A bone inlay basin is not a ceramic sink. It's bone, resin and brass — three materials with different natures, joined by hand. Cared for properly, it will outlast the bathroom around it. Cared for carelessly, it can be dulled in a week.
Here is everything you need to know.
Daily care — the short version
- Rinse and wipe dry after use with a soft cloth
- Use mild soap and warm water only
- Never leave standing water in the basin
- Never use abrasive or chemical cleaners
That's it. Ninety percent of caring for an inlay basin is simply drying it.
What to avoid — and why
Harsh chemical cleaners. Bleach, ammonia, drain cleaners, limescale removers, acetone, and most "bathroom sprays" will attack the resin surface. They can cloud it, etch it, or dull the polish permanently. This is the single most common way an inlay basin is ruined.
Abrasives. Scouring pads, powdered cleaners, magic-eraser sponges. The resin is polished to a fine finish — anything abrasive will scratch it, and scratches don't polish out at home.
Standing water. Don't leave the basin filled overnight. Water sitting for long periods, especially hard water, leaves mineral deposits that are difficult to remove without the cleaners you shouldn't be using.
Extreme heat. Don't pour boiling water directly into the basin, and don't rest hot styling tools (curling irons, straighteners) on the rim.
Hard knocks. It's a solid piece, but it's a craft piece. A dropped glass bottle can chip an edge. Treat it like stone, not like steel.
Cleaning, step by step
- Rinse with warm water.
- Add a drop of mild pH-neutral soap to a soft cloth or sponge — the kind you'd use on a car, not on a pan.
- Wipe gently in circles.
- Rinse thoroughly.
-
Dry with a soft cloth. This step is what keeps it looking new.
The brass rim
Our rims are unlacquered brass, which means they are alive. They will darken, warm, and develop a patina over months and years — especially where water and hands touch them most.
This is not damage. This is the point.
If you love the patina, do nothing at all. Just dry the rim with the basin.
If you prefer the bright polished look, wipe the rim occasionally with a brass polish on a soft cloth — but keep the polish off the inlay surface, and rinse and dry afterwards. Expect to repeat it every few months; unlacquered brass always returns to its patina eventually. It wants to.
Water hardness
If you live in a hard-water area, dry the basin after every use — mineral deposits build fast and are the hardest thing to remove safely.
If a film does develop, do not reach for a limescale remover. Warm water, mild soap, patience and a soft cloth. Repeat over a few days rather than attacking it once.
What is normal — and not a fault
-
Slight variation in colour and pattern. The bone is a natural material. Some pieces are warmer, some paler, some carry a faint natural line.
-
Fine surface texture. The piece is polished by hand, not machine-finished.
-
The brass changing colour. Expected, and desirable.
-
Small differences from the photograph. Yours was made after you ordered it. It's a relative of the photo, not a copy.
If something goes wrong
Contact us. If a piece arrives damaged, we refund it in full and you keep it — and if a large piece can be repaired locally, we cover the cost of the repair.
[Button: Shop Bone Inlay Basins]
In one line
Mild soap. Soft cloth. Dry it. Never chemicals.
Do that, and your basin will still be beautiful in twenty years — a little darker at the brass, which is exactly as it should be.
How to Care for a Bone Inlay Sink
A bone inlay basin is not a ceramic sink. It's bone, resin and brass — three materials with different natures, joined by hand. Cared for properly, it will outlast the bathroom around it. Cared for carelessly, it can be dulled in a week.
Here is everything you need to know.
Daily care — the short version
That's it. Ninety percent of caring for an inlay basin is simply drying it.
What to avoid — and why
Harsh chemical cleaners. Bleach, ammonia, drain cleaners, limescale removers, acetone, and most "bathroom sprays" will attack the resin surface. They can cloud it, etch it, or dull the polish permanently. This is the single most common way an inlay basin is ruined.
Abrasives. Scouring pads, powdered cleaners, magic-eraser sponges. The resin is polished to a fine finish — anything abrasive will scratch it, and scratches don't polish out at home.
Standing water. Don't leave the basin filled overnight. Water sitting for long periods, especially hard water, leaves mineral deposits that are difficult to remove without the cleaners you shouldn't be using.
Extreme heat. Don't pour boiling water directly into the basin, and don't rest hot styling tools (curling irons, straighteners) on the rim.
Hard knocks. It's a solid piece, but it's a craft piece. A dropped glass bottle can chip an edge. Treat it like stone, not like steel.
Cleaning, step by step
The brass rim
Our rims are unlacquered brass, which means they are alive. They will darken, warm, and develop a patina over months and years — especially where water and hands touch them most.
This is not damage. This is the point.
If you love the patina, do nothing at all. Just dry the rim with the basin.
If you prefer the bright polished look, wipe the rim occasionally with a brass polish on a soft cloth — but keep the polish off the inlay surface, and rinse and dry afterwards. Expect to repeat it every few months; unlacquered brass always returns to its patina eventually. It wants to.
Water hardness
If you live in a hard-water area, dry the basin after every use — mineral deposits build fast and are the hardest thing to remove safely.
If a film does develop, do not reach for a limescale remover. Warm water, mild soap, patience and a soft cloth. Repeat over a few days rather than attacking it once.
What is normal — and not a fault
If something goes wrong
Contact us. If a piece arrives damaged, we refund it in full and you keep it — and if a large piece can be repaired locally, we cover the cost of the repair.
[Button: Shop Bone Inlay Basins]
In one line
Mild soap. Soft cloth. Dry it. Never chemicals.
Do that, and your basin will still be beautiful in twenty years — a little darker at the brass, which is exactly as it should be.