Prep sinks require fairly basic cleaning and maintenance. Frequent sink scrubbing and sanitizing will help prevent rust and corrosion. Use only mild soap and water or nonabrasive cleansers to clean stainless-steel sinks since abrasive cleansers will scratch and dull surfaces. Operators shouldn’t use steel wool to clean stainless steel. After cleaning, thoroughly rinse and wipe the sink dry.
What appears to be rust at times may simply be various food product residues that have accumulated on the surface due to a lack of cleaning. Remove the residue by using proper cleaning methods with various food-safe products. Doing so will make a big difference in the sink’s appearance.
It’s important to take care of the drains, which can leak over time. Drain screens are recommended, even though the number of solids in water are regularly evaluated. Although it’s easy and tempting to take out these screens to drain water quicker, it is often against local regulations. Removing sink strainers may cause solid debris to enter the plumbing system, which can lead to catastrophic clogging and system malfunctions. Drain screens are a key line of defense for keeping plumbing systems running effectively.
If either the faucet or drain are leaking, a service call may be appropriate. Another common area that may wear out on a prep sink are the edges, which can get damaged from stray pots and pans that come in contact with it. Sink welds also can break following years of use.
When a prep sink has broken welds, faucets or drain systems, these elements can be either updated or fixed. These sinks rarely need replacement, unless a larger size or different type is needed.
However, there are definite signs that indicate a sink may need replacing. Leaks from the stainless structure that are not attributed to drain fittings may signify the sink has reached the end of its service life. If leaking is from a drain fitting, it is most likely a seal leak that can be easily repaired by a plumber. If leaking comes from the stainless structure, including the corners, bottom of the bowl or where the sink bowls meets drain boards, it may be time to replace the prep sink.
Dents in sink bowl bottoms and drain boards are typically signs that it is time to replace the sink. Dents in the sink hold water and may create sanitation issues due to improper draining. This can create bacteria growth and lead to contamination, compromising food safety.
Corrosion is another sign of sink deterioration. This may be from rust caused by several issues, ranging from overly caustic or non-approved food-safe cleaning materials to staff dumping food and/or highly acidic liquids into the bowl. Cleaning materials or acidic food product, such as pickle juice, will corrode sinks that are not thoroughly washed, rinsed and sanitized.
Sometimes, menu changes and increases in business require other equipment modifications in the kitchen, such as an increase in prep that needs more space to be properly handled. If the sink is not sized properly, this could also indicate a need for a replacement.
