When you start with the FlyLady system, one of the first things she has you do is shine your sink. This is an important “baby step” that helps you get off to a great start with your new home management routine.
Flylady Shine Your Sink?
If you're new to FlyLady, you may be wondering why on earth it's so important to have a shiny sink. I used to wonder this too! But now that I've gotten into the habit of having a relatively clean sink, I see the benefits of shining your sink:
- It creates order in one of the most chaotic places in the house. It's like a little oasis amidst all of the crazy.
- It helps your kitchen function better. If the sink is filled with dirty dishes, you pretty much can't do anything. You can't cook, you can't wash your hands, you don't have clean dishes to eat off of, and you can't get yourself a simple glass of tap water.
- It's contagious. Once you build the habit of shining your sink, that will carry over into getting other things cleaned, decluttered, and organized. It's kind of amazing!
Perfection Gets in the Way of a Shiny Sink
In FlyLady's book and on her website, she gives very specific directions for how to shine a sink.
The first time I did my sink, I followed her directions exactly.
But sometimes, people have doubts about the specific instructions. Maybe they have a delicate sink they don't want to destroy. Maybe they don't want to use bleach. Or maybe they just don't want to go out and buy new cleaning supplies.
Whatever the case may be, don't let wanting to shine your sink perfectly get in your way.
There are actually a lot of ways you can clean a sink (amazing, huh?).
Below you can find videos that demonstrate shining your sink.
One is from the FlyLady herself, one is from Diane in Denmark (a wonderful FlyLady mentor), and then I show how I shine my sink using stuff I just happen to have around the house.
How to Shine Your Sink
The FlyLady Shines a Sink
In this video, Marla Cilley, the FlyLady, shows how to shine your sink:
Go here to see FlyLady's sink shining instructions.
Flylady recommends using a cup of bleach. If you do that, make sure you wear gloves to protect your hands.
Diane in Denmark – Shine Your Sink
In this video, FlyLady mentor Diane shows how she shines her kitchen sink. If you don't want to use bleach, this is a great way to go about it:
How I Shine My Sink
I don't care so much about specific products, so I tend to just use what I have on hand. Here's what I do:
- Unload dishwasher (I need a place to put the dirty dishes).
- Put dirty dishes in dishwasher.
- Scrub sink with dish soap and a sponge or rag. Get all of the gross stuck on food off the sink. Use a little elbow grease now to get good results later.
- Rinse sink well.
- Fill both sides of my sink with hot water and a little bit of vinegar. Make sure your sink plug is working properly before walking away. Let it sit for about an hour. (I set a timer on my phone so I don't forget!)
- Pour a glass of iced tea or coffee and go do something fun. Read a book, play with the kids, take a nap – whatever you like!
- Drain the water from the sinks. Use a pair of tongs to remove the drain stopper if the water is still too hot.
- Sprinkle your sink with a cleanser that's safe for your sink. I use baking soda as a powdered cleanser because it's cheap! I keep it in a parmesan cheese dispenser I found at the dollar store – that makes it easy to sprinkle on things as needed.
- Scrub your sink using a rag or sponge.
- Use an old toothbrush to clean around the rim of the sink and scrub around the faucet.
- Rinse sink. Get rid of all of the dirt and every tiny bit of grime.
- Spray with a cleaner you like. I like using Windex, but today I only had this all-purpose spray, so I used that!
- If my sink is looking extra dull, I might shine it up a little extra with some inexpensive oil. This is a totally unnecessary step, but I like to do it sometimes to make it look more sparkly. I think it helps get rid of the water spots in my stainless steel sink.
- Put a clean dishtowel by the sink and enjoy!
Having a good, shiny sink will help your whole kitchen function better.
And, it gives you a sense of accomplishment!
Don't let perfectionism be the excuse that keeps you from shining your sink. Use what you have on hand
Give it a try today and see how nice it feels to have this area of your home clean and ready to use.
What is the FlyLady cleaning system?
The FlyLady system is a set of cleaning principles and routines designed to help busy people keep their homes clean and organized.
The system is based on the idea that small, consistent steps will lead to lasting results.
FlyLady recommends starting with shining your sin each day and slowly building up from there.
The system also includes a focus on decluttering and letting go of things that no longer serve a purpose.
According to FlyLady, “The biggest sin is not having a clean house, it's thinking you have to do it all at once!”
By taking small steps, doing daily maintenance, and breaking tasks down into manageable pieces, the FlyLady system can help anyone achieve a clean and organized home.
Ready to create more routines for your home?
Go here to get a free printable workbook to help you plan out your household routines.
More Cleaning Tips and Ideas
- How to Get Started with FlyLady
- FlyLady zone cleaning – for when you've mastered the basics!
