Copper Sink Discoloration

If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that nature has an amazing way of providing natural, beautiful elements like copper. And like all living things, change—including discoloration—is inevitable.

Discoloration will occur with a copper sink; it’s the nature of the metal. There are many reasons why discoloration occurs: harsh chemicals, long exposure to acidic materials (lemons, ketchup, toothpaste, etc.) or other types of food, general heavy use, and more. But, don’t panic—it’s all part of the life of your copper product.

When discoloration happens, time and patience are typically all that are needed for your sink’s patina to restore its look and blend in with the rest of the surface. You may see shiny spots but rest assured: the patina will return to these areas and even out across your copper sink. You don’t need to do anything in particular to allow the patina to return, but if you would like to help the colors blend more quickly, here are a couple of tips from our team of Sinkologists:

• Wash your sink rigorously with hot, soapy water and a Sinkology Breeze Scrubber.
• Scrub hard enough to lighten the patina a few shades in problem areas but be sure not to take the patina completely off.
• Rinse clean with hot water and dry with a microfiber cloth (included in the Copper CareIQ® Kit). This intense scrubbing combined with hot water will help accelerate and blend the natural patina of your copper sink. Avoid using Copper Armor on shiny spots to let the patina process occur naturally.

If you don’t clean your sink regularly, you may also see some green build-up on particularly dirty areas. Don’t be alarmed; this is just oxidation. Simply scrub the area with your Sinkology Breeze Scrubber or your fingernail until the build-up is removed and then clean the area.