There’s nothing more cringe-worthy than passing by a sink covered in water spots or stains—both of which stared me straight in the face this morning as I made my coffee. It might seem like a low-priority cleaning task, but it’s worth learning how to polish a stainless steel sink so that these types of smudges won’t taunt you every time you wash a dish.

You’ll normally find the cream of tartar down the baking aisle, but what you might not realise is that cream of tartar can actually make a very effective stainless steel cleaner. The surface scratches which appear on stainless steel sinks rarely have any appreciable depth and will become less noticeable with age. A stainless steel sink will develop a patina with time and will look better a year after installation than during the first few months of use due to the fact that the scratching will have evened out. All sinks manufactured in stainless steel perform in exactly the same way in this respect be they Franke’s manufacture or by a competitor.

I love when the simplest solution really is the best—like this handy trick for how to polish a stainless steel sink.

After wiping the sink down in the direction of the grain (if you can see it), rinse it thoroughly with warm water. Get rid of as many suds as possible and dry with a cloth. 4. Buff the surfaces

Every time you run water in your sink, take your clean dishtowel and dry it out (I lay out a clean one every night as part of my before-bed routine). Before you know it, you will be doing this everytime you leave your kitchen! The rest of the family will, too. No more water spots. You will have a clean and shiny sink. Always remember to test any cleaning method on a small, inconspicuous area of the sink first to ensure it doesn’t cause any damage or discolouration.’ How to maintain a clean stainless steel sinkCleaning a stainless steel sink is a little different to knowing how to clean a granite sink, or other materials. Cleaning experts at Ecozone explain that the main culprits of dull sinks are limescale build-up and watermarks. Note: Follow this procedure the first time you shine your sink. You do NOT need to follow this method every day. Just keep up the shine with a little window cleaner. Spoiler alert—there’s not a whole lot of elbow grease involved. And you certainly don’t need to spend a ton of money on polishing products to get the job done. ( We’re all about DIY cleaning.) You’ll need flour, a soft cloth and warm, soapy water for optimal results. Apply a small amount of non-gel white toothpaste to a toothbrush or soft cloth. Gently scrub any stains or discoloured areas. Rinse thoroughly with water and dry with a clean cloth,’ says Ava. However, she does offer a warning to those looking to use this method. White vinegar is acidic, which makes it effective in dissolving mineral deposits and hard water stains. It also acts as a natural disinfectant, killing germs and bacteria,’ explains Ava Wilson from Unclutterer.