How to Kill Bacteria in a Sink

People wash their hands, dishes and delicate clothing in sinks every day, but many overlook the necessity of cleaning the sink itself. Food particles and dirty water pass though the drain and pipes of your kitchen sink, creating a haven for bacterial growth. Even a bathroom sink may harbor unsavory germs from contact with dirty hands. Cleaning the sink reduces the appearance of grime and dirt, but sanitizing kills bacteria and reduces the risk of illness. You may sanitize sinks and other surfaces using extremely high temperatures or sanitizing chemicals such as bleach.

Things You'll Need

• Baking soda or kitchen cleaner
• Sponge
• Chlorine bleach
• Spray bottle

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Instructions

• 1

  Clean the sink thoroughly to remove dirt. Use a commercial kitchen cleaner or a new box of baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda on a sponge and scour the sink, drain and fixtures. Rinse thoroughly with water.

• 2

  Mix 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach in 1 quart of warm water. For ease of use, pour the solution into a spray bottle. You may use the same bleach to sanitize objects and surfaces for up to one week.

• 3

  Spray the sink and fixtures with bleach solution. Allow the mixture to sit for several minutes. Pour extra bleach solution down the drain to sterilize the trap and pipe entrance.

• 4

  Rinse the sink thoroughly to remove all traces of bleach. This will prevent chemicals from contacting your food or skin during normal sink use.