Frequently asked questions about sinks and mixer taps

Questions about Silgranit sinks:

What is Silgranit PuraDur made of?

Our granite sinks consist of Silgranit PuraDur, a composite material made of up to 80 % natural granite. This is apparent not only to the eye, but also to the touch. Our Silgranit sinks have a lovely stone-like feel and are also extremely easy to clean. After all, PuraDur acts as a hygiene protection formula that ensures highly convenient maintenance. What’s more, the material is highly resistant. You want to have free rein in your kitchen, whether you're cooking with tomatoes, strawberries, lemon juice or carrots. Your sink is impervious to whatever ends up in it, and simply will not allow any deposits or discolouration. This makes your Silgranit sink an optimal synthesis of functionality and visual appeal.

Is Silgranit PuraDur heat-resistant?

Sometimes, things can really hot up in your kitchen. Your Silgranit sink is happy to go with the flow. After all, Silgranit is heat-resistant up to 280 °C, so you can put hot pots and pans straight into the sink without any qualms. It can keep its cool and take the heat. What’s more, it won’t suffer any discolouration. Bleaching is also out of the question.

How resistant is Silgranit PuraDur?

Silgranit PuraDur consists of 80 % granite. In practice, this means no scratches, no cracks, and no fractures. In short: your sink is extremely resistant. As such, you won’t need to worry about putting pots, pans and plates down wherever you fancy in your kitchen. You can also splash red wine, orange juice, hot coffee or beetroot juice around with abandon. We guarantee that your Silgranit granite sink won’t mind one bit.

Does Silgranit PuraDur present any risk if it comes into contact with food?

Being in the kitchen is all about living, eating and enjoyment. Oil might splash onto the stacker or the odd bit of meat might end up in the sink bowl every now and then. This is nothing to worry about. Your Silgranit sink is happy to go with the flow. Silgranit PuraDur has a defensive shield to protect you and your food from dirt and bacteria. This is down to its unique, patented hygiene protection formula, which has an antibacterial effect. This is scientifically proven: tests show that this hygiene protection reduced the build-up of the relevant bacteria by up to 98 %. This makes chopping, cooking and eating in your kitchen hygienically safe.

How do you clean Silgranit PuraDur surfaces?

Cutting up beetroot, chopping onions or peeling apples: things sometimes go astray when you're performing kitchen tasks. But your Silgranit sink is perfectly able to cope. Its secret is its fine-pored, unbroken surface, which practically prevents dirt from sticking at all and ensures that water simply rolls away. This protects the sink from limescale deposits and contamination.

However, if the odd stain does appear at any point, simply reach for a scouring pad and a little washing-up liquid and water. You’ll have your Silgranit sink clean again in one wipe. In case of stubborn soiling, it’s best to use a professional cleaning agent, such as our BLANCO Aktiv powder.

Can Silgranit granite sinks change colour over time?

Fresh fruit, vegetables and years of bright sunshine provide the surfaces of your sink with plenty of challenges as time goes on. But they remain completely indifferent. After all, our Silgranit sinks are solid as a rock. Unflagging. The material is hewn from a single piece of granite, so it will not discolour or fade under normal use, and with a little care.

What causes dark marks on Silgranit granite sinks?

If you were to slide a pot across the drainer, for instance, it could cause metal abrasion. This is because Silgranit has a fine-pored surface that is harder than metal, thus leading to dark marks on light sinks.
However, this is no cause for concern. You can simply clean your sink with a sponge and a little washing-up liquid and hot water. Once again, it will be the kitchen gem that you know and love.

How can I remove metallic traces (e.g. from pots) from my Silgranit sink?

Robust and colour-fast: these qualities define your Silgranit sink. This makes any little dark streaks that appear on your surfaces all the more striking. These are most likely to have been caused by pots. But there’s no need to panic: you can remove such signs of abrasion in one step: After all, not only is your sink robust, but it is also extremely easy to clean. Just use the rough side of your sponge, moisten it with a little hot water, and wipe it over the dirty area. Voilà! Your sink will be its shining self once again.

Can discolouration or marks appear on Silgranit PuraDur?

Day-to-day use of your Silgranit sink may result in the odd mark appearing. If limescale deposits have formed on your sink, for instance, these can easily absorb spilled coffee, tea or red wine. You may see notice slight discolouration as a result. However, if you look after your sink regularly, this won’t be a problem. You won’t need to embark on a deep clean to put it right. After all, as materials go, Silgranit PuraDur is extremely easy to clean. A little bit of TLC with a scouring pad and some washing-up liquid is all your sink needs for marks to disappear in a few simple steps. Then it only remains to rinse it down with water and rub it dry, and your sink will be sparkling clean once again.

How can I remove limescale from my Silgranit sink?

Limescale can be a persistent problem, depending on where you live and the state of your water pipes. Unsightly water marks can appear all of a sudden and detract from the beauty of the pride of your kitchen. How fortunate that cleaning your Silgranit sink is no big deal. To put it right, you need a professional descaling agent, a commercially available heavy-duty detergent or vinegar concentrate, along with hot water no cooler than 60 °C. Apply the solution to the marks and leave it to steep for at least 2 hours (or simply overnight). Then wash the sink down thoroughly, clean it with a sponge and finally rub it dry.

How can I clean my basket strainer?

The basket strainer is the secret hero in your sink. After all, it prevents your sink from getting clogged up, thus ensuring perfect functionality. Over time, however, the basket strainer will collect some dirt, so you should give it a clean every now and then. You don’t even have to buy a special cleaner for that purpose.

Here’s our trick: put a level teaspoon of powdered dishwashing detergent onto the closed basket strainer. Pour approx. 250 ml boiling water over it and leave the solution to work. Now brush and scrub it (e.g. with a dishwashing brush) until the basket strainer and drain cup are shining once again. Finally, open up the basket strainer and take out the basket insert. Now you have room to clean the hole opening in the drain cup. Once this is squeaky clean too, reinsert the basket insert and rinse it with clean water.

Are the holes for mixer taps already punched or drilled out of the sinks?

We do our bit to make sure that you’re all set up, so almost all our stainless steel and ceramic sinks come with a punched-out tap hole. This means that you won’t have to do any extra work before installing it. Some Silgranit sinks are milled from the underside. You simply have to knock through the pre-milled holes.

How to do it: first place the sink in a sturdy holder. Now take a punch and place it in the middle of the mark. Use a hammer to hit the punch holes for the mixer tap, soap dispenser and drain remote control, as required, without exerting force on the punch itself. Then carefully knock the rest of the Silgranit pieces out of their marked holes. Now get a file and file the hole to the right size. You may need to do this if the hole is flush with the preliminary milling. Now there’s only one thing left to do: insert your mixer tap, and off you go.

What is the easiest way of removing stains from dark sinks?

Milky patches can soon show up on your stylish dark sink. These are caused by limescale deposits, which can vary hugely from place to place, and depending on the state of your water pipes. Such stains also pick up deposits from substances like tea or coffee, and are thus responsible for discolouration. But all this isn’t as bad as it sounds. Luckily, BLANCO Antikalk, a little vinegar-based cleaner or diluted citric acid and hot water can come to your rescue. The limescale will dissolve if you clean your kitchen sink thoroughly with these substances.

If you don’t want to manage unsightly marks, be sure to dry your sink off with a microfibre cloth after every use. Doing this will prevent the limescale from occurring in the first place.

Questions about stainless steel sinks

Can stainless steel sinks rust?

Stainless steel stays just as it is: resistant and rustproof. This is due to its passive coating, which is constantly regenerating itself. You should clean your stainless steel sink thoroughly in order to ensure that it stays shining for years to come. It is particularly important to remove all dirt and limescale deposits. However, your sink will not respond well to cleaning agents containing chlorine or hydrochloric acid. Strong sodium chloride solutions that take too long to work are also a no-go.

But what if you’ve spotted a couple of tiny reddish-orange marks on your stainless steel sink? If stainless steel comes into contact with rusty objects, such as cheap, unprotected steel, the rust can transfer onto your sink. This is nothing to worry about. You can wipe the rust away in one swipe using a damp sponge and a special stainless steel cleaning agent, and your sink will be spotlessly clean once again.

What causes small marks on the surface of a stainless steel sink?

Even showpieces like our stainless steel sinks sometimes get little marks on their surface. This is usually due to limescale deposits caused by water. These limescale deposits like to gather dirt particles, so you’ll notice small marks on your otherwise sparkling sink. Another origin is small iron and rust particles from the water pipes. These appear to leave traces of rust on your stainless steel sink.

However, you can get all this under control in no time. Impurities and traces of limescale can be removed in a trice with a damp cloth. If you’re struggling to remove any stubborn limescale, it’s time to try a special cleaning agent. Once that’s done, your stainless steel sink will look the way you remember once again: sparkling clean.

How can I prevent small marks from forming in my stainless steel sink?

Such radiant shine requires a little care. It doesn’t take much effort, but it needs to be done frequently. So if you want to avoid little marks on your stainless steel sink, rub it dry after each use. You don’t need to scrub it vigorously. After rinsing, simply wipe it with a soft cloth and a mild cleaner, then dry it – all done!

If you do spot an unwanted mark, use a descaling cleaning agent specially designed for stainless steel. Together with a suitable stainless steel cleaning sponge, the surface will be so spotlessly clean that you’ll wonder where those marks went so quickly.

Why is my new stainless steel sink showing scratch marks after only a few weeks?

Brand new but a few little scratches already: your stainless steel sink will be a little susceptible to this at first. However, there’s no need to worry. This is completely normal, even with our top quality stainless steel. Just wait and see: after a few days, many of the little scratches will appear to have vanished again. What’s happened? The scratches haven’t vanished into thin air; instead, they close over slowly, thanks to the effect of oxygen. This is constantly renewing the passive coating. As such, the stainless steel sink in your kitchen heals itself.

Taking good care of your sink will start to pay off within just a few weeks, so use care products and a sponge on it regularly. The more attention you give to your sink, the more scratch-resistant it will become.

How can I clean my basket strainer?

The basket strainer is the secret hero in your sink. After all, it prevents your sink from getting clogged up, thus ensuring perfect functionality. Over time, however, the basket strainer will collect some dirt, so you should give it a clean every now and then. You don’t even have to buy a special cleaner for that purpose.

Here’s our trick: put a level teaspoon of powdered dishwashing detergent onto the closed basket strainer. Pour approx. 250 ml boiling water over it and leave the solution to work. Now brush and scrub it (e.g. with a dishwashing brush) until the basket strainer and drain cup are shining once again. Finally, open up the basket strainer and take out the basket insert. Now you have room to clean the hole opening in the drain cup. Once this is squeaky clean too, reinsert the basket insert and rinse it with clean water.

Are the holes for mixer taps already punched or drilled out of the sinks?

We do our bit to make sure that you’re all set up, so almost all our stainless steel and ceramic sinks come with a punched-out tap hole. This means that you won’t have to do any extra work before installing it. Some Silgranit sinks are milled from the underside. You simply have to knock through the pre-milled holes.

How to do it: first place the sink in a sturdy holder. Now take a punch and place it in the middle of the mark. Use a hammer to hit the punch holes for the mixer tap, soap dispenser and drain remote control, as required, without exerting force on the punch itself. Then carefully knock the rest of the Silgranit pieces out of their marked holes. Now get a file and file the hole to the right size. You may need to do this if the hole is flush with the preliminary milling. Now there’s only one thing left to do: insert your mixer tap, and off you go.

Questions about ceramic sinks

What makes a ceramic sink special?

They are the ultimate synthesis of nature and design, as we make our ceramic sinks from natural raw materials. This means that every sink is a unique piece – including yours. This is apparent from the look and feel every time you come into contact with it. Delicate forms, tasteful accents and full-bodied colours charm not only the eye, but also bring magic to the heart of your kitchen.

Above all, this is down to the expertise and care taken by our employees. They always create sinks that meet the highest standards, with patience and precision. The natural character of ceramic sinks gives them certain tolerances that we observe and check meticulously. We voluntarily submit our ceramic sinks for regular testing by the Certification Board of the Bavarian State Testing Authority (Landesgewerbeanstalt Bayern, LGA). These always come back with the same result: confirmation that you can rely unconditionally on our ceramic sinks.

How robust is a ceramic sink?

Cutting, chopping and heat: things can really hot up in your kitchen. And that’s precisely when your ceramic sink shows just what it can do. Its high-quality workmanship allows it to rise to any challenge, thanks to its hard and robust surface, which makes your sink scratch- and cut-resistant. What’s more, it is shock-resistant.

However, you shouldn’t take that as an invitation to treat it roughly. Exceptionally large and heavy objects should not be dropped onto its surface from a height. This would leave a mark on even this robust sink.

Are ceramic sinks easy to clean?

When vegetables, meat and fruit have all done their worst on the ceramic sink, you’d expect to be faced with something of a disaster. But you don’t need to worry about all that with your ceramic sink. The smooth and completely unbroken surface ensures that no dirt can settle on it. What’s more, any soiling that is visible after long cooking sessions is easy to tackle. Just get a soft sponge, a little washing-up liquid and warm water, and wipe it away. A microfibre cloth is best for rubbing it dry. However, steer clear of scouring agents, steel brushes and aggressive mixer tap cleaners containing chlorine. Your ceramic sink won’t like these at all.

What happens if acids or alkalis come into contact with the ceramic sink?

You won’t want to do things by halves when it comes to cleaning your house. If you want to get your space spotlessly clean, from your living room to your kitchen, then you're going to use using cleaning agents – standard household cleaners, alkaline and acid solutions. Your ceramic sink is fairly forgiving. If acids or alkalis accidentally find their way into the sink, you can simply carry on with your cleaning. After all, our sinks are resistant to these substances.

Are ceramic sinks heat-resistant?

If you have ever needed to take a boiling hot pot of pasta off the stove, you’re bound to have asked yourself, “Now, where can I put this?” Your ceramic sink provides plenty of space for such eventualities. After all, it is outstandingly heat-resistant, so high temperatures cannot damage it. As such, you won’t have to worry about discolouration or bleaching. Sizzling pans and hot pots at up to 280 °C can simply be taken off the stove and placed directly in the sink.

Are ceramic sinks food-safe?

Not only are our ceramic sinks ideal for day-to-day washing up, but they also provide a space to chop up tomatoes, meat and garlic. The material makes it ideal as a place for food. The smooth, non-porous surface prevents food remains from getting stuck.

Light soiling caused by cutting, frying or cooking on nearby utensils is easily remedied. It can be eliminated even faster than it appeared with a soft sponge, a little washing-up liquid and warm water. This means no unpleasant smells or unsightly discolouration on your sink.

Can the colours of a ceramic sink change over time?

Our ceramic sinks are non-fade. This means that you can install your sink in a bright room or in front of a window. Direct sunlight doesn’t pose any problem, so the colour of your sink will stay just as it was when you got it, for years to come. By the same token, standard household use of your sink will not alter its colour.

If your sink sees a lot of use, light limescale deposits may form over time. When combined with foodstuffs like coffee or red wine, this can cause slight discolouration. But there’s no need to panic: you can address the problem in a matter of minutes. In this case, use vinegar concentrate or a professional biological cleaner such as our BLANCO Antikalk. Soon you’ll see that you were worrying about nothing.

What is PuraPlus?

PuraPlus is a special coating designed for our ceramic sinks. Not only does it have a great name, but it also makes life in the kitchen that much easier. The sealing effect gives your sink a fine-pored, unbroken surface that causes water to simply roll off it. This protects it against limescale deposits, while impurities hardly stand a chance of settling there. As far as you are concerned, this means a sink that you can clean in just a few steps every day.

How should I clean my ceramic sink?

If time-consuming cleaning marathons really aren’t your thing, rest easy: your ceramic sink is very low-maintenance. Just putting some warm water and washing-up liquid on a soft sponge and cleaning your kitchen sink with it every day will do the trick. Limescale is best avoided by rubbing your sink dry with a microfibre cloth afterwards.

If you find stubborn dirt on your otherwise spotlessly clean sink, it’s best to opt for a professional cleaning agent. BLANCO PuraPlus Liquid goes a good job of pre-cleaning worktops that require extra effort. This cleaner removes limescale deposits and metal abrasion, without being too taxing. Fast and straightforward In order to ensure that water continues to roll off your sink, it’s worth using a care product like BLANCO CeraCare, which both cleans and nourishes the surface. This will re-seal the surface of your sink. Avoid scouring agents, aggressive drain cleaners and scratchy brushes or steel sponges. These will damage the pristine surfaces. What’s more, they could cause the sink to lose its lovely shine.

How can I clean my basket strainer?

The basket strainer is the secret hero in your sink. After all, it prevents your sink from getting clogged up, thus ensuring perfect functionality. Over time, however, the basket strainer will collect some dirt, so you should give it a clean every now and then. You don’t even have to buy a special cleaner for that purpose.

Here’s our trick: put a level teaspoon of powdered dishwashing detergent onto the closed basket strainer. Pour approx. 250 ml boiling water over it and leave the solution to work. Now brush and scrub it (e.g. with a dishwashing brush) until the basket strainer and drain cup are shining once again. Finally, open up the basket strainer and take out the basket insert. Now you have room to clean the hole opening in the drain cup. Once this is squeaky clean too, reinsert the basket insert and rinse it with clean water.

Are the holes for mixer taps already punched or drilled out of the sinks?

We do our bit to make sure that you’re all set up, so almost all our stainless steel and ceramic sinks come with a punched-out tap hole. This means that you won’t have to do any extra work before installing it. Some Silgranit sinks are milled from the underside. You simply have to knock through the pre-milled holes.

How to do it: first place the sink in a sturdy holder. Now take a punch and place it in the middle of the mark. Use a hammer to hit the punch holes for the mixer tap, soap dispenser and drain remote control, as required, without exerting force on the punch itself. Then carefully knock the rest of the Silgranit pieces out of their marked holes. Now get a file and file the hole to the right size. You may need to do this if the hole is flush with the preliminary milling. Now there’s only one thing left to do: insert your mixer tap, and off you go.

What is the easiest way of removing stains from dark sinks?

Milky patches can soon show up on your stylish dark sink. These are caused by limescale deposits, which can vary hugely from place to place, and depending on the state of your water pipes. Such stains also pick up deposits from substances like tea or coffee, and are thus responsible for discolouration. But all this isn’t as bad as it sounds. Luckily, BLANCO Antikalk, a little vinegar-based cleaner or diluted citric acid and hot water can come to your rescue. The limescale will dissolve if you clean your kitchen sink thoroughly with these substances.

If you don’t want to constantly have to contend with unsightly marks, be sure to dry your sink off with a microfibre cloth after every use. Doing this will prevent the limescale from occurring in the first place.

Questions about mixer taps

How can I clean the mixer taps in my kitchen?

Generally speaking, our mixer taps are easy-care and hygienic. This is thanks to their smooth surface, which allows hardly any dirt to settle on it. However, mixer taps do benefit from regularly cleaning. It doesn’t take much effort, but it needs to be done frequently. Take a mild cleaning agent and go over the mixer taps a few times with the soft side of a sponge. Now rub them dry with a microfibre cloth, and you’ll see that your mixer taps are back to being a stand-out feature of your kitchen once again, in just a few simple steps.

If a low-pressure mixer tap is dripping, does that mean that it's broken?

If your low-pressure mixer tap is dripping slightly, there’s no need to get a plumber in right away. This is completely normal. The reason is that low-pressure mixer taps are normally connected to a boiler. If you have used some warm water, cold water will flow into the boiler to be heated up. The rise in temperature means that the water in the pipe expands. As a result, the rising water pressure causes a small amount of water to be pushed into the mixer tap, where a few drops will escape.

How do I work out whether I need a high-pressure or low-pressure mixer tap?

Most people will need a high-pressure mixer tap in their home. This is always the case if the water is heated by the central water supply. You can tell whether applies to you if your kitchen has a wall valve for both cold and warm water pipes. You will therefore need a mixer tap that can handle the high water pressure from the pipes. Sometimes, however, your flat or house many not have a central hot water supply. In this case, the water will be heated by a boiler or flow heater. If your home has a flow heater for warm water, you will also need a high pressure mixer tap. A low-pressure mixer tap is required if your warm water is supplied via a boiler. This minimises the pressure from the water pipe and conducts the water at a much lower pressure into the boiler.

How can I increase the longevity of my pull-out spray?

Our pull-out sprays make your everyday life a little easier. They allow you to get the water to the part of the sink where it is actually needed. Flexible and effective. As such, our hoses are designed for constant movement. Just make sure that the hose does not develop any kinks. This can damage it, causing it to start dripping.

If the hose is no longer gliding smoothly back into the body of the tap, this doesn’t mean that you’ve done something wrong. Simply apply a little mixer tap lubricant as soon as the first signs start to show. That should do the trick. The hose will then glide back into place quickly and directly, just as it did before.

Which mixer tap works in front of a kitchen window?

Imagine standing in the sunshine at the kitchen window and calmly doing the washing up. Our mixer taps make this possible. Just take a look at our detachable, lowerable or collapsible mixer taps. These three concepts allow you to open the window on the other side of your sink easily and in only a few steps.

What should I do if my mixer tap is spraying?

A spraying mixer tap gets water everywhere, not just in the sink bowl. This is usually caused by limescale that has accumulated in the mixer tap. Instead of reaching straight for an aggressive cleaning agent, adding a little citric acid or vinegar to your cleaning water should solve the problem.

To clean it, wipe the fine mesh attached to the tap outlet clean. Go over it again with a soft microfibre cloth. The trick to preventing a spraying mixer tap is to clean it regularly, so limescale doesn’t get the chance to build up.

What should I do if my mixer tap is dripping?

Splish, splash: a dripping tap is very annoying. However, there’s no need for agitation. This is either due to limescale deposits in the mixer tap cartridge, or the seals are no longer fit for purpose. Unless you’re very adept at DIY and have a well-equipped toolbox, it’s best to call a sanitary specialist to deal with this. If you’re up to handling it yourself, clean any calcified areas of the seals or mixer tap with citric acid or vinegar. If the seal has become porous it should be replaced using the right tool. Once that’s done, everything in your kitchen will be back in order again.

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