How to Get Stains Out of RV Sink (Can You Paint RV sinks?)
You are never free from housework. Even when you own an RV housework does not change, except its location.
The good news is that getting stains out of an RV’s or travel trailer sink is the same as getting stains out of the sinks in your traditional home. The cleansers you use depend on the materials the sink was made from. Bleach is just one option you can use.
To learn more about this dreary task, just continue to read our article. it provides helpful information to make cleaning sinks a lot easier. Getting the stains out makes sure your RV looks its best when you have guests over for the evening.
What To Clean RV Sink With?
When it comes to cleaning your RV sinks there is a lot of good news. The supermarkets and big box stores seem to have an unlimited amount of cleaners you can choose from.
The key is to pick the right cleanser for the construction material your sink is made of. For example, bleach would be ideal for those RVs with a stainless steel sink. It is hard to ruin one of those sinks and bleach is not that harsh. Especially when you dilute it with the right amount of water.
For plastic sinks, you can start with baking soda and sprinkle some on the sink bottom, and then it sit for a few minutes. After that time frame is up, use a good cloth to scrub the stain out. Vinegar is also good if the baking soda fails to completely rid the sink of its stain.
Or you can use a commercial cleaner like Comet. It is designed for a variety of sink surfaces and does a good job of removing those pesky stains. If you do not like Comet, there is a host of other commercial brand cleaning solutions you can try.
Then if you upgraded your silks to porcelain Borax or lemon juice would be ideal to use. Just read the labels to make sure the cleanser you pick will work on the sink’s surface material.
How To Get Stains Out Of an RV Sink
The steps are fairly basic no matter which cleaning solution you choose to use.
1 - sprinkle some baking soda or Comet over the stain and let the powder sit for a while. You want to give the cleansers time to work
2 - get a damp cloth or sponge and scrub the area. Just make sure that the sponge is non-abrasive and won’t scratch the surface of your sink.
3 - Rinse your sink. You can use cold, warm, or hot water to do this step as all you are doing is sending the cleaner and the stain down the drain.
If you have a dirty-looking drain plug, then you will need to use an old toothbrush, not your husband’s, and use either oil soap or baking soda. It may take a little scrubbing but eventually, the drain plug will get clean. Rinse it off as well.
Many RV owners like to store their RVs and trailers over the winter. If they did not do a good winterizing and drying process at the start of the storage period, mold or mildew could grow.
Cleaning up mold or mildew can be hazardous to your health if you do not do it right and use the right materials. Make sure to wear latex gloves on your hands and make sure they go up your arm a little way.
The solutions you will need will include a gallon of hot water, some bleach. Or you can use hot water, vinegar, and baking soda. Make a paste with hot water and baking soda and apply it to the mold or mildew stain.
Then spray some vinegar on the paste and watch the ingredients bubble. The bubbles tell you the mixture is working on the mold or mildew growth. Once some time has passed, simply take an old sponge and wipe everything away. Rinse with hot water to make sure all the spores have been killed.
You can follow this with a little bleach just to make sure mold won’t grow inside your drain pipe.
How To Whiten RV Sinks
There is one tried and true method you can always use. A little bleach with warm water will always do the trick. Bleach is a very tough cleaner and can handle almost any stain you apply it to.
Once you are done scrubbing, your sink should brighten and look white again. Or, you can use one of the many commercial cleaners that include bleach as a top ingredient. These cleaners are designed to make your dirty sink look white again.
The only drawback is that these commercial cleaners use other harsh chemicals as ingredients making them a little hazardous to your health. Read the labels to see if you are allergic to any of those ingredients and if you are, move on to the next cleaner.
If you like natural cleaning solutions, then you can always sprinkle a little baking soda over the stain, (make sure the sink is dry or the baking soda will disappear on you), then add a couple of drops of liquid dishwashing soap.
There is no need to mix the two as that will happen when you start scrubbing the sink. If the sink is not whitening soon after, there are some other natural ingredients you can add to this mixture.
These natural ingredients include- salt, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil, or lemon juice. Pick the one you have on hand and see what results you get. If one doesn’t work, then the other combinations may.
If all else fails, and sometimes that will happen, you can use what is called a Magic Eraser. It is a commercial product but it is said to be magical and can whiten your sink.
How To Clean RV Sink Drains
The key to this cleaning task is to remember that your RV drain lines are not like the drain lines you have at home. You need to be careful what you put down inside. The materials used to make these drains are not as strong as your home drains and they do not like a lot of pressure.
The first thing to do is to keep the hair and food particles from entering your drain. Once they do, they can rot and cause a foul odor or let bacteria grow. A good strainer will prevent a lot of items from landing in your drain and make your cleaning task easier.
For most drains in RVs, you can pour a little baking soda down, followed by some vinegar. These two ingredients when combined will foam and bubble. You wait till the bubbling stops and then pour some hot water down to rinse the drain.
This process should keep your drains fresh and clean. The amounts you will need will be 1/2 cup of both baking soda and vinegar, 15 minutes to wait then add about 6 cups of boiling hot water.
For the most part, keeping your drains clean means using a metal hanger and a pair of needle-nose pliers to fish out any hair and other large particles from the drain system. It is a little work but it beats pulling the P trap off and cleaning it before re-installing it.
Can Sinks Be Painted?
Yes, this is a possibility. However, the process and the tools required will depend on the type of construction material your sink was made from. The work is in finding the right paint to use.
Some epoxy paints are the best choice for sinks as they will adhere to the surface a lot better than regular paint. That means that your paint job will last a lot longer. Then the other aspect of this project that is a bit difficult is that to make painting go smoother, you should remove faucets, etc., from the top of your sink.
Cleaning and letting the sink dry are also essential. You do not want to paint over a dirty or wet surface. This is not all to the procedure as you will have to tape off the counter area and mirrors where you do not want the paint to go. We say mirrors even though they are high up because accidents do happen and you should be prepared for them.
Once you have done all of this prep work, make sure to open a window or place a fan inside the room. This will give you proper ventilation and it is advisable to use both options at the same time.
All of this applies to both the kitchen and bathroom sinks. If you need to paint, then you have the green light and can do this task yourself without hiring a professional painter. The key is to do it right so you do not have a mess on your hands when you are done.
One final word here, if you have upgraded your RV and installed regular sinks, this green light works for those changes.
Can You Paint a Plastic RV Sink?
Again, this is a possibility and we are only talking about those standard RV plastic sinks that come with your RV or trailer. If you or a previous owner have upgraded to a regular sink, see above.
When you attempt this project be careful. Many people have done it before you and their efforts often turn out to look very amateurish. Those results tend to degrade the look of their bathrooms or kitchen areas.
Your results will depend on how well you did the prep work and what paints and application technique you used. Some people say a brush is okay to use but you have to be careful and cover all brush strokes so they cannot be seen when the paint dries.
Make sure the sink is clean and dry before you start your work. When you are done you can try to put on some clear coat. This application should delay the return of the yellowish stains that plague so many bathroom and kitchen sinks.
The only drawback to using lacquer or thinner on your sink is that the chemicals may react badly once they come in contact with each other. If you still have doubts, we recommend that you visit your local paint store and talk to the paint experts there.
Their expertise will save you from ending up with a mess.
How To Paint an RV Sink
To refresh your memory, you have to do a lot of prep work first before you can even think about beginning to paint.
Step 1 - make sure you have bought the right paint and if you need primer make sure it will work on your sink’s surface.
Step 2 - once you have all the tools and applicators, etc., assembled begin preparing your sink. Remove the faucets and other hardware that will be in the way of your painting time. Place those items in a secure spot so you do not lose them.
Step 3 - clean the sink. You will have to mix a cleaning solution in a bucket and use a sponge to clean. Then go get some water in another bucket to rinse the soap etc., off the sink’s surface. Once you have finished dry the sink well. You cannot have a wet or dirty sink if you are going to paint.
Step 4 - Tape well. This is an important step as you do not want to get paint everywhere. Paint is not always easy to clean once it dries. Put a drop cloth on the floor and up over your cabinet to protect against droplets or spills.
Step 5 - Put your primer on the sink and let it dry.
Step 6 - Once the primer is dry, go ahead and paint. Make sure your room is well ventilated when you start step five and continue through this step
When you are done painting, block the area off so no one touches the wet paint accidentally. You do not want to redo your work. Once the paint is dry you can do a second coat if you want or a third. Just make sure the paint dries between coats.
Then when the task is over, clean up, remove the tape and drop cloth. Return the hardware to its rightful places and you are done.
Spray Paint RV Sink
You can do this but it is not a recommended technique. The reason some people do not recommend using spray paint is that the sink is shaped differently than flat surfaces. Those different angles and designs can make it hard for you to apply spray paint evenly or thick enough to withstand use.
If you decide to go ahead with this option, you will have to do three things very well. The first thing you have to do is excellent prep work. Not only should the sink be clean and dry, but it also has to have all hardware removed.
Second, you have to buy the right spray paint. Not every can of spray paint will adhere to the sink’s surface. Then, you have to match the paint to the surface. For example, an acrylic sink should be using acrylic spray paint or you may have trouble getting the paint to adhere to the sink.
Appliance paint can be used on many surfaces other than acrylic. It is epoxy-based paint. Third, you have to let each coat dry thoroughly before adding another coat or using the sink again.
Some RV Sink Painting Tips
1. Do yourself a favor and watch some of those home improvement shows on television. They often have great tips and techniques you can use
2. Watch out for those bubbles that can crop up. Both heat and moisture can create those bubbles and make your paint job look bad. Keep the room properly ventilated to avoid this issue
3. Always leave enough time for the paint to dry between coats and the finish coat.
4. Practice safety as this is in your and your family’s best interest.
Some Final Words
Getting stains out of your RV’s sinks is just a matter of the right products and a little elbow grease. If you are going to paint those sinks, this is a must-do step every time. Painting is a great way to upgrade the look of your kitchen or bathroom but it is not always the best choice to make.
Weigh the decision to paint carefully as sometimes replacement is just easier.
