Plastic washing up bowl in stainless steel kitchen sink - why?

Moocow I asked because it seems well worth while using tea leaves from tea pots but I'd not use tea bags as soil improvers.

I've inherited a ghastly white sink which constantly stains in my new house and no room for a dishwasher. So, I use a small plastic bowl for w/u. I'm on a water meter, a new thing for me, so I'm very aware of water use. I would imagine my bowl & sink are some of the cleanest and germ free in the country. Even when I had a huge triple sink & a dishwasher at my old property, I still used a bowl. Always conservation conscious....
I can never understand why large sinks are filled to the top for w/u but, we are all different- thank God

Moocow we need to know what the lovely colour of the washing up bowl was....as a matter of urgency.

But how do you soak your orchids if you don’t use a bowl?
The sink is too big, they fall over.
I could have gone outside but it was raining.
Sorry my sink isn’t stainless steel but to heck with it surely any sink will do?

Alexa yes. Why do you ask?

No you are right Anne I bet there are small scratches.

Ok Alexa. I've obviously got that wrong. ?

boat sprinkle bicarbonate of soda round stained area and rub.

For stainless steel, non-stick and enamel surfaces, I use 'Washup Wiz' from Lakeland which is a bit pricey but lasts, literally, for years and is completely non-scratchy. Bartender's Friend is also invaluable on stainless steel. My daffodil-yellow washing up bowl gets bleached every so often to keep it looking cheerful.

Moocow, do you use loose tea leaves ?

I use Brillo pads to clean my sink which is the standard B and Q single stainless steel single sink. Maybe they do leave scratches so small that I can't see them.

Would brillo pads not scratch the sink?

Boat, I bet Brillo pads would clean the tea bag stains.

Amazed I've started a discussion that has generated so many contributions!

My sink is very old and unless my eyes deceive me there are no scratches or stains. I wash it out with washing up liquid and do not use sponges. My hand is enough or as someone said earlier, a washing up brush. Lemon kept by the sink is lovely to use up for cleaning, wonder if that's why there are no scratches or stains. You know what they say about the old household cupboard having items at the ready for cleaning all sorts. Dregs not a problem in our household either, if missed they go on the roses unless it is freezing out. I know it's tea leaves but it is liquid and they are close to the door. Gives me a chance to get some air if I need an excuse! Very interesting reading comments made.

Bicarbonate of soda applied with a damp sponge will clean most stains from a sink.

Boat, a quick wipe over with a mild bleach solution removes any stains on stainless steel. There's also a powder cleaner called Bar Tender's Friend which works well.

I wish we had one of those half sinks, Auntieflo. They lookreally useful.

I put my plastic bowl across the sink, and then there is space underneath for any tea/ coffee dregs to be disposed of, without getting the underneath if the bowl stained. DH seems not to use the half sink for anything!

This is horrendous!

You are all ignoring the most important point raised on this thread; the role of stainless steel in our domestic happiness.

I have to say it is negative because it isn't (stainless that is). I recently acquired my first sink made from this material and happily parked used tea bags on the corner until they cooled down. It stained.

Is there anyone out there, who is a better chemist than I, who can tell me how to reverse this?

p.s. I use a bowl for all the reasons given by previous posters.

No, can’t say I do. We make a drink, sit down and drink it. I can’t see why we’d abandon it mid-cup.

Do you really never find a bit of cold tea or coffee left in a cup when loading the dishwasher? ☺

Ah, right. We don't waste any, to be honest. It's different when the grandsons visit, though we have got them on the training programme. Waste not, want not, as my DM would have said.

Drinks, soup etc.

where do you put the slops if you don't have one?

What are these slops of which we speak? If they're the scrapings off the plates, ours go straight into the food recycling bin, and are collected by our council every week. Is this unusual?

Not if you rinse everything to within an inch of its life before putting it in the dishwasher, humptydumpty, like my late dad used to do ?