CARE & INSTALLATION GUIDES

LEARN MORE ABOUT COPPER / BRASS SINKS, AND HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEM

COPPER SINKS

Copper has the incredible ability to be a striking focal point for your home’s kitchen. Its unique beauty is what we love about it. Caring for your sink’s surface is part of helping it remain eye-catching, especially as it changes and reacts to the way you use it every day.  But in this era of soft scrubs, bleaches, disinfectants and other harsh chemical solutions, copper sinks are under constant threat. What’s safe and what isn’t? How do you keep your copper bright and “perfect”? How do you ensure a dark, elegant patina?

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Unlacquered, unfinished copper sinks are usually bought with the intention of letting their patina develop naturally. What could initially be a bright, reddish golden-brown will slowly darken, developing unique patterns over the years, and maybe even some of the green “verdigris” patina. When you hear about a “living finish”, these are the sinks being referred to. This is completely normal and it’s what gives copper it’s unique rustic design qualities. This shifting in tones is known as the patina process. The patina will be irregular, lending the sink a character all its own. Scratches will reveal the brighter surface underneath, but blend out of view soon after as new patina develops over the exposed area.

“Patina” is the name for the layer of oxidized material that forms as the copper corrodes. Its colors range from browns all the way to light greens

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Raw copper sinks are the easiest to clean and take care of. Because the goal is to let a patina develop naturally, the surface of the sink is left unprotected, which means you don’t need to worry about applying or re-applying anything

Copper is anti-microbial or biostatic, meaning that many microorganisms do not survive for more than a few hours on a copper surface. But this is only on raw, untreated surfaces that are kept that way. If you have a raw sink and want to reap its full benefits, don’t wax it.

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Please note: Copper is a soft and malleable metal, so it can easily get minor dents during shipping.

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BRASS SINKS

Brass is a mixture of copper and zinc and cannot rust. Algae cannot live on it and it is believed to have antibacterial properties.

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Your Ikon brass sink should not be brushed with a bristled brush. Please follow the cleaning instructions below to extend the life of your copper/brass product

DAILY CARE OF YOUR COPPER / BRASS SINK

• Do not leave food sitting in your sink after use. Always wipe your sink after every use with a clean cloth to keep it dry.

  • BRASS ONLY: If staining does occur, remove with either lemon juice or citric acid mixed with hot water.

• Avoid abrasive materials and cleaners: no steel wool or similar products

• BRASS ONLY: Add a little vinegar to the dishwashing water (as for a steel sink). Vinegar ensures that there are no lime stains on the brass which would remove the luster

• COPPER ONLY: Bleach is only safe with raw copper, but should not be necessary with regular cleaning (recall the anti-microbial nature of those sinks).

  • For stubborn stains, apply a paste of baking soda and water and scrub with your sponge or brush. The baking soda is abrasive enough to help work out stains, but mild enough to not cause damage.

Below is a list of several items that can strip the patina from your copper/brass sink:

• Acidic foods (like citrus, tomatoes, ketchup, pepperoni, soda, oils / oily food like chips, etc.)

• Cosmetics (toothpaste, make-ups, shaving cream, etc.)

• Abrasive chemicals (avoid bleach, drain unclogging chemicals, etc.)

• Even oil from your fingers can affect patina (particularly on a naked copper finish)

If you expose these items to your sink, don’t worry! First, try to remove them and their residue as quickly as possible. If you leave them on for an extended period of time, they will strip the patina. That’s okay! Don’t panic! Just take a deep breath, sit back, relax, and let the patina process take over. Over the course of several days, you’ll notice that the bright, shiny copper is returning to the rich tones you see in the rest of your copper/brass sink.