Kitchen Tips 101: Faucet Maintenance is Vital
The faucet in your kitchen is an often forgotten-about fixture. However, you use it multiple times per day, every single day. As with any other part of your home’s plumbing system, it’s important that you take the steps to maintain your kitchen faucet. This includes keeping it clean and inspecting it routinely. A professional can also provide this service as part of an annual plumbing inspection.
Why Faucet Maintenance is Important
Not only does faucet maintenance help ensure that your faucet is functioning properly, but this process can also lengthen the longevity of your faucet. Depending on where you live, your water may have a high concentration of minerals in it. These minerals can accumulate on and inside your faucets. Over time, this buildup can decrease the flow of water that can pass through your faucet. Eventually, the fixture may break because of a lack of maintenance.
It’s also important that you keep your faucet clean. In an area like a kitchen, there are all kinds of bacteria and germs that can make you sick. You should clean the exterior of your faucet periodically for sanitization purposes.
Faucet maintenance also gives you the opportunity to spot minor issues before they become something major. Repairs can be made as needed, preventing emergency plumbing repairs and fixture replacement.
You may want to reference the owner’s manual for your faucet, if you still have it available. There may be specific cleaning instructions that the manufacturer provides in this documentation.
Ways to Clean Your Kitchen Faucet
First, visibly wipe the outside of your kitchen faucet. This will remove food residue, minerals, limescale, etc. If you notice that the surface isn’t wiping completely clean, you can fill up a plastic bag with equal parts water and white vinegar. Place the back around the fixture, fastening it with a rubber band. Let this mixture sit on the faucet for approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the bag and rinse the faucet clean. You should see a much cleaner surface.
You want to avoid using any kind of abrasive scrubbing materials or products. This could damage your faucet. Also, avoid using harsh chemicals. Not only are these chemicals dangerous to your health, but they are very caustic and can cause plumbing damage.
It might seem like cleaning your faucet with extremely hot, boiling water would be effective. While it may kill some of the germs that are present, very hot water has the potential to damage the appearance of your fixture.
Wipe your kitchen faucet with a dry cloth each day once you are done cooking and cleaning up. This will help prevent any kind of corrosion, rust, or damage.
Who Can Assist With Faucet Repair?
It’s important to reach out to a reputable and knowledgeable plumbing professional in your area if you’re in need of faucet repair. If you need your faucet replaced, it’s ideal that you work with a professional in this scenario as well. This can ensure that your faucet works properly for many years to come with minimal repair or maintenance needs.
