How do you guys keep your sink area clean

[bhays]

Maybe I am just a slob, although I am able to keep the rest of the garage pretty clean, but my sink area is always a disaster. I have a formica counter top and one of those deep white utility sinks, and the thing looks like heck. I paint sometimes and it seems I always make a mess when I clean out the gun, etc.

Would a stainless steel countertop and sink wipe clean a lot more easily? Those of you who paint from time to time (automotive paint) what do you use as a mixing area?

Anyone got sink tips for me?

 

[CraigFL]

My personal rule for keeping things clean is to try to keep it clean while I'm using it and cleanup right after I make a mess. It's always easier for me to spend a little time here and there to clean than to spend a lot of time -- like once a week -- to clean up.

 

[bhays]

Oh, I do clean it up as it happens. For instance, last night I was doing some painting and I knocked over a mixing cup that had some black paint left in it and lacquer thinner I was cleaning up with. I scrubbed and scrubbed with thinner, but now there's still a black nasty film all over the sink and part of the formica. I guess my question is whether spills like that clean off of stainless steel better than formica and whatever the white plastic sinks are made of.

 

[PAToyota]

Yep, certain things are going to leave stains. Solvent based paints are definitely going to affect plastics and formicas. Even stainless steel will stain, but you can be more agressive in cleaning it without ending up destroying it.

 

[cc_rider]

I don't. It's a shop sink, not a kitchen sink. Plus I have several tradespeople using it right now also, so it's kind of a pigsty. There's always several paint brushes in various states of clean, a parts-washing tray or three, and other junk. Plus the walls are splashed with grime/hand-cleaner mix, various paint and stain splatters, etc. It's a double stainless sink, set into an alcove just big enough for the sink, with shallow shelves above for soap and various cleaning supplies. Yeah, it's a mess, but it's a contained mess. Once the tradesman are finished and it's just ME making a mess again, I'll probably wipe everything down, scrape the dried paint off the sink, and keep it reasonably clean. Until then, hey, it's a shop sink.

c.

 

[gmasterman]

IMHO the best method is to clean up after yourself. I keep some scotchbrite pads on my sink backsplash that I use to scrub the sink every time I use it. For messes tougher than what scotchbrite will handle I keep a sheetrock sanding sponge. Oh, the sink and countertop are both lab grade stainless and was well used before I got it so I do not worry about trying to keep it perfect. After all, it IS a shop!