Did you know that without regular cleaning, your kitchen sink can become one of the dirtiest surfaces in your home — with even more germs and bacteria than your toilet seat?! Yikes! If that first sentence has you ready to scrub, below is a great step by step guide that will have your sink sparkling in no time! Plus, you can do it without using any harmful chemicals!

Here's what you'll need:

Liquid dishwashing soap
Distilled white vinegar
Baking Soda
Rock salt
Lemon or lime
Ice
Old rag
Toothbrush
Nylon or soft sponge

1. To keep up with it, every day use a mild soap and nylon sponge or soft rag to wipe it clean. If you're in a rush, you can use an all-purpose or glass cleaner, but it's important to avoid ammonia, bleach, or abrasive cleaners on stainless steel. Also, don't use abrasive sponges, as they can scratch away at your sink's finish. After cleaning, rinse and wipe the sink dry with a soft rag.

2. To begin, rinse your sink well. Remember, it's a great idea to rinse out your sink after each and every use, because the salt and acid in food can damage the finish of a stainless steel sink.

3. After wetting your sink, sprinkle baking soda onto the entire surface. Next, work the baking soda into a paste, and then rinse thoroughly.

4. To clean the caulk seal and around the top of the sink, use a soft-bristle toothbrush soaked with a baking soda paste or a mild soap, and then gently scrub. Rinse, repeat, and wipe with a soft towel until the towel comes up clean. (Use this same technique on the gasket of your garbage disposal if you have one.)

5. After completing the previous step, cover the surface of the entire sink with paper towels soaked in white vinegar. Allow this to sit for 20 minutes, and then throw the paper towels away.

6. Using a soft nylon sponge and soapy water, clean the sink well, and then rinse it.

7. If you have a garbage disposal, pour one half cup of baking soda down the drain. Then pour one cup of white vinegar down the drain (on top of the baking soda). The mixture will fizz, so don't be alarmed! Allow this to sit for a bit as you boil a pot of hot water, and then pour the boiling water down the drain.

8. Next, fill the drain with two cups of ice, and then pour a cup of rock salt over the ice cubes. Run the cold water, and turn on the garbage disposal until all the ice is gone. The ice and salt will serve to loosen the grime from the grinding components of the disposal.

9. Cut a lemon or lime in half, and as you run the water, add the halves one at a time into the running garbage disposal. The citrus will help clean your drain, and also make it smell good!

10. Finally, for the faucets, wipe them down with a mild soapy mixture. Again, you can use a toothbrush to get in the hard-to-reach places. If spots remain, a cloth soaked in white vinegar can be used again. Once you're finished cleaning your sink, rinse it well, and dry with a soft towel. Your sink should now be gleaming!