Tired of yellow stains on that coveted white sink? Got the dripping tap fixed but can’t fix the stubborn stains from the long ago drip? Do your faucets suffer from a bad case of hard water stains and rust? Check out these 5 tried and tested cleaning hacks that’ll work magic and help you restore your sink to all its coveted shiny glory.

1. Sponge & Scrub: Use a scrub sponge and some soapy solution or an all-purpose cleaning spray to scrub the sink. Remove the remnants of accumulated soap, stains, rust, and hard water spots. Tip: Do not use steel scrubbers as they leave unflattering scratch marks on the sink.

2. Bleach & Baking soda: To restore white glossy enamel sinks to their glory, line the sink with paper towels, and soak with bleach for 30 minutes. Remove and rinse sink with water. Tip: Do not use bleach for coloured porcelain as the colour may fade. Alternative: Use a mild liquid detergent, vinegar, or baking soda. For other solid surfaces like Corian sinks, scrub with a mixture of baking soda with scrub sponge and water, and then rinse thoroughly with water.

3. Power of Lemon: Lemon juice will erase just about stubborn stains and spots from any surface. Make a paste of equal parts powdered borax and lemon juice. Use a scrub sponge to rub the mixture on the stains, and then rinse with water. We can also put a little salt on half a lemon and use it to rub out rust stains from ceramic and porcelain sinks.

4. Magical Vinegar: Keep calm and get vinegar. That’s the cleaning mantra to fix your faucets with hard water stains. Simply pour a little vinegar on lime and rub away the white spots. To clean stained sinks, place a paper towel soaked in vinegar on the stained area for 10 minutes, then rub with a dry paper towel for a shiny sink. Tip: Do not apply vinegar on brass or coloured faucets as they discolour easily.

5. Unclog the drain: Pour a pot of boiling hot water down the drain. Then sprinkle the sink with a cup of baking soda. Let it sit for a few minutes. Then pour a cup of vinegar down the drain. The reaction will remove any clogs and clumps. Follow with another pot of boiling hot water to flush it all down the drain. Tips: Do not throw hair, soap, grease, food, coffee & tea dregs (chaipatti) and other debris down the drains.