Can You Wash Your Dishes in The Bathroom Sink? (DON’T DO IT)

If you are remodeling your kitchen and the laundry room is out of order, the bathroom may be your only remaining alternative.

A tiny home may also mean a multipurpose bathroom sink.

So, Can You Wash Your Dishes in The Bathroom Sink?

If you can do laundry in the bathtub, you should be free to wash dishes in the bathroom sink. The good news about the question is that anyone can wash dishes in whichever sink they please within their homes. The bad news is that restroom sinks harbor several dangerous germs. Also, form matches function, meaning putting a sink to inappropriate use would be a pain.

Some dishwashing liquids contain harsh chemicals that may tarnish or ruin your enameled bathroom sink with time.

See Also: Why Does It Smell Like Something Died Under Your Bathroom Sink?

The base ingredients in an average commercial chemical dishwashing liquids are

The compounds are known to ruin enameled surfaces on bathtubs and sinks.

Acidic cleaning liquids such as lemon and vinegar juice are just as harmful.

That’s why your kitchen sink is stainless steel – a material designed to withstand abrasive materials and harsh chemicals.

In contrast, your bathroom sink is made from enameled cast iron and vitreous china.

While the two materials are durable and sturdy, they may not stand up to acidic and basic solutions as effectively as stainless steel.

Cleaning a discolored sink is no joke; replacing it may be costlier than you imagine.

Bathroom Sinks Are Never Clean, Not Even Sterile

Do you remember the last time you disinfected the handle or tap of your bathroom sink?

Probably not, and that’s why you shouldn’t put your dishes in it.

Most people only wash their toilets when the situation is out of hand. Yet bathroom surfaces, including sinks, are hiding grounds for numerous disease-causing germs.

The bathroom is the most germ-infested room in any home, especially if you don’t disinfect it often enough.

Even worse, the sink is usually near the toilet seat, which provides a breeding spot for all kinds of bugs and contaminants.

Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and E. coli are the three most often encountered bugs.

Hence, washing your dishes in a dirty bathroom sink is one of the easiest ways to infect yourself with dangerous bugs.

Three Reasons Why Bathroom Sinks Were Never Made with Dishes in Mind

Just like anything else, sinks are designed to fit their function. That’s why the kitchen and bathroom sink look different in almost all aspects.

Trying to wash dishes in the restroom sink amounts to putting them to the wrong use hence challenging.

1. Sink Size

The first obstacle is size. Generally, bathroom sinks are small in size compared to their kitchen counterparts.

They barely have space for the scrub and soap.

In contrast, kitchen sinks are large and deep enough to accommodate pots and several dishes and water.

The sides typically provide extra room for kitchenware and everything else you need for the chore.

If you are washing dishes for several people, say, a family, it would be both physically difficult and unhealthy to wash them in the average bathroom sink.

2. Drain Size

The second bottleneck is the size of the drain. The drain size is critical for avoiding blockage and clearing clogs.

Average bathroom sinks come with about 1.25″ – 1.6″ wide drain holes, whereas the typical kitchen sink is 2.5” wide.

The wider the drain hole, the easier it is to unclog.

Additionally, wider drain holes are harder to clog because large debris meets less flow resistance as they flow down.

3. Faucet Size

The third limiting factor is faucet size and positioning.

Faucets on bathroom sinks are small and inconveniently positioned, making it hard to fill the small bowl and move the dishes.

Unlike kitchen sinks which feature a long and high center set, bathroom sinks come with short and low-positioned faucets close to the edge.

Are the above three obstacles worth the trouble? Unless it is indispensable, you are better off washing your dishes in the basin or bucket from the comfort of your garage.

How Do You Disinfect the Bathroom Before Washing Dishes?

Without bugs, your bathroom is just as safe as your kitchen. The best way to get started is to disinfect the room.

The cleaning process has to go beyond the typical cleaning techniques, such as scrubbing and wiping the surfaces.

The purpose of disinfection is to eliminate germs, meaning you must invest in the most effective disinfectant you can lay your hands on.

Lysol or Clorox are the two most preferable chemicals for the task.

  1. Spray the disinfectant on the sink’s surface. Get a wet sponge or cloth and wipe the sink until the surface is dry. Next, spray the sink with your disinfectant and leave it undisturbed for about 10 minutes to allow the agent to kill the germs. Finish the cleaning process by rinsing and wiping the sink.
  2. Next, Disinfect the handles and faucet. The handles and faucet are the germiest part of the sink. For that reason, you should employ a more thorough disinfection approach and a combination of disinfectants. Fold your cleaning cloth to disinfect hard-to-reach sections, then rinse the surface with clean water.
  3. Lastly, disinfect your toilet. The toilet is the source of all germs that lurk in the bathroom – it can’t be left uncleaned. Disinfect the toilet using the same approach you used with the sink. You might want to combine your disinfectant with a toilet cleaner for maximum disinfection.

Other things to do:

  1. Disinfect the bathroom vent
  2. The ceiling and walls are part of the room, so disinfect them with an appropriate all-purpose cleaner.
  3. Whether the room is tiled or carpeted, scrub and brush the floor with a disinfectant
  4. Remember to clean the door and shower curtains.
  5. Don’t touch your cleaning tools, then handle the dishes. The cleaning exercise and actual dishwashing should be hours apart. Keep the cleaning tools clean too. If possible, soak the cleaning items in a disinfectant before storage.

Conclusion

Avoid washing dishes in the bathroom sink unless necessary.

All bathroom surfaces host disease-causing microbes that may end up in the body via the food served on dishes.

Additionally, bathroom sinks need to be more functionally suitable for the job. If you have no other option, disinfect the room before anything.

References

https://www.bhg.com/homekeeping/house-cleaning/surface/how-to-clean-bathroom-sink/#:~:text=To%20avoid%20pitting%20or%20other,juice%20to%20clean%20these%20sinks.

https://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/bathroom-germs

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home-products/a19008/best-bathroom-cleaners/