Installation Guides - Use and Care

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Our copper sinks have a living, self healing patina. Simply rinse your sink after use. No drying required. The patina will change with over time, offering delightful hues and patterns. Simply clean with dish soap to remove grease and dirt.  Many new sink owners can't believe that our sinks are so low maintenance. There is nothing you can do that will permanently harm the interior of your sink.  Note: leaving metal pans in the sink will likely leave dark marks in the copper. These marks go away by themselves. If you want to speed up the process, simply take a ScotchBrite pad and gently go over the dark area. Don't worry about scratch marks. Those become invisible quickly.

We send a small bottle of copper conditioner along with your sink. It is not a cleaner, it is more like a polish that also puts a temporary coating on the copper that inhibits changes to the patina. Only use this when you like the current patina in your sink. If you are waiting for the patina to regenerate, do not use this spray as it will not allow the copper to patina. 

The aprons of our copper, brass and bronze sinks have an extremely durable clearcoat. That being said, there is no clearcoat that will not scratch. Please make sure that your plumber and other workers do not wear tool belts during installation process.  Ensure that they do not use any type of tape on the face of the apron. 

Once the sink has been installed, simply wash the apron with mild soap and water as needed. 

The protective clear topcoat is on the vertical surface only. 

We do send a copper conditioner with your sink. It is designed to be use in the bowl, however, it can be used on the apron to polish it up. It will not harm the top coat. 

You are in luck. You will not need to protect the bottom of your sink as is required by the majority of sink companies. The reason for this is our signature hand finishing. The pattern of our finishing minimizes the possibility of noticeable scratches. If you happen to scratch or scuff your sink, you can simply remove the mark and blend in with the original pattern using the ScotchBrite pad included with your order. Our sinks do not require special cleaners, simply wash your sink with soap and water. 

We do offer a wonderful stainless cleaner and conditioner by a company called Bayes. See it in the accessory tab. It helps to prevent water spots and when used on stainless appliances, will prevent finger printing for about a week. It is food safe and easy to apply. 

If you have an unlacquered brass or bronze sink without burnishing, you have two choices: If you want to keep the sink looking like it did when you received it, we suggest purchasing a quality brass cleaner. You will have to clean the sink frequently. If you want it to age naturally, have patience. It can take several months for the sink to "start" looking the way you might want it to look.

If your sink is burnished, see the copper sink care above. The brass and bronze will react similarly.

Easy care here for sure!

Simply wash your sink with soap and water. 

Millennia stainless is made of domestic 304L, which is a higher grade of stainless than typical 304. The "L" stands for low carbon. So, what does that do for you? Well, this type of stainless exhibits outstanding corrosion resistance. You are assured you will have a sink that will last generations. 

The embossed pattern in the stainless helps to hide scratches and water spots. It is quite a bit shinier than our hand finished stainless. It is NSA certified to be used in food preparation as it is very easy to clean. 

Linda sends an email to a new Rachiele copper sink owner...

 "Dino Rachiele forwarded an email you'd written regarding your new sink and asked if I would contact you. I purchased two copper sinks and have been using them daily since 2012.

I read your email and saw the picture that you'd sent Dino and wanted to share my thoughts. The first thing I thought when I saw the picture was that your sink looked brand new and hasn't had a chance to develop the patina that will come with use. When my sinks first arrived, like yours, they were a uniform color. When I first started using them, the very first marks (reactions to the copper) stood out in stark relief against that uniform color. They were very noticeable and you eye can't help but go right to them. You said in your email that you aren't even using the sink like you will be once you're cooking and entertaining. Once you start really using it, the sink will have a lovely, varied finish. You won't have that one mark that stands out like you do now.

The beauty of the sinks really comes out as you have lots and lots of marks that are made and then fade and change. You'll have layers of overlapping reactions that will create a gorgeous patina.

Best of luck and enjoy your new kitchen!

Linda"