Lovely message from a nice guest

[Laura2592]

Just sharing a nice message I got today:

Hello, Laura! My goodness I wanted to reach out as soon as I arrived, yet here I am.... we are deeply and sincerely enjoying your home. What a FIND! We've decided it's been most likely two years since we've seen each other, and this is the most nourishing soul-space for us to reconnect. Thank you thank you thank you!

Most of my work is accomplished virtually, and so my mornings have been spent tapped in to meetings and connections via your WiFi (thank you again!) and in this upstairs bedroom the desk is just about the most perfect spot to rest my laptop and my writing journals. X and I will also engage in some sacred work here tomorrow, and my goodness the common area downstairs is a great space for us to get notes out while the fire is going.

Let's talk about your updates in the kitchen area... that SINK! The countertop! It all is amazing and I've daily let my husband know that I will love coming down here to share time "away" to reconnect in this lovely space.

What an incredible and healing space you share here with the community near and far 🙂

No idea what kind of healing work they are doing, but hey, I will take it!

[Laura2592]

 

That's the sink...it's new and I have not had the photos done yet. 

She's staying with her female friend and I removed the name for privacy reasons.  Not everyone has a husband 😉

[Huma0]

@Laura2592 

Your sink is fabulous, but is it copper? Aren't you scared? 

Lately I have had guests completely destroying my pans. I'm so glad they don't get to use the nice copper set my mum gave me.

Or, are your guests generally not destructive, just sloppy with their smoothies? 🙂

[Sarah977]

@Huma0  Scared of what? I guess it could get dented, but other than that, copper sinks are pretty strong. They just take a bit of maintenance to keep them shined up.  

[Laura2592]

@Huma0I was apprehensive but read up on copper. Its basically indestructible. The finish is a "living finish" which gets oxidized over time like a penny-- duller and green. It can easily be polished back to shiny between guests. And its a really good indicator for guests about how much mess they are making in the sink. Our guests who have been less careful and done a ton of cooking have left the sink a greeney oxidized mess and one even expressed concern about the state of it upon check out. Little do they realize it polishes up very easily.

[Huma0]

@Sarah977 @Laura2592 

Sorry, going way off topic here, but that's good to know. It was my understanding that copper was a soft metal that scratched easily, on top of needing polishing to stop tarnishing.

Also, I've been told that you can't use any kind of regular cleaning products on metals such as copper, brass and gold. I damaged a brass tap that way before I knew and my cleaners are under strict orders only to use white vinegar on my gold bathroom fittings. Even that needs to be thoroughly washed off (learnt that the hard way leaving it on for too long on a shower rose). So, I'd never expect guests to be conscientious enough not to damage such a sink.

However, the living finish thing makes more sense as you are expecting it to age and take on patina over time. I am considering a new brass kitchen tap in a living finish but, again, was afraid of what guests might do to it. There's the 'living finish' look and then there's the 'totally trashed' look. 

What do you think? Should I go for it?

[Laura2592]

@Huma0I would only do it if it was inexpensive (my sink was on a deep discount for $300-something, hammered (it can scratch) and you planned on cleaning it yourself. We have asked our guests not to clean it,  and the copper does require a special polish that does need to be completely rinsed off. We have been doing it behind the cleaners. They just wipe it down and we go behind and polish. We check behind each guest anyway so its not a big deal.

[Huma0]

@Laura2592 

The tap I am thinking about is very expensive. The insurance are covering it because their plumber destroyed my expensive brass filter tap and so they agreed to replace it like for like (but of course I bought that at a massive discount).

Sounds like a lot of work, but your sink is beautiful so maybe it's worth it. It's certainly the sort of thing I would go for if I wasn't hosting!

[Sarah977]

@Huma0 "Also, I've been told that you can't use any kind of regular cleaning products on metals such as copper, brass and gold."

I'm no expert on cleaning metal, but I guess it depends on what kind of cleaning products you are talking about. 

Copper is actually easy to shine up with some lemon juice and baking soda. And it could be cleaned with Barkeeper's Friend, or a normal cleanser without any ill effects.

[Huma0]

@Sarah977 

Mmm, intersting. I use Barkeeper's Friend on my ceramic sink and on steel pans and it works a treat, but thought the instructions said not to use it on stuff like copper and brass. I might test it out on something (bit of copper pipe for example) and see what happens.

I want to use my copper pans but they are sitting in a dresser specifically so guests don't use them. You have no idea what they have been doing to my ceramic and steel pans. I know it's not intentional, but they seem hell bent on destroying them. Last week I spent (no word of a lie), 1.5 hours rubbing Barkeeper's Friend into a brand NEW and very good quality small stainless steel sauté pan which otherwise would have had to go into the bin. I was not amused.