How To Remove Burn Marks From Plastic Bathroom Sinks

Bathroom sinks are made to be sturdy and hold up to a lot of wear and tear, but sometimes, they end up with damage that takes a bit of work to correct. Bathroom sinks can face burns from hair-styling devices that use heat, lit candles and even dropped cigarettes. These burns can leave discoloration, and in the case of a plastic sink, they can deform the surface as well. As long as the burn marks are small, these can often be removed or at least smoothed over with a bit of care.

The first step to remove a burn mark from a plastic sink is trying to remove as much discoloration as possible from the plastic surface. Start with a liquid soap and a scrubbing sponge and see how much of the burn mark can be removed.

If this doesn't remove the stain completely, try smoothing a baking soda paste over the discolored area and allowing it to sit for a few minutes before scrubbing it off with the scrubbing sponge.

If there's still visible stain, try a powdered bathroom cleaner. Scrub it into the surface and then let it rest for a few minutes. Upgrade to a scrub brush if needed. Remove as much of the visible stain as possible and then wash the area clean with fresh water.

Keep in mind that sometimes, the mark will not be entirely removable. You can work to remove the stain with sandpaper, but that area will then need to be filled in with an epoxy or another filler. If the burn has already warped or otherwise damaged the surface, you'll be sanding and filling anyway, which should let you remove all discoloration. If the damage isn't bad enough to require epoxy and paint, simply work to get the visual mark as small as possible.

If there's physical damage as well as discoloration, it's best to sand out as much of it as possible and then fill with an epoxy or other suitable filler. In cases where heat damage has melted part of the sink surface, it may be tempting to try to apply more heat and smooth out the dent, but unless you're a professional, this is likely to leave more of a mess than you started with.

Prepare the area by using a fine-grit sandpaper to sand down the edges of the mark. Be careful to sand only the damaged area rather than the unblemished sink on either side. Don't spread the damage.

Choose a type of epoxy filler that will work with your sink. While wearing disposable gloves to protect your hands, fill in the damaged area with epoxy until it is just slightly higher than the surface of the sink. Smooth it out as best you can and allow the epoxy time to dry according to the instructions on the package. Once dry, if the epoxy isn't completely smooth or level, gently sand the surface until it is aligned with the rest of the sink surface.

Cover the patch and any remaining visual damage with a paint matched to the color of the sink. Be sure to use a paint that will withstand the use of water in and around the sink area.