Caring for Your New Copper Sink
As a naturally occurring earth mineral, copper has a living finish that, if un-lacquered, will continue to change and become more unique with time. The living finish is called patina, and it’s a natural protective coating that actually keeps copper from corroding. The patina of your copper sink is ever-changing. Some acidic foods or chemicals can strip it off, and time will bring it back! Your copper sink will go from light to dark – it will always be changing. Over time, your copper sink will naturally develop rich earth tones that continue to evolve. Your sink’s appearance and color can also be affected by harsh chemicals, acidic foods, or even toothpaste that’s not rinsed out of the basin. These reactions don’t harm the sink, but can cause spotting and discoloration.
Along with the beauty of the natural patina, untreated copper sinks also have anti-microbial qualities that stainless steel or porcelain can’t provide. Many microorganisms cannot survive on a copper sink for more than a few hours.
Daily care of your copper sink is simple: keep your sink clean. A copper sink needs to be cleaned daily. If you have hard water, the minerals in the water will leave water spots. To prevent the water spots, dry the sink completely after every use.
When discoloration does happen to your copper sink, time and patience are typically all that are needed for your sink’s patina to restore itself. You may also see shiny spots – the patina will return to these areas and even out across your copper sink over time. You don’t need to do anything in particular to allow the patina to return, but if you would like to help the colors blend more quickly, here are a couple of tips from the team at Sinkology:
- Wash your sink rigorously with hot, soapy water and a Sinkology Breeze Scrubber.
- Scrub hard enough to lighten the patina a few shades in problem areas but be sure not to take the patina completely off.
- Rinse clean with hot water and dry with a microfiber cloth (included in the Copper CareIQ® Kit). This intense scrubbing combined with hot water will help accelerate and blend the natural patina of your copper sink. Avoid using Copper Armor on shiny spots to let the patina process occur naturally.
If you don’t keep your sink clean, you may also notice some green build-up on some areas – this is just oxidation where moisture sat for too long. Scrub the area with a sponge or dishcloth (or your fingernail) until the build-up is removed.
If you’d like to keep the bright copper finish of your sink instead of allowing the natural patina to blossom over time, you’ll need to clean and wax the sink regularly to maintain the shine.
Call us today at 715-243-0001 to see which of our new homes come with a beautiful copper sink!
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