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bunnyemerald

Is there a no-scrub way to clean sink grids?

Bunny
10 years ago

I love my sink grid. I wasn't so sure at first, but I'm a believer, esp. since my one sink is for both prepping and cleanup.

For cleaning, I turn mine upside down and cover with hot water. I've tried Dawn, Comet/Ajax and soaking in white vinegar. It still doesn't get out all the crud in the corners. I really don't want to have to hand scrub each intersection, top and bottom, +/- 700. It will not fit in my DW.

Is there anything that will dissolve the stuff without a lot of elbow grease and without killing the grid or my stainless sink? How about OxyClean?

Comments (74)

  • Bunny
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    lisapoi, I've been thinking about ammonia. It's how we used to clean funky combs back in the day. I haven't used a comb in decades, but could toss in my brushes.

    scpalmetto, I thought of going diagonal in the DW. Without the upper rack it would fit, but it would impede the rotating arm.

    My grid is now soaking with 6 denture tabs. I found Efferdent to be cheaper than the Safeway brand. Go figure. I also bought some grapefruit-scented Method to try if the Efferdent doesn't work.

    CLR anyone? I forgot to mention I've already tried Clorox.

    I wonder if the stuff is just two years' worth of buildup. I do clean my grid frequently when I scrub out the sink, usually with Ajax or Comet. I do not wipe or scrub it every darn time I use the sink or else I'd never be able to leave the kitchen. :)

    Update: The blue water from the Efferdent has turned almost colorless. The box said it would change color after it cleaned. I still see plenty of scale or whatever it's called so I'm calling this not a success.

  • ChristyMcK
    10 years ago

    Re: denture tablets, you may not have put in enough. I usually put in 5 tablets for a burgundy sized red wine glass. For a decanter I'll put in about 15, so I load up on them. The water should stay blue/colored and even get foaming. Still I'm not holding out hope for them in this particularly tough case. Also remember to leave it over night.

    If it were me I'd put easy off oven cleaner on the rack overnight and take a scrub brush to it.

  • Vertise
    10 years ago

    Vinegar and lemon juice work great on scale type problems. Soak some paper towels with it and place on the area like a compress. Maybe you need a big towel. You have to leave it on a while. Can't remember how long , a few hours or overnight? Google has the answer. I'd hit it with a toothbrush or scrubby pad after that. But it usually kind of just wipes off.

    I was planning on getting a grid but this sounds not fun...and kinda gross, lol. Hated those old bath mats.

  • lawjedi
    10 years ago

    Do you have hard water or something? Cleaning my grid is just general cleaning, getting the gunk that accumulates throughout the activities of the sink. I haven't had to "chisel" anything off... just a thorough, but quick, scrub to remove debris and then a soak to make me feel like it's been disinfected.

    I've had the grid for close to 2 years now.

  • Bunny
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    According to my city's info, the municipal water is moderately hard (116). I'm not surprised. I suspect what I'm trying to clean off the grid are calcium deposits, not funky food residue.

    Christy, I used 6 tablets in my 30" sink, with just enough water to cover the upside-down grid. The blue color all but dissipated in 3 hours. I'm willing to try it again and use more tablets. I did scrub quite a bit and I'll admit there were plenty of little bits of stuff in the bottom of the sink, but I wonder if that was more due to the abrasion of the brush than the tablets. The upper surfaces are cleaner but I have no desire to manually clean away every wire intersection.

    I tried a heavy coating of Method and it didn't really do much, although the grapefruit smells great and it seems like a nice replacement for the evil 409.

    I now have the grid soaking in more hot water with a hefty dose of ammonia. It's about 75 degrees here right now (sorry rest of country) so all the windows and doors are wide open.

    If the ammonia doesn't work, I'll do more Efferdent overnight. If that doesn't work, I'll try CLR or Lime-A-Way, then oven cleaner. I want something that will basically just dissolve this crap. Scrubbing with no payoff sucks.

  • WendyB 5A/MA
    10 years ago

    My former sink had a grid which was powder coated bisque color. Terrible to get spaghetti stains on! Anyhow the inside of the recessed corners got black in time. I used to squirt Clorox Gel Cleaner w/Bleach into the corners and let it sit a half hour or so. Then I used a small brush to loosen the crud in the holes and use strong force of water to finish the job.

  • Bunny
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I had no luck with the ammonia. I let it soak for about 30 minutes, but it was getting fume-y and I'd had enough.

  • robo (z6a)
    10 years ago

    Thanks for reporting back on all your methods! I am taking note.

  • jane__ny
    10 years ago

    Comet. Shines all stainless and takes out any stains. I used it in my Franke sink with the strainers. Worked better than anything else.

    Jane

  • Vertise
    10 years ago

    Method is great for regular tough crud, although it did seem to remove some mild scaley stuff that was forming. Nontoxic and kills 98% of germs. It works amazingly well, taking the work away.

    Can't imagine what you've got going on there. Maybe the CRL is needed.

    This post was edited by snookums2 on Sat, Mar 8, 14 at 7:51

  • a2gemini
    10 years ago

    I store mine above the fridge and then drop in when using.
    So far, so good.
    My DSIL stores hers in the sink and it is always grungy

  • fishymom
    10 years ago

    I had similar build up on the sink grid at our old house. We had well water with a softener, but still had relatively hard water. When it got really bad, I gave it to my husband to clean. I asked my husband and he said he used CLR to clean it.

  • ellabee_2016
    10 years ago

    Today is the third anniversary of my big single sink and grid! Best single thing to happen to this kitchen since the big window.

    My experience has been that frequent light attention keeps it from getting to the difficult-crud stage. I have a pulldown sprayer; one of the nightly put-the-kitchen-to-bed tasks is to turn the grid over, go over it with the sprayer with a strong stream of hot water and a long-handled dish brush. Takes just a minute, and I haven't had to do one of those soaking-scrubbing sessions in a long time.

  • Bunny
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    a2gemini, you store your sink grid above the fridge when you're not using it? I'm using my sink ALL the time and the grid is never not in use. Plus back and forth, drip drip?

    I really don't have "crud" on the grid, crud being nasty food-related unspeakables. It's clearly a residue from my hard water, i.e., not inherently revolting.

    I'm always always spraying down the sink and grid after use. I would say I keep a clean sink. That being said, I am unlikely to do ellabee's nightly ritual of scrubbing before bedtime. I'm too busy remembering to floss. :)

    Just had a look at the grid in the light of my morning. If anything, there's more residue. Maybe I just didn't notice it before and now I'm fixating on it. I will try CLR and report back.

    I have found that sometimes cleaning substances make something worse. I have light gray ceramic tile in my shower. One day I spritzed some Tilex around the lower half. Not the same day, but perhaps a few days earlier I spritzed some Clean Shower or whatever it's called. A few days later I noticed a whitish residue, stuck on pretty good. Whatever it was, I had to use one of those razor scrapers to get it off. What a mess, tons of residue to clean off the shower floor. That was not hard water buildup.

  • rococogurl
    10 years ago

    I just turn mine over and go over it with the blue side of a scrubby Scothbrite sponge. I also go over it with the dish brush for the corners.

    I don't get lime scale as we have a softener but a decalcification product recommended for a coffee pot or espresso machine would probably do the job easily.

    Bunny thanked rococogurl
  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    10 years ago

    Citric acid.

    Bunny thanked hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
  • Gracie
    10 years ago

    I have the liquid Barkeeper's Friend and it says it's for hard water deposits. I checked their website and you can use it on chrome. It has oxalic acid. You're not supposed to soak in it though, just scrub it on. If that takes it off, it could be a good one to maintain your grids.

    Do you have a Silgranite sink? I'm cautious about using acidic cleansers in my sink and near my quartz because of fear of etching the resins.

    Bunny thanked Gracie
  • a2gemini
    10 years ago

    Linelle - yup, above the fridge
    I wash almost everything in the DW and only put in the grids as needed
    I have been on the road for the past few months and DH would have made a total mess of them.
    I also never store dirty dishes in the sink
    Plus, I like to clean my sink frequently and much easier without the grids.

    Bunny thanked a2gemini
  • scpalmetto
    10 years ago

    linelle, with the last two dw's I have had (Bosch and KA), if you remove the upper rack the upper spray arm comes out too. They came with a little gadget that goes over the opening so all the water is directed to the bottom spray arm. Check your dw manual, it may work for you.

    Bunny thanked scpalmetto
  • Bunny
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    debra, I have to tell you that, yes, my grid WILL fit into the DW. I took the top rack out and it fits fine on the diagonal. I don't know why it took me so long to figure it out.

    Almost as long as it took me to figure out how to put the rack back. But it came out so easily!!! The DW manual was not where it should have been so hunting for that took waaay too long. The diagram was no help. It took a lot of if/then/that before it went back in place. The whole while I vowed to NEVER remove the upper rack again, but now I know how it's done. :)

    The grid has marginally less deposits. Next up: CLR and/or Easy-Off.

  • VanillaCottage
    10 years ago

    What is CLR?

    Bunny thanked VanillaCottage
  • Amy Sumner
    10 years ago

    CLR= Calcium, Lime and Rust Remover. Can buy it at Walmart, HD/Lowes, hardware stores, some grocery stores, etc. Great for removing hard water stains, cleaning the inside of coffee pots, etc.

    Bunny thanked Amy Sumner
  • deedles
    10 years ago

    Self-cleaning oven cycle? It's chrome, right? Maybe 800 degrees would shake things up a bit...

    Bunny thanked deedles
  • Bunny
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    deedles, according to Google, the grid is stainless. Also I fear the rubber feet wouldn't fare well. I've never self-cleaned an oven, and think I will leave it that way.

  • Errant_gw
    10 years ago

    I would never put it in the oven on self-clean :o

    Bunny thanked Errant_gw
  • Bunny
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I think the answer is CLR, plus some elbow grease.

    I didn't do a completely submerged soak. I sponged liberal amounts (1/2 CLR, 1/2 water) repeatedly over all the surfaces. When I rinsed I thought it was all gone, but as it started to dry it reappeared. :(

    However...it was no longer really stuck on. I went over all the surfaces with a microfiber cloth (the kind with nap like a towel) and the deposits wiped off easily. The extreme nuisance is all the little pieces and corners. That's what really makes this an ordeal.

    So, I would say my grid is looking pretty good now. I had hoped CLR would just make the deposits (I keep typing "despots") simply melt away. Perhaps if I'd soaked it at full strength that would have happened. It would have taken at least a full bottle.

    Although there are little bits in the corners, I'm satisfied that this is good enough for a grid that sits in my sink. I won't let this go another two years. :) I might try the Efferdent now and then since I have a box of them.

    Thanks for all the helpful suggestions. Moving on...

  • new2anchorage
    7 years ago

    I use Tang (granules) periodically to clean the dishwasher insides. (Citric acid) Just use the Tang in the soap dispenser & run.

    I haven't tried Tang for soaking the sink grate, but will try it. Just got the new extra large stainless single sink with stainless grate.

    Bunny thanked new2anchorage
  • Rudebekia
    7 years ago

    I'd soak it in hot water with Barkeepers Friend for several hours then scrub with more Barkeepers Friend. I've never met anything yet that this doesn't work on. I have stainless grid but it doesn't get the crud you are talking about. It almost sounds like something is flaking off your grid and not just food/sink crud. I scrub mine lightly, both sides, with a brush and Barkeepers every day, and a bigger scrub once a week.

  • homechef59
    7 years ago

    For everyday cleaning, I spray the grid with Tilex or anti-bacterial spray. For a more thorough cleaning, I soak the grid and rubber feet in hot water and chlorine bleach mixture for an hour. There will be a little mildew residue left in the crevices, I brush that off with a scrub brush. Does the trick. I don't have calcium buildup. For that, I would soak the grid in CLR.

  • Buehl
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Stainless steel sink & grids - Cleanup Sink...

    When I want a deep clean, I use a child's toothbrush and just scrub each area after sprinkling it with BKF. For the openings on the top of the rubber feet, I use a toothpick.

    My grids fit in the DW, so I occasionally wash them in the DW - but I've noticed that the DW doesn't get the gunk out of the top openings in the feet.

    I have a 60/40 sink - which my DH really likes, btw (he does the dishes). What I've found is that the small side that he daily soaks silverware and prepping/cooking utensils in rarely needs anything other than a wipe down. Even the top openings of the feet do not get dirty or gather gunk. It's the big side that needs periodic cleaning.

    Stainless steel prep sink and vinyl coated grid - Prep Sink...

    I just wash it in the DW or give it a wipe down. It rarely needs anything else. (There are no openings on the feet of this grid.)

  • Bunny
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    My grid was looking cruddy this morning, so before I went out I turned it upside down and added enough hot water to cover, plus about 3/4 cup of white vinegar (all that was left in gallon jug).

    I got home about 5 hours later and scrubbed with a fingernail brush. It cleaned up really well, as well as when I used CLR but for a fraction of the cost and without all the ingredients. Once it dried I could still see a bit of tenacious deposits that I could scrape off with my fingernail. Overall it looks pretty good and I know it's clean.

  • lpreich41
    6 years ago

    My grid is covered with plastic and when I removed the plastic from the previous grid, it began to rust at the intersections. I replaced that grid with a new one which is also covered in plastic. How do I clean that. Most of it looks OK but there are really dark spots where I suspect the plastic has been breached. Thanks for your help.

  • Bunny
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Funny that a comment has made this thread reappear in my notifications. Just the other day I was cleaning under the sink and about to throw away the Efferdent that had been lurking there since 2014. I threw in about 12-15 tabs and let the grid soak for a while. Not sure it made much difference.

    But I should back up. About a year ago I bought another grid for my sink for about $70 online. Cleaning issue solved, at least until the hard water buildup could return, and return it does.

    lpreich41, my grid doesn't rust, just collects calcium (?) deposits in the intersections of the the grid.

  • lpreich41
    6 years ago

    Thanks for your comments. I called Franke customer service and they asked me for photos of my sink and grid. Perhaps they will give me a discount on a replacement grid that is real stainless steel instead of whatever material this is covered in plastic. What were they thinking when they created this?

  • Mrs Pete
    6 years ago

    When I want to soak something well /knock off crud, I fill a pot (in this case, it'd have to be the sink) with the hottest-hottest-hottest water possible, then I dump in a bit of dishwasher detergent. Let it sit 'til the water is no longer hot. Works great.

    I had not realized 'til this minute that the grid for my new sink will not fit in the dishwasher. Not a deal breaker, but -- yeah -- I hadn't realized that.

  • dataw1127
    6 years ago

    I have a three rack dishwasher and I take the middle rack out and put the grid(s) in the bottom rack on a diagonal. I usually add the exhaust fan filters and do them at the same time.

  • maiziedog
    5 years ago

    After much thought and scrubbing I think that I have found the answer: Mothers Foaming Wheel & Tire Cleaner. A few weeks ago I was scrubbing and scrubbing my sink grate and it was still gummy, spotty, and dull. I silently wished that there was a foam cleaner that would restore its shine and also clean it. So I did an internet search looking for a sink grate cleaner and everything "chrome cleaner" was for autos. So I thought why not give it a try. I did tonight and I haven't seen my grates this clean and shiny in so long. I am very pleased with the results.

  • hemina
    5 years ago
    Now this will involve some scrubbing but not as much effort as a regular scrubber...try using a used dryer sheet. My mom swears by them and cleans so many things around the house. She gets it wet and scrubs everything.
  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    5 years ago

    I wouldn't spill a drop of the foaming tire cleaner on my stone or engineered stone top though.

  • friedajune
    5 years ago

    I choose not to have a sink grid. One cleaning chore I don't have to deal with.

  • Janet
    5 years ago
    I’ll be shopping for a new sink soon. What is the purpose of the sink grid suppose to be?
  • Kristen Cortes
    5 years ago

    @Janet - This is most likely too late but the grids are supposed to protect against scratches.

  • Janet
    5 years ago
    Demo just happened Monday, so not too late! I actually bought a cheap one to use in my temporary sink/utility tub and think I will like a grid more than I thought. Just because I can rinse dishes off and everything washes down underneath the dishes.
  • Buehl
    5 years ago

    Actually, they are useful for so much more than protecting against scratches (which I don't care about anyway):

    • Water doesn't backup into the colander when draining pasta
    • When I rinse down the sink, items in the sink no longer block the drain or block the "path" to the drain so I don't have to "chase" specks of food, etc. around the sink!
    • There is less scratching of the bottom of the sink (this is minor to me since I don't mind the scratches)
    • When I dump something in the sink, whatever I've dumped doesn't wash all over everything sitting in the sink....whatever is dumped goes straight down the drain
    • I can rinse and drain dishes on the grid and still run water in the sink w/o running it all over the items again
    • Things lay flat on the grid (no slope like in the bottom of a sink bowl and items in my sink no longer slip down the slope and cover/block the drain)
    • If I'm handwashing dishes, I can use the grid tines to hold things up, especially plates & bowls (similar to a dish drainer) and dishes air dry faster b/c air circulates all around them
    • If your sink is too deep for you on a daily basis, the grid will raise the bottom of the sink an inch or so
    • Less need to clean/wipe the bowl b/c things aren't as likely to "stick"
    • The stainless steel ones in my cleanup sink also act as a trivet for hot things (when the sink is clear, of course!) -- I needed a large "trivet" once and used one of the grids from the sink, it worked great!
  • Dana Cademarti
    3 years ago

    how to remove plastic coating on Franke sink grid. My sink has been discontinued which means no replacement at Franke or anywhere I've checked. if I somehow get the plastic coating off that would be great...ANY IDEAS OUT THERE IN CYBER WORLD...THANKS🤗

  • PRO
    Just Jon Home Remodeling, Design and Build
    3 years ago

    Perhaps measure it and search for a replacement similar in size on line that is not covered in the plastic.

    To clean the stainless steel ones I use a vegetable brush and some dish soap. The brush bristles get in all the nooks and crannies. I do both sides about once a week. Mr. Clean eraser works too but it often gets ripped up fast and is harder to get in the nooks and crannies. I may try boiling a few big pots of water and fill sink to just below rack level with hot tap water then add 1/2 cup oxiclean and then add the boiling water. Oxi clean works best when the water is boiling temperature. I haven’t tried it yet but it may work.

    For hard water minerals try lime a way toilet bowl cleaner as it’s a gel instead of normal lime a way which is a watery liquid it’s stronger than clr.

  • dataw1127
    3 years ago

    I had a Franke sink with grids and never had any plastic coating on them. There were plastic "feet" but that was designed to keep the racks from scratching the sink.

  • a a
    2 years ago

    An older thread, but still came up when I was searching for cleaning solutions for my 30"x16" grid. Found a slightly more 'active' grid cleaning thread here on Houzz too that actually has two solutions for me.


    #1. Remove the top rack of the dishwasher (if possible). This allowed my 30" grid to lean diagonally against the back. This should allow up to a 32" grid to fit into a 24" x 24" dishwasher (if the calculation applies).


    #2. Cut it in half! I searched high and low for two separate grids, but the solution for the custom grids that come with sinks is honestly to cut it in half yourself into two manageable grids. Jim took a saw to his and I will probably do the same so I don't have to remove the top rack of my dishwasher constantly.

  • shfc78
    2 years ago

    Just spray with clorox liquid bleach and let it sit for couple hours. Maybe do it outside if you are sensitive to bleach fumes. This works like magic. Sure to get that fungus out.