Whether you have a stainless steel, traditional enameled cast iron or synthetic-material kitchen sink, the best way to keep it looking good is to clean it up promptly. Even the seemingly most durable one can become tarnished if not cleaned within a few hours. Of course, the best idea is to follow the manufacturers instructions.

In general, clean your sink immediately after each use with a non-abrasive cleaner; prolonged use of abrasive cleaning materials eventually will wear the finish down, making it more porous and susceptible to staining. Simply use hot water and soap or detergent.

In particular, clean up fruit and vegetable juices as well as cleaning acids right away. Acid-resisting sinks will safely resist lemon, orange and other citrus juices as well as tomato juice, mayonnaise and vinegar preparations if these are cleaned off within a few hours. But regular enamel finishes are not impervious to acids. Tea and coffee grounds also will stain enamel surfaces so clean them up promptly.

Scratches can be removed from some solid surface materials by lightly sanding because the color goes through the thickness of the material.