Never actually tried this but I believe there are kits you can get to re-coat the sink. There's an etching solution to be applied (to rough up the surface) then a base and glossy spray-on finish coat.

I use "Bar Keepers friend" when I need to get that heavy staining out of porcelain.

I wouldn't recommend refinishing a kitchen sink. It won't hold up to the kind of use a kitchen sink gets. If it was my problem I'd give it a good scrub with "Zud" and touch up the chips with appliance paint. This touch ups will need to be redone every now and then but it's a cheap solution for a rental.

Comet and a magic eraser

I used to have a sink just like this...and I used to soak the basin monthly with a solution of Oxy-Clean. Fill the sink up all the way, dissolving the oxyclean in it...leave overnight.

used to fix mine right up.

In terms of putting food on the slatted sides...I used to just place a large wooden cutting board on one side....nice flat surface without making more stains.

If the landlord is not willing to have it worked on, you may be stuck with keeping it clean for now and looking for a new apartment for the future.

bar keepers friend and bon ami are good for getting the stains out.

As far as cleaning porcelain goes, I covered that. Here ya go - http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dc/how-to/how-to-clean-a-porcelain-bathtub-or-sink-137148

Bleach - just plain Clorox bleach. Pour a little in the sink an swish it around, then rinse. Or fill the sink with water, pour in a cup or so of bleach and leave it for a while.

It will clean the stains and also it kills germs.

The problem is that these old sinks lose their surface after a while and they take stains. You could try a re-surfacing kit. I've never done it but I know people who have and I'm told it's not to hard.

Get the best plastic dishpan they have at Bed, Bath & Beyond so your dishes don't have to touch the sink. You might also check the Materials section on Craigslist & buy a used one if you're going to live there very long. Consider it a gift to yourself & the next renter!

I have an 1930s cast iron sink, and bar keeper's friend makes it shine. Try it!

I had the exact same kitchen sink set-up in a house I used to rent. I used comet and a magic eraser and scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed, and though it looked cleaner, it never felt clean. I feel your pain.

Yeah, it looks like rust is coming from the bottom. I don't think there's much you can do.

Barkeepers friend and magic eraser sponges. Keep at it every few days for a couple of weeks until it cleans up to where you want it. While it won't be perfect, it will be much better and after all, you are renting, so this isn't your forever solution.

Castile soap is the best easy thing I've found to clean old porcelain. It takes away the stains and the scuffs.

Hi I have a similar porcelain double sink and drainboards with the steel cabinetry. Bleach will definitely work well. Use about just half a cup of bleach in each sink, fill with hot water and a splash of dish washing detergent for a pleasant fragrance, let soak overnight. I do this about once a week. When I first moved into my apartment it was obvious the previous tenants weren't very concerned about cleanliness. I used a harsh scouring powder (something like Comet or ajax) and scrubbed both sinks and drainboards really well. Now I just use the drainboards to dry dishes. They're sparklingly clean. I don't recommend re-finishing. The new finish will begin to crack, turn yellow and peel, leaving you with a more unsightly look. Good luck.

I'm pretty sure they still make rubber sink mats. They come in all colors too. Even if it comes clean the mat will keep the dishes form scratching any more than it all ready is.

I also love bar keepers!!!!

Bar Keeper's Friend is the best thing I've used yet on my circa-1965 porcelain enamel kitchen sink!

Just keep the thing clean - I wouldn't spend much more time or effort on it...
...and use your kitchen table with a wooden cutting board for food prep like Mother did.

I had what appears to be the exact same sink at my old apartment. 5 years of that rust and it certainly wore me down. What worked best was staying on top of the rust whichever way I could. It's persistent. After a really good scrub w/ something like bon ami, barkeepers friend, magic erasers, or even bleach, you need to be diligent about keeping it clean. Also, try not to let dishes (esp. metal things) sit in there long, or the stains will return. No, it will never be a shiny perfect sink, but regular upkeep will keep you from hating it all the time. The drainboards just need to be dried off regularly too, after you wash the dishes. You'll know when you've really got it clean and hopefully it will start to "feel" clean too - just might take a bit more work than if it were a nice stainless steel one. Just think - how many of today's sinks will still be around in 60 years? Not many :)

Hot water and about 2-4 cups of bleach for that sink. Failing that, I like the idea of sink mats, they're rubber so they protect your dishes too. I also like the idea of a butcher block sitting on the drain board. OR, just buy a dish draining rack that sits in a metal tray. That's what I have and now I don't have to look at my ugly drain board.

We had a porcelain cast iron sink that was rusty and the kit my landlord used a few years back to re-glaze was chipping off. Finally fed up, our landlord had it re-glazed. He said it cost about $100, and what a difference it made! You may want to look into having a professional just re-glaze it. Also- look into city requirements, another old sink in our house was rusty and the city inspector made him also re-glaze that.

fromtherobinsnest is right. Bring it to a professional & have it done right.

I have one of those sinks; I've had it for years. Like some others have mentioned, letting it soak with hot water and a bit of bleach works wonders! I also have CLR, and used it in the laundry room sink... Worked wonders! However, for regular maintenance I do use the bleach method.

You have my sink. When I moved into my apartment a previous tenant had dyed her hair black in the sink and left nasty stains. Hot water and bleach soaking overnight helped a lot. Frequent washing and monthly bleach soaks will help a lot. I don't like how easily it stains but it has so much more character than a more modern sink.

Please do not bleach your sink! Bleach is toxic and you don't want it anywhere near your food! I have the same sink and I clean it with baking soda about once a week. Just make a paste with a little water and scrub with a sponge. For really hard stains use vinegar and baking soda and rinse with water.

We had the same sink and it was in a similar state. Use bleach toilet bowl cleaner, it clings to the sides and gets everything white. As far as its toxicity, just rince the heck out of it and with water and some dishsoap. Then find a re-enameling kit and be patient and precise (no drips). Then use regular semi-gloss paint (we painted ours black, yes black!) and it looked great. good luck and send pics when you are done!!

We have lots of porcelain -- new and old. Bar Keepers Friend and Bon Ami are both great for removing stains without worrying about further damage. For the rust, Naval Jelly or Plumber's helper works really well. You need to reapply over time. I do this about every 3-4 months on a tub that has some damage. We've had the re-enameling done (professionally) on one bathroom in our house and it's help up so far, about 5+ years.

wow- this looks just like my old sink too! When I moved in...

Moving isn't a really cost effective option as my landlord is hands off because the rent is from about the same decade as the sink. lol

So use Ajax or Comet- make a paste with hot water and scrub until your back is sore. You will see a huge difference.

The paint splatters would drive me crazy- have you tried to get them off with a razor blade?

I LOVE the old double sinks-just wipe down the drainboard after each use. Personally I don't like the look of a dish drainer- it looks clutter-y to me, so I stash it in the other double sink under the draining board.

I put the cutting board there when cooking- store when not on use.

The cast iron the sink is made of is rusting through the paint- but daily upkeep should keep it away-it does for me.

good luck and if you take the sink to a professional to redo- I for one would love to see the before and after!

Between Bar Keeper's friend and Ajax with bleach, you should be able to get that clean no problem. I wouldn't mix the two - it's just some stains respond better to one or the other. I also find with the bleach-based products, having some patience helps - mix into a fine paste to lightly cover the sink and let it sit for 20 minutes before scrubbing clean.

Yours looks like a sink I used to have. The original finish used to be ceramic and easy to clean. It has become porous and stains seem to stay forever. I second the bleach solution, ajax scrub and rubber mat advice. For the rust stains, citric acid, found in powder form at most drug stores, will get rid of them, if you make a paste with a bit of water and let that sit on the stain for a while. Also works for rust stains on textile. Good luck!

Probably not good for a sink near food, but I used car detailing rubbing compound on my worn out tub, it helps temporarily but really it's get used to it or get rid of it. Nothing will fix the problem permanently except replacing the sink.

I need something for my old tub, also rental. Car detailing rubbing compound...hmm. But if it isn't good near food, I'm not sure I want it near my skin - my feet when I shower, the rest of me when I bathe. What's it made from, I wonder?

Oh, please. In the long run, getting over your false impression of germs--even if it takes counseling, will be the best money you could ever spend on this issue.

I have the same sink, too. Like others have said, filling it up with hot water and a cup of bleach about once a week does the trick. A magic eraser is also useful, but I'm too chicken to try abrasive cleaners like Comet or Ajax. Good Luck!

I recently moved into an apartment that had a badly stained original sink from the '60s.

While unpacking the groceries in the kitchen, the Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner, the kind in the bottle with the turned up spout, fell into the sink and popped open. It left a string of blue Clorox cleaner across the bowl of the sink.

After I put up the groceries, I looked at the sink, and there was a sparking white stripe in the sink. So I got out the cleaner meant for a toilet bowl, and put it all over the sink. I left it on till it turned white, then I rinsed it off. A
WHITE SINK! I cleaned the sink weekly until the bottle was empty, and since then it has stayed white.

hey, meredith here, with a shiny new user name (unlike the sink). thanks for all your comments!

about a day before this posted, i lost it and went ballistic on the sink with baking powder, a rag, and vinegar. WOW. even the paint spots came off afterwards when i picked at it with just my fingernail––which makes me think that some grime was UNDER THE PAINT-sheesh! it's tons better now, although still chipped in places.

i've also put large cutting boards over the drainboards when i'm not using them (which is almost always).

now: does anyone have any idea how to clean the steel cabinet underneath the sink? ha!