How to maintain your faucet finishes

If you’ve recently replaced your kitchen or bathroom faucets, you’re probably in awe of how beautifully shiny and unblemished they are. But it’s likely they won’t stay that way for long! Because bathroom and kitchen sinks are so often used, faucets come into contact with people’s hands and many other things each day, which means keeping them clean and well-maintained can be tough. However, following a regular cleaning schedule and understanding how to maintain your faucets is key to keeping the finishes intact for years to come. Here’ s how to properly care for your kitchen and bathroom faucets and maintain their finishes:

“Brass and bronze finishes are particularly durable.”

Choose a durable option
he first step to maintaining your faucet finishes is to choose the most durable option you can. If you haven’t already purchased new fixtures, consider choosing brass faucets with an accompanying finish you love. That way, the faucets themselves will be long-lasting and able to withstand wear and tear. Brass and bronze finishes are particularly durable.

Take care during installation

When installing your new faucets (or if you ever need to take yours apart for maintenance or repair), be as careful as possible. Using pliers, wrenches or other tools on the faucet finish can cause scratches or dents. Also, avoid using plumber’s putty, which can easily adhere to the finish and lift it off of the fixture.

Avoid harsh cleaning products

Cleaning your faucets regularly is key to maintaining the finish, but harsh cleansers and cleaning tools (like scouring pads or stainless steel sponges) can damage it irreversibly. Instead, use a soft wash cloth and warm water mixed with a non-abrasive hand or dish soap. Bathroom faucets in particular come into contact with harsh products like toothpaste, hair dye and hair gel often. These and any other products should be wiped off immediately, since they could easily leave a stain or wear down the finish over time.

Keep it dry

You should also dry off your faucets immediately after using them (including the spout, drain and handles). For one, water spots show easily on some finishes, including polished brass and chrome and stainless steel. But for another, if your water has high mineral content, it could cause deposits to form if it sits on the fixture for too long. Mineral deposits cause tarnishing, which may necessitate a completely new fixture.

Apply wax

Applying carnauba wax to your faucets is a great way to maintain the finish in the long-term because it can help prevent mineral deposits and other buildup. So, whether you have oil rubbed bronze kitchen faucets or more basic chrome faucets, apply wax twice annually to maintain them. You should avoid using wax if your faucets have been purposefully aged, so don’t use it on your antique brass bathroom faucet.

Tackle buildup
If you start to notice any buildup, mineral or otherwise, try to tackle it as soon as possible to prevent it from causing any permanent damage. If your regular cleaning regimen doesn’t help, here’s another option: Soak a wash cloth in a mixture of warm water and a little bit of white vinegar. Then, lay the wash cloth over the area with buildup for a few hours. The water-vinegar mixture should loosen the buildup so that it can be more easily wiped away.

Don’t forget the drain
One part of the faucet some people tend to neglect is the drain assembly. And since it typically comes into contact with water and other products as much as (if not more than) the other faucet parts, it’s important to keep it clean. Remember: Avoid using drain cleaners, since they could strip the finish from the drain. If you have to, remove the drain pop-up and pour the cleaner carefully so that it touches only the plumbing it’s being poured into.