Choosing Chemicals To Clean Sink Stains

Sink stains are as varied as the sinks available on the market.  I have been contacted for advice on this issue and following articles cover part of my response based on questioner not providing a complete picture of what we are dealing with.

4.  How “green” is this contract?  

          A.  If the contract is green or the building is LEED certified you need to use care in selecting products that are approved or certified green.  This can limit your arsenal of products considerably but it can be done with the right vendor supporting you.  Make sure you have (or MSDS) information on any products brought onto the site even for tests.  Read the contract for guidance.

5.  What is the brand of chemicals you are currently using?

          A.  You should be using a product line that provides technical support from their home office.  Most of the national brands have chemists and a complete database to address most common issues like this.  I can specify a vendor product in some cases if I know what brand you are using.

6.  What should I tell the customer?

          A.  Make sure the customer understands that due to age/use the sinks are taking on stains as the glaze wears off.  If they can get their tenants to stop pouring coffee/soda into the sinks, the staining will be reduced.  Make sure they understand that the sinks should probably be re-glazed by an outside service and that you can get quotes if they request.  Your responsibility is to keep the sinks disinfected and clean for use but you cannot be responsible for aging and stains brought on by misuse.  

          B.  Get them to inspect and approve the test sink/area before proceeding.

          C.  Provide them with a corrective action plan that gives a schedule of how often de-staining process will be used based on each sink/area since it may vary.

Your comments and questions are always welcome. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678.314.2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.