First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Cover your hands before you touch the mess, then wipe up the solids with paper towels.
- Blot or carefully scrape off the excess. Don't rub.
- Treat it as soon as you can, because set-in stains are harder to remove.
- Keep hot water off it until the stain is gone.
Vomit is tough on a sink because stomach acid is in it and time makes it harder to lift. A fresh spill usually lifts with a gentle wash, but a spot left to dry takes more patience. What your sink is made of decides how hard you can scrub, so check enameled cast iron, acrylic or vitreous china before you push.
Cleaning puke out of a sink starts with a soft cloth, and anything stronger only goes on if the surface can take it. Throw up that has gone down the drain or into the overflow can keep smelling, so flush those spots too. Rinse the sink well afterward so no residue is left to dull the finish.
Before you start
What sinks can take
Safe to use1
- Water
Use with care4
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
Avoid1
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
7 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Rubber or disposable glovesKeeps the mess off your hands. (opens Amazon)
- Paper towels and a plastic trash bagClears the solids without spreading them. (opens Amazon)
- Soft sponge or clothWipes the stain without scratching the finish. (opens Amazon)
- Mild soap and warm waterThe first cleaner, and the only one for vitreous china at the start. (opens Amazon)
- General-purpose cleaner labeled for your sink's materialFor a heavily soiled sink. (opens Amazon)
- Soft abrasive cleanerOnly for a stubborn mark on enameled cast iron or vitreous china. (opens Amazon)
- Clean dry clothFor the final blot.
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 63 minutes
Clear out the solids
Put on rubber or disposable gloves and wipe up the solids with paper towels. Drop them into a plastic trash bag and seal it.
Blot up any liquid that's left, or carefully scrape off the excess with a flat edge until the surface is clear.
Step 3 of 65 minutes
Use a general-purpose cleaner
If the stain is heavy, apply a general-purpose cleaner labeled for your sink's material. Work it gently over the stain with a soft sponge.
Don't leave it to dry on the surface; move to the rinse as soon as you've worked it in.
Careful. Don't let cleaners soak on surfaces, and rinse overspray off nearby surfaces.
Step 4 of 62 minutes
Rinse the sink completely
Rinse completely with water right after applying any cleaner. Let the water run over the whole stained area until nothing slick or cloudy is left.
Step 5 of 65 minutes
Treat a stubborn mark
If a mark remains on enameled cast iron or vitreous china, use a soft abrasive cleaner sparingly. Keep the area wet with water while you work, then rinse again.
Skip this step on acrylic, because abrasives damage it.
Careful. Never use abrasive cleaners without water.
Step 6 of 62 minutes
Blot the sink dry
Dry the sink with a soft cloth, blotting rather than rubbing. Check the spot in good light before you stop.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for vomit on sinks
Choose a general-purpose cleaner labeled for your sink's material. For acrylic, pick a non-aerosol form and check the label before you buy.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on sinks, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The stain is gone when the spot looks the same as the rest of the sink, with no film or dull patch. Blot it dry and check it in good light before you stop. If a mark remains, repeat the steps that suit your sink's finish.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your sinks
Enameled cast iron sink
Enameled cast iron is the one finish that can take the stubborn-mark step, so a soft abrasive cleaner can be used sparingly for a mark that stays after wiping. Always keep the area wet with water while you work.
Rinse thoroughly afterward so no residue is left on the enamel.
Vitreous china sink
Vitreous china starts with mild soap and warm water, and it can take a soft abrasive only for a stubborn mark, used sparingly and with water. Strong abrasives can scratch and dull the glaze, so keep them for the last resort.
Ammonia-based cleaners can damage the finish, so leave them off this sink.
Acrylic sink
Acrylic gets only the gentlest steps: a soft sponge, mild soap and warm water, then a general-purpose cleaner labeled safe for acrylic. Skip the stubborn-mark step entirely, because abrasive cleansers and solvents damage the bath surface.
Full-strength bleach is off the list for airjet acrylic. Ammonia is off the list too, and so are aerosol products. If the surface has become dull or scratched, that repair belongs to the manufacturer, not to a cleaner.
PVD faucet finish
Faucets and fittings near the sink need their own care. Use only water and mild soap on a PVD finish.
Keep ammonia off it. Keep bleach off it too.
Leave acid cleaners off as well. Rinse any overspray away right away so it doesn't dry on the fixture.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old vomit stain on a sink has usually been there long enough to harden and collect grime. Start with the same wipe and rinse, then repeat it before deciding the stain has failed. The sooner you work on it, the better your chances.
If the stain has dried, wet it with warm water and wipe again, still without letting any cleaner soak. On enameled cast iron or vitreous china, add the soft abrasive cleaner sparingly, always with water.
If the mark is still there after that, stop and check the finish before trying anything stronger. On acrylic, don't scrub harder; a stubborn mark there is a job for the manufacturer's customer service.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on vomit on sinks?
Plenty of home remedies float around for vomit, but most were written for fabric or other stains. Here is what to skip for a sink and why, so you don't waste time or risk the finish.
Skip5Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't start with hot water
Hot water feels like the right move, but heat can set a protein stain in place. Start with warm water and mild soap, and keep hot water off until the stain is gone.
Don't mix cleaners
Ammonia and chlorine bleach must never be mixed, and any two cleaners can react badly. If you need more than one product, rinse the sink thoroughly between them.
Don't scrub an acrylic sink
Abrasive cleansers, solvents and aerosol products damage acrylic. Full-strength bleach is also off the list for airjet acrylic, so stick to a soft sponge and mild soap.
Don't use steel wool on cast iron
Steel wool, wire brushes and abrasive pads can scratch enameled cast iron. Use only a soft abrasive cleaner, sparingly and with water.
Don't rub the stain
Rubbing spreads the stain and works it into the surface. Blot or carefully scrape instead, and wipe with gentle, steady strokes.
When to call a professional
For a dull or scratched acrylic sink, contact the manufacturer's customer service for repairs. On cast iron, improper care and cleaning can void the warranty, so check its terms before using anything strong.
Questions
How do you clean throw-up out of a sink?
Put on gloves, wipe up the solids, and blot the rest. Then wipe with warm water and mild soap, rinse thoroughly, and blot dry. Skip hot water and never let a cleaner soak.
Can I use bleach to clean vomit out of a sink?
No, skip bleach on a sink. Full-strength bleach can damage an acrylic sink, so keep it off. Never mix it with ammonia or other cleaners.
Can I use vinegar or baking soda on a sink?
Baking soda can work as a gentle sponge-on cleanser on enameled cast iron or vitreous china, but it is not a stain remover here. Vinegar doesn't help with this stain, so skip it.
What if the vomit has dried in the sink?
Dried or old stains usually take more than one pass. Repeat the wipe and rinse, and use the stubborn-mark step only on enameled cast iron or vitreous china. Stop if the finish starts to look worse and check it before going further.
Is it safe to scrub an acrylic sink?
No. Abrasive cleansers and solvents damage acrylic, and they can leave the bath surface dull. Use a soft sponge, mild soap and warm water instead, then rinse the sink fully and blot it dry.
Can vomit permanently stain a sink?
It can if it is left to sit, because time makes the stain harder to lift. Clean it soon and rinse fully to give it the best chance of coming out.
Vomit on other materials
Other stains on sinks
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.