What do you love or hate about your copper/bronze sink?
December 8, 2017 9:16 PM Subscribe
We're redoing our bathroom and I want to get a copper or bronze sink, I think. But do you have one? Do you love it, or hate it, and what about it stirs your feelings? What about it should we think about before we get one? I'm looking at a drop in or undermount, not a freestanding. Thanks!
We have a copper sink in our kitchen, installed it about 7 years ago. It is fine. It really is beautiful. We never clean or polish it at all. It mostly stays the color of an old penny, more or less like in the photo. If we leave something acidic in the sink it'll be bright pink there (underneath the green crud that wipes away) for a few days until it oxidizes back to mellow copper. I have one steel pan that if I leave it there will leave dark marks that last longer and I always worry they'll be permanent, but it never is. In short: it's an ever changing thing.
The big drawback with copper isn't the oxidization, it's the softness. It scratches. A few times we've washed something sharp and metal in the sink and it's left visible scratches that last for awhile. Fortunately they aren't too deep and disappear over time.
I think it'd probably work better in a bathroom than a kitchen, since it's more gentle use. Just be sure you always wash the sink with water. I imagine a gob of toothpaste could make a real mess overnight. Also I'd advise against having an exposed front like our sink does. It doesn't get washed regularly and so any discoloration on it lasts a very long time.
posted by Nelson at 7:06 AM on December 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
The big drawback with copper isn't the oxidization, it's the softness. It scratches. A few times we've washed something sharp and metal in the sink and it's left visible scratches that last for awhile. Fortunately they aren't too deep and disappear over time.
I think it'd probably work better in a bathroom than a kitchen, since it's more gentle use. Just be sure you always wash the sink with water. I imagine a gob of toothpaste could make a real mess overnight. Also I'd advise against having an exposed front like our sink does. It doesn't get washed regularly and so any discoloration on it lasts a very long time.
posted by Nelson at 7:06 AM on December 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
I used to work as a cleaner. A woman I worked for had a copper sink. Looked beautiful but needed at least a twice weekly scouring with a copper cleaner. Bar Keepers Friend powder is your friend, my friend.
posted by RandomInconsistencies at 7:10 AM on December 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by RandomInconsistencies at 7:10 AM on December 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
The cleaning is horrific and to be honest, copper is the avocado of this decade. It's going to date profoundly.
posted by DarlingBri at 9:53 AM on December 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 9:53 AM on December 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
Having a sink made of copper probably won't cause much harm, but it might be worthwhile spending a few minutes learning about the ways in which copper is toxic. (Copper water pipes are probably a bigger concern than the sink.)
posted by clawsoon at 11:01 AM on December 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by clawsoon at 11:01 AM on December 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
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Loved how pretty it was. ..very elegant.
I also loved how nice it was when someone else had to be the one to spend 20-25 minutes cleaning and polishing it weekly to keep it looking nice.
Bottom line: They're beautiful, but require a lot of arm-soring regular maintenance If you want them to remain shiny and not green.
posted by Temeraria at 6:31 AM on December 9, 2017 [1 favorite]