Your kitchen sink is something that is rarely thought about when you consider kitchen design, often they’re an afterthought.  But they’re something that are used every day, so when you there’s a scratch, mark or stain it can drive you a little bit crazy. We’ve come up with some considerations to help you keep your sink looking like new, no matter which material it’s made out of.

MATERIAL MATTERS

Stainless Steel

There is a common misconception around stainless steels that they don’t scratch at all. The reality is that stainless steel can scratch, just like any other surface. One thing to be aware of with any brand new sink is that there is a wearing-in process. How long this takes, depends on how often and carefully they are used. This can take anywhere between one to two years. After a while all scratching and marks end up blending and buffing together so they don’t stand out like they do within the first few months.

Granite / Acrylic composite

Granite sinks are very popular for good reason, they look fantastic in your kitchen. But they’re not always the right option for everyone. While they can look amazing they also require a little more care and maintenance to keep them looking great.  These sinks are very sturdy, being made up of approximately 80% quartz and 20% resin. Their shapes are formed by mixing up this solution and pouring it into a mold.   This molding process is why there are some limitations to how many sizes and dimensions are available for granite sinks.

Black is our most popular colour, but you’ll need to keep in mind that if you have high calcium levels in your water supply they can be more prone to calcium rings appearing around the waste or splashing type marks up the sides of the sink.. This can combated by cleaning your sink more often, but if you’re someone that doesn’t have the time or energy to give your sink a little extra TLC, then these might not be the sinks for you. But on the other hand, if you’re more particular with your cleaning routine, then these sinks could just be your perfect match.

REMOVING SPECIFIC STAINS

Calcium build up

To combat calcium build up we highly recommend that you baste your sink, much like you’d baste cast iron cooking pans. Do this by pouring a little olive or cooking oil over the surface of your granite sink then wipe with a soft cloth. Use a paper towel to remove any excess oil once you’ve rubbed it in thoroughly.  This will seal your sink and make it so you don’t have to clean it quite as often (but it’s not a magic fix).  For the best results do this while the sink is new and mark free, but you can also use this method to remove calcium marks that might’ve already appeared – you may just need to do it a second time for stubborn calcium build up.

White sinks

A cleaning tip specifically for your white sinks if you do end up with coffee stains or random black scuffs, is to clean it using a solution of one part bleach to three parts water. Let this solution to sit in your sink – how long you leave it to sit depends on the stain and how long it’s been there. Don’t start by leaving it to sit overnight, instead gradually increase the time. Begin with leaving it for about 30 minutes, then reevaluate in one hour increments. It’s very important that you use this cleaning solution for white sinks only.

Limescale stains
You can remove limescale stains with our Regi-Clean Descaler. Leave the product to soak for five minutes and then remove the limescale with a soft wet sponge. Rinse with water, and dry thoroughly.

Rust in stainless steel (polished) sinks
Stainless steel cannot rust by itself. Rust formation is always caused by external influences. If you do see any ‘rust spots’, you should clean the sink with a wet cloth and treat it with Inox Care. Rinse with water, and dry thoroughly.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT CLEANING PRODUCTS

There are a lot of options and demand in the market for organic, eco cleaners. While we are all trying to do our part to be kind to mother earth, these cleaners can sometimes not actually be the best option for your kitchen appliances and surfaces. Specifically oven ceramics, granite sinks and engineered stone bench tops. The main reason why these cleaners can be so damaging is that the majority of them contain limonene. While limonene is naturally derived from citrus rind and comes from a natural source, in a concentrated form it can actually be used as paint stripper. So when choosing your cleaning products, make sure they do not contain limonene.

Reginox Inox Care
For care, protection, and maintenance of stainless-steel products, we advise you to use Inox Care as it gives the
surface a great shine and cleans/protects the surface in both the kitchen and bathroom. We also have two new products from Reginox that have been designed specifically for our range of sinks:

Regi-Clean Oil-coating: protects the sink from dirt, stains and fingerprints.
Regi-Clean Descaler: cleans hygienically and gives the surface a radiant shine. No more limescale.

Figgy & Co

Alongside the range of Reginox cleaning products mentioned above, we also highly recommended the Figgy & Co range as they are not only fantastic for the environment, but also take great care of our kitchen appliances and surfaces. Because their range of products don’t contain limonene, they are the perfect match for all Ikon products while still being derived from natural ingredients.

So there you have it, while there’s no magic fix to replace good old fashioned elbow grease and a regular cleaning routine, there are a few simple steps you can take to keep your kitchen surfaces looking like new for longer. All by just by being aware of the ingredients in the cleaning agents you choose, taking a little time to baste your granite sink and choosing the right material to suit your lifestyle.

ALSO WORTH NOTING

General
To prevent water or limescale stains, dry the sink after each use with a clean cloth (especially in the case of coloured sinks). Do not use abrasive products such as a metal scourer as this can damage the surface. Acidic products and aggressive substances can also damage the sink and may cause stains or irreversible damage to the steel. Examples of these substances are paints, chlorine, drain cleaning products, silver polish, denture cleaner, some toothpastes, S39, hydrogen peroxide and hydrochloric acid (solutions). In case an aggressive substance does drop into the sink, you should remove it immediately and rinse thoroughly with water. We recommend that you repeat this treatment several times. Cleaning the sink afterwards is often too late; by then the material is usually already damaged, which means the stains will keep coming back. Chlorine, bleach and hydrochloric acid are preferably not stored in the cabinet under the sink; the vapours can damage the material of the sink, but also the tap, boiler, etc. Especially in the case of colour coated sinks, the coloured layer can blister more easily.

‘Aging in place’ is becoming something that is preferred by seniors across New Zealand, with the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently and comfortably.

This means more than the comforts of home – it means retaining a sense of independence and ownership well into retirement. As technology advances, we are able to remodel our homes to make this lifestyle easier to obtain and give us the kitchens of the future as we age. Overall, the kitchen is one of the more dangerous rooms in the home. It’s also a room in which we spend a large amount of time.

Our Kleenmaid induction cooktops include many safety features that make these cooktops a real asset when safety is a priority. They recognize the presence of pots and pans in the cooking area, automatically turning off and cooling just a few seconds after they are removed. The induction glass surface is only activated by contact with pots and pans and for this reason, the degree of heating of the induction surface is clearly less than more traditional surfaces. Spill protection comes as a standard feature on all Kleenmaid’s induction cooktops. They recognize when liquid is sitting on the cooking surface and will automatically shut off if not cleaned up. They will also turn off the cooktop in the event of overheating, long absence or an accidental start.

ICT9021 & ICT8021 also feature Thermal Dynamic Sensors. These sensors measure the temperature of the cookware and automatically adjust the cooktop’s power output to prevent the cookware from getting too hot (including if a pot were to boil dry). This reduces the risk of two things, burning the food and overheating the cooktop; very clever. One misconception is that induction hobs affect pace makers, which is unfounded.

Wall ovens are one of the most versatile, convenient and safe versions of an oven to have in an aging in place residence. They can be placed in multiple locations and accessible heights. They can also be aligned with the adjacent countertop, reducing the need to bend or lift.  You also may be able to reduce accidents by installing a pullout counter directly underneath the oven, making it easy to set dishes down as soon as they are pulled from the oven.

Ikon have a large range of wall ovens to choose from and all come with Thermal Reflective Glass and EzyKleen enamel as standard features. Thermal Reflective Glass ensures the heat is retained within the oven and not lost through the glass, meaning fingers won’t be burnt if the oven is accidentally touched while cooking. EzyKleen Oleophobic (oil repelling) enamels are safer as they are nickel free and non-toxic. They are cheaper as the cleaning cycle is only 30 minutes, not 3 hours so they use less energy. Lower cleaning temperatures of 250°C as opposed to 470°C means less wear on oven electronics and hardware.

Sinks are a hotbed of activity in any kitchen.  Consider both the height and depth of the sink to give optimal accessibility. It’s much easier to rinse vegetables and dishes in a shallow sink and it will mean that anyone washing the dishes won’t have to bend too far over to reach the drain. We have shallow sinks options that would be ideal in this situation including Compact 10, Diplomat 10 and Queen R30 from our range of Regent sinks. All are around 15-20cm deep, which is the recommended depth for making accessibility easier. Matching a shallow sink with tapware with sprayer attachments or pullout nozzles will make washing dishes a breeze. Tapware must be matched with the right type of sink to get the best use out of both.

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The kitchen has slowly moved from a space reserved for simply cooking and preparing food, to becoming the entertainment hub of the home, and appliances used for cooking have now become a statement on their own.

High-end appliances improve resale, allow for gourmet cooking and provide proper temperature controls, all while looking sleek and sustaining durability, efficiency and longevity.  Ikon have multiple appliances that are ideal for connecting food culture with advanced technology

Ceiling Rangehoods are a great option for cooking in combination with island bench units.  Sleek and stylish the slimline design of these products means the homeowner can enjoy open plan living and socialize without a big bulky rangehood getting in the way.  They can inserted into the ceiling, hidden away or created as a feature and can be used up to 3 meters away from the cooking zone. They are frequently used overseas in cultures where island cooking is a priority, New Zealand is just starting to take on this trend.

With a controlled environment perfectly suited to meet the needs of both young and aged wine, our beverage cabinet not only protects and stores wine but does so efficiently and affordably.  It offers the convenience of being able to store wine in one dedicated spot that can fit anywhere from a kitchen counter to a built-in unit which fits right in with the kitchen cabinets. Rather than storing wine in a basement or closet, wine can be right there in the kitchen near the preferred serving area – bring your wine cellar right into the kitchen.

On the cutting edge of cooking technology today are steam/convection ovens. Steam is one of the healthiest ways to cook a meal. Traditional ovens pull moisture out of the food as it cooks, while in a steam oven food is cooked in its own juices, enhancing flavor and retaining nutrients. Ikon have a range of steam ovens that will add a touch of class to any kitchen. Aside from the benefits of hydrolytic cleaning, our Hydrolytic™ convection & steam oven features EzyKleen Oleophobic (oil repelling) enamel which has been scientifically proven to repel grease and dirt, making cleaning up a breeze.

Perhaps the most overlooked, yet most critical function in the kitchen is the tap and sink with the most used appliance in the kitchen being the tap/sink combination. On average, a family of four will use their sink area 20-30 times a day. We encourage designers to think about reallocating budgets towards this most heavily used ‘appliance’ allowing clients to spend more for better quality and more attractive solutions.

Some of the products featured in this article:

Designing a kitchen is one thing, but designing a small kitchen can seem as if it demands compromises, whether that’s in functionality, or style. But with good planning even the most compact of kitchens can work efficiently and look fabulous.

Appliances that maximise kitchen space, that are compact but don’t compromise in style and quality are the key. With space at a premium in today’s compact living environments we have products that may be the solution you’re looking for.

A flush mounted Flow-In 2-in-1 cooktop with integrated downdraft system enables designing clean lines without the need for a bulky rangehood and can create space for additional storage instead.  The Flow-In solves the challenge of extraction on kitchen islands where it is impossible to use traditional or even built-in rangehoods and works well for kitchenettes and smaller kitchen spaces as the 520mm cooktop is perfectly adaptable to the standard depth of a 600mm countertop. The compact unit provides more space in the cabinet underneath the cooktop to maximise storage.

Downdraft extractors are a perfect solution for kitchen layouts where you can’t duct up into the roof cavity. We recommend purchasing one of our remote motor options to maximise cabinetry space, as the motor can be stored elsewhere in the home. They are also ideal for those who have windows behind their cooking space. With a touch of a button, the extractor can be raised out of the benchtop when needed and provides a powerful extraction solution while creating a modern and uncluttered look.

Sink Stations are a fantastic option for small kitchens when there’s a need to make use of as much bench space as possible. When the chopping board and roller mat and insert bowl are in place, Sink Stations can be used as a double sink option without the large cut out in the benchtop.  Giving kitchens a large sink to wash big pots or a small option for more delicate washing.  The mat offers drainage within the sink, hot pot placements and preparation of fruit & vegetables.  This is a great extension of the bench without having to compromise on space.

Slide-out rangehoods are real space savers and a great option if you have a narrow or small kitchen as they sit neatly underneath a cupboard and can pulled out when needed to eliminate steam and odours.  These now come in more powerful extraction units which are more effective

One of our products that epitomises the true meaning of versatile is our steam/convection/microwave oven. It can bake, steam, grill or simply microwave – this oven boasts 11 conventional cooking, 8 steam and an impressive 80 auto cooking menus. It also has a generous oven capacity of 35 litres. It ticks an impressive amount of boxes and replaces the necessity for multiple appliances filling valuable kitchen space.

Some of the products featured in this article:

And finally, for apartment design, our recirculating rangehood is a perfect solution. These rangehoods don’t require ducting as they utilise a fan to filter air then recirculate it back into the kitchen.