Asked on Apr 24, 2016

How can I clean paint off of my new black composite sink?

Sue
by Sue

My painter washed his brushes in my new black composite sink. How do I clean and remove this?



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  16 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Apr 24, 2016
    Try using Bar keepers friend mixed with a little water on rub on the sink.It should remove the paint with no damage to the sink.
  • Johnchip Johnchip on Apr 24, 2016
    Those stainless steel spongy scrubbies work well.
  • Sue Hill Sue Hill on Apr 24, 2016
    There is a product called Krud Kutter that removes dried paint. I have not used it on this type of surface, but on just about everything else. Home Depot sell it.
  • William William on Apr 24, 2016
    Please Please do not use any harsh chemicals or abrasives on the sink. Use the WHITE Mr. Clean sponge ( the one without soap) to scrub the paint off. Do not use cleaners that contain citrus juice, vinegar or ammonia. They could strip the finish off the sink. For general cleaning (weekly) Rinse the granite sink thoroughly with hot water. Dampen a nonabrasive scrubbing pad with water and apply 2 or 3 drops of mild dish detergent. Scrub the granite sink with the scrubbing pad, concentrating on the areas with the white haze. Rinse the sink thoroughly with warm water to remove all traces of detergent. Dry the sink with a cloth. Apply 1 or 2 teaspoons of olive or mineral oil to a clean, dry cloth. Wipe the granite sink thoroughly with the cloth to evenly distribute the oil in a thin layer. Allow it to sit for a minute, then buff away the excess with a clean part of the cloth to restore color and shine. Do not use cooking oil as it can become rancid.
    • See 4 previous
    • Deborah Deborah on Feb 04, 2023

      Many thanks William

      Just got a few splatters of emulsion on my new sink. Am following your advice!

  • M. How M. How on Apr 24, 2016
    William's answer seems to be the right one. However, even before you try anything you might want to get in touch with the manufacturer and see what their recommendation would be. In the past I have used lacquer thinner on a cotton cloth and it works perfectly even on old dried on latex paint. Hope this info helps you.
  • William William on Apr 24, 2016
    Lacquer thinner may work, like M. How suggests, but it may dull the finish Try a small inconspicuous area and see how it turns out. Good call M. How!
  • MN Mom MN Mom on Apr 25, 2016
    First is would have a chat with that painter about where he cleans his brushes and then I would try what William suggested!
  • Henri001 Henri001 on Apr 26, 2016
    I have a black swanstone sink and my contractor somehow managed to get something on the basin of it that spotted the finish...am going to contact the manufacturer to see what they recommend to clean the spots off....grrrrr...wish the workers had to pay for the damages they cause!
  • Phil a Phil a on Apr 28, 2016
    These sinks are very popular and are a mixture/blend of acrylic and granite dust. Similar to Corian style products, they should be impervious to stains, but they do have a slight grain that can trap residue, like paint. We have one of these sinks and and have found that the Magic Eraser type product is very effective at cleaning these "water spots". A bit of trivia for you: these Magic Eraser type products are actually a Melamine Foam, which is a lightweight nitrogen blown plastic and is used in aircraft manufacturing. It is a highly effective insulation and the nitrogen bubbles inside it are an effective fire retardant. Its very light weight keeps aircraft wall panels as light as possible. It cleans by being slightly abrasive, without and cleaner added. Didn't expect to learn that, now did you?
  • Debi53 Debi53 on Apr 30, 2016
    I clean my brushes in my sink all the time. Even though I rinse my sink out, I always seem to come back and find dried paint. Bar Keeper's friend (powder--don't waste your money on the liquid spray; it's useless) and a non-abrasive scrubber will take the paint off and not harm your sink. Use a scrubber recommended for glass cooktop and then you know it won't scratch your sink.
  • Carole Carole on May 02, 2016
    It may depend whether the paint is water based based or oil based. Mineral turpentine removes oil based paint and water and soap should be sufficient to remove a water based paint. As someone else here suggests, check with the painter what type of paint it is and also try to clean a small area that does not notice too much before tackling the paint stain. If you use turps ensure to wash after with plenty of soapy water as that smell with linger.
  • Cindi Buckles Thomas Cindi Buckles Thomas on Oct 29, 2016
    I was just reading on another site where they said for hard water stains and paint to use a 1/2 cup baking soda and white vinger to make a paste, scrub with magic eraser rinse and let dry completely, then use oil (saw baby oil, Pam,coconut oil) and let it soak in. Everyone said their sinks tried out beautiful. Going to try soon.
  • Raina Raina on Dec 02, 2017

    My painters did this to my brand new never before sil granit sink and i was horrified. I used diluted bleach to remove before knowing not to use harsh chemicals. Did i ruin my new sink? (Btw, it did NOT remove the paint water stains. :(

  • Mogie Mogie on Feb 12, 2023

    Since you hired painters I would call them ask them how they can restore your sink to its original condition.

  • Ivana Ivana on Oct 25, 2023

    Hi Sue, I was wondering if you found a solution to this. I have exactly the same problem.

  • Betsy Betsy on Oct 26, 2023

    Hi Sue: I'd have the painters come back and clean it up! Other than that, you may try getting some paper towels and spraying them with WD40 or even baby oil, and sticking them to the painted areas and let them sit for about 15 or 20 minutes and then, using the paper towels, try to scrub the paint away. You may even try using a magic eraser on the area.


    Good luck