will start to fizz gently, adding micro-abrasion without scratching your stainless finish.
Let it sit 5–10 minutes so the cleaner penetrates mineral and soap scum.
Finally, scrub, using a soft scrub brush or toothbrush to work tight spots.
6. Rinse & Buff to a Shine
Rinse thoroughly with warm water.
Dry and buff with a microfiber cloth in small, circular motions.
Voilà—streak-free brilliance!
Ready to make your stainless-steel appliances sparkle like new?
DIY Stainless-Steel Sink Cleaner Tutorial
There you have it—an eco-friendly stainless-steel sink cleaner that’s budget-savvy, simple, and surprisingly effective.
From heating vinegar to adding a baking-soda fizz, these steps restore that showroom shine without toxic chemicals.
Give it a whirl, then share your before-and-after or any clever tweaks in the comments.
Comments
Join the conversation
-
So sorry vinegar is not recommended for stainless steel. It will cause the steel to turn dark in color after some uses,. Something that cannot be remove. use a cleaner called ( bars keepers friend ) using vinegar turn my stainless steel appliances, and sinks dark in color I say this from experience. eventually, we replace them they were just awful looking. Love the eco-friendly idea but this vinegar is really not recommended for stainless steel. Have a great day. Everyone God bless.
-
I really love this site for all the ideas people have and when comments are not negatively given but nicely shared like all the above ones. For me, Dawn Power Wash works pretty well. It got a bad sweat stain out of a light colored visor for me recently. I put my visors in the dishwasher when they are still wet as they cannot go through the regular washing machine. The stain was dried into the material and just would not go away. So I sprayed the Dawn Power Wash on it, waited, and then took a stiff brush made for dishes to it. At first I thought it did not work but when it finally dried, I was very impressed - absolutely NO STAIN LEFT! Scrub Free works well at cutting through hard water stains and The Dollar Tree sells something called AWESOME which is really AWESOME! Inexpensive and cleans grease off my stove without much coaxing. Thanks to all of you for your tips on pros and cons without negatively bashing anyone.
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Can you do it on any other sinks?
Could you use this on your car to remove hard water spots?