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Fireclay Farmhouse Sinks: Cleaning and Care Tips

Apr 2017

In addition to our copper sink line, Sinkology now offers beautiful fireclay farmhouse kitchen sinks. Sticking with our tradition of meticulously handmade kitchen and bath products, these fireclay sinks are crafted by our team of skilled artisans and designed to be the best possible quality at the best possible price. Also, just like our copper sinks, our fireclay sinks come with a lifetime warranty, the Sinkology Everyday Promise.

Because these sinks are made from a different material than our copper sinks, cleaning and care of these sinks is a little different, too. Fireclay sinks are extremely easy to care for and offer a load of benefits that make them superior to many other sink materials.

What is Fireclay?

Fireclay is a mixture of clay and glaze that is fired at extremely high temperatures (1600-2200°F). Because of this process, fireclay is extremely durable. While the material looks very similar to enameled cast iron sinks, fireclay definitely has the edge over cast iron. For example, with a cast iron sink, you cannot use any abrasive cleaners and the enamel is prone to scratching; but, fireclay is much more resistant to cleaners and scratches. It’s true that both are heavy, but Sinkology fireclay sinks (~100 lbs.) weigh nearly 30% less than our competitors’ cast iron sinks (~140 lbs.).

The crisp white of these fireclay farmhouse sinks are the perfect addition to a kitchen when you want to brighten the space and have a beautiful, eye-catching centerpiece.

Regular Cleaning and Care

The cleaning and care of a fireclay farmhouse sink isn’t much different than other sinks. Fireclay is stain resistant and rust proof (because it doesn’t contain metal like an enameled cast iron sink), so food items that are typically aggressive stainers can simply be wiped away. Here are a few tips for the ongoing cleaning and care of your fireclay sink:

  • Clean the sink on a regular basis with mild cleaners and a soft cloth
  • Dry your sink with a soft cloth to prevent water spotting
  • Scrape off heavier gunk with a plastic spatula or scrub it off with a Breeze scrubber 
  • Use baking soda (or even a mild abrasive cleaner) to clean off crusted on gunk
  • You can even apply a wax to the sink about once a month to help with liquid flow (try the Sinkology Copper Armor – because it’s made from real carnauba it will work for this exact purpose, too)

Durability of Fireclay and What To Do If There’s An Issue

Our fireclay sinks are heat resistant, stain resistant, scratch resistant, and chip resistant.

  • Heat Resistance: feel free to place hot pans and other dishes in your sink without fear of damage
  • Stain Resistance: fireclay is virtually stain proof, simply wash down with water or scrub off with a Breeze scrubber
  • Scratch Resistance: in the rare case that you see a scratch on your fireclay sink, it’s likely residue from another item or material and not a true scratch in the sink itself. Sometimes, silverware can leave lines or scratches in the sink surface, but it’s the metal being left on the surface of the sink and not a true scratch int he sink. These can be easily cleaned off with a scrubber and a little elbow grease. If that doesn’t work, try a little bit of metal polish – that will help to remove the metal from the surface of the sink and restore it to it’s scratch-free shine
  • Chip Resistance: fireclay is extremely hard and very resistant to chipping. However, it can occur in rare circumstances. For example, we repeatedly hit this sink with a hammer to no effect. It wasn’t until we turned the claw side of the hammer on it to get any kind of issue. See if you can find the small chip. With everyday use, these kinds of chips won’t happen (unless your idea of “everyday use” is to repeatedly whack it with a hammer claw). But, if you do see a small chip in your sink, there are repair kits available that will fill small chips quickly and easily. This is another area where fireclay has an edge on materials like enameled cast iron and porcelain sinks. Porcelain is much more susceptible to chipping and when cast iron chips, the dark color of the cast iron will show through. IF fireclay chips, the chip is must less conspicuous

Because of all these benefits, fireclay is the clear front runner against porcelain sinks or enameled cast iron sinks. But the best part is the value. While fireclay outmatches enameled cast iron in quality, durability, and more; it also outmatches it in price. With Sinkology, our fireclay farmhouse sinks come in at about 2/3 of the cost of most cast iron farmhouse sinks.

Options Available

Sinkology has launched a variety of SureFire™ Fireclay Kitchen Sinks, and many are available exclusively at the Home Depot. For more information on our fireclay farmhouse sinks, check them out here.

Have a copper sink? Check out this cleaning and care information on our blog.

If you have any additional questions during your search for the perfect copper sink, our Sinkologists are here to help. Contact us or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Houzz, Pinterest, or Instagram for more helpful tips and design ideas.