Using your sponge or cloth, scrub the sink in a circular motion.

The sink sparkled for weeks. And every time I rinsed a dish, I’d give a little nod to the orange box in the pantry. The hero didn’t wear a cape. It wore a dusting of white powder and asked for nothing in return.

After five minutes of scrubbing, I turned on the tap. Hot water cascaded over the white paste, swirling it down the drain, taking years of grime with it. I used a wet cloth to wipe the faucet base and handles, then dried everything with an old towel.

If your sink is stainless steel, always scrub (the tiny brushed lines in the metal). Scrubbing against the grain can leave visible micro-scratches over time. To finish, dab a tiny drop of olive oil on a paper towel and rub it over the basin for a professional shine.