Durability and Care of Glass Sinks
How do we, as glass specialists, reassure the end user of a glass sinks durability and care? Glass artist and long-time creator of glass sinks Suzanne Guttman provides us with some valuable tips. Suzanne has been making glass vessel sinks for 7 years. During the past 7 years she has created hundreds of hand blown sinks that can be found in homes all over the world. Suzanne is one of a dozen artists creating glass sinks for SinksGallery.com customers, but one of only two creating her beautiful sinks in the hot glass method.
Durability -- Glass sinks are sturdy and most can withstand temperature changes of up to 70 degrees without breakage. However, users should avoid pouring scalding hot water (over 120 degrees) into a glass sink. The immediate temperature changes that result cause "thermal shock" and may cause the glass to crack or shatter. Once cracked, the entire glass sink would need to be replaced.
Virtually all professionally made glass sinks are resistant to small accident breakage, such as dropping a brush or plastic bottle into the basin. However, a heavy object can shatter a glass sink, just as it would a porcelain sink. A contractor should not install a glass sink where indoor temperatures are unregulated, because wide temperature variances can cause thermal shock and breakage.
Care -- Glass sinks are tough enough to withstand everyday wear and remain as beautiful as the day they were purchased, when treated correctly. They require no more special treatment than a standard porcelain sink. When water spots occur, a solution of vinegar and water will dissolve the spots. Abrasive bathroom cleaners are not recommended.
Installation -- We recommend you use a professional plumber to install these sinks. We have found that the most common cause of breakage is during installation. The drain on a glass vessel sink should only be hand-tightened.
Specifications -- Be sure your artist has been creating glass sinks for a long time and offers a warranty. A proper annealing process and the correct glass are important considerations. Sinks must maintain consistency in thickness and they must not be flat on the bottom, so as to prevent creating a well and retaining water around the drain. They also must be drilled correctly with a bevelled edge which allows the drain to sit level with the glass.
Care of your Stone Sink
One of the most frequent questions we get from our customers is: “how do I take care of this sink?” The answer will depend on the particular stone used to craft your sink and the degree of polishing applied to its surface. For example, limestone is more porous than granite and a highly polished surface is less porous than a honed surface.
Preventive Maintenance and Sealing
Due to the porous nature of stone your sink can take on stains. Proper sealing is required to make sure that staining substances don’t leave their traces. Most of the stone sinks we sell are not sealed. There are two ways to seal your sink – wax, or one of the many stone sealing products available. The type of stone sealer you use depends on the type of stone, but most tile or hardware stores carry a variety of stone sealing products to choose from. Stone sealers should typically be applied once a year. If you prefer to wax your sink, you will want to do this at least once a month. Our Renaissance Wax is perfect for that purpose.
It’s a good idea to be careful with stains even when the sink is sealed. The longer a spill remains on the stone, the deeper it can penetrate and the more permanent it becomes. We recommend that you wipe up spills immediately. In addition, don’t allow surface deposits of water bi-products such as calcium, salt, lime or detergents to build up on your stone sink
Cleaning
To clean your sink, use a soapy soft cloth, sponge or nylon brush. Be sure to rinse the sink well after cleaning and dry it thoroughly. Cleaning on a regular basis will help prevent the development of hard water deposits. If your sink develops persistent stains, try a non-abrasive cleaner such as dishwasher soap, Soft Scrub or a professional stone cleaner solution which can be purchased from a local hardware or tile store. DO NOT use any acidic tub and tile cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, ammonia, abrasive or soft paste cleaners, vinegar, alcohol, window cleaners or lemon juice. In addition DO NOT use abrasive cleaning pads such as steel wool, metal brushes or scouring powders.
By following these simple guidelines you’ll enjoy your beautiful stone sink virtually forever.
How To Care for a Copper Sink
Caring for SoLuna copper sinks is surprisingly easy and virtually maintenance free. A copper finish is a living finish and never really stops changing in color. That being said, the evolution of a copper finish is gradual, and as it ages it becomes even more handsome. You can greatly reduce this change with the use of wax (see below).
For basic cleaning simply use a mild soap and water – other cleaners are not necessary. Copper will naturally patina over time and develop a warm medium patina. Unless you want to maintain a shiny copper finish, do not use copper cleaners. Do not use abrasive materials or harsh chemicals on any of our products – these can harm the surface.
If your water has a high mineral content, you may want to wipe your sink down periodically with a soft cloth as you would any sink to avoid possible build up. For extra protection, a product such as "Renaissance Wax" may be applied to the copper surface periodically. This will help maintain the luster and provide better water runoff. Enjoy the living qualities of your beautiful hand hammered sink - truly a unique and functional work of art!
- Maintenance by Finish
- Dark Smoke and Rio Grande Finishes
- These darker finishes have gone through an "accelerated patina" process and will not change much more relative to the lighter finishes. Soap and water is generally all the cleaning you will need to do. Other colors can also come about depending on the environment the copper is exposed to. If an acidic product such as ketchup or lemon juice removes some of the patina, don't worry. The patina will return over time.
- Café Natural
- This finish will naturally darken and patina over time. If you want to maintain the look of this finish, you can periodically wax the bowls with Renaissance Wax. You can purchase this wax from Copper Sinks Online (find it in the Accessories section). You can also choose to purchase your copper sink "pre-waxed" by us at the factory. This option includes a tin of wax as well (two sizes available).
- Matte Copper
- This finish will require the most maintenance and is the only finish that copper cleaners may be used to maintain the shiny appearance. Using a wax or a protective sealant will reduce the maintenance necessary to maintain the finish and delay the natural patina process.