Ikea tells woman to 'keep sink dry' after rust found

A woman who complained that her stainless steel sink was rusting after having had it for only 11 months has said she was "staggered" when she was told to keep it dry.

Alison Theaker, from Kingsbridge, Devon, bought a new kitchen from furniture retailer Ikea in February 2025.

She said the sink in her utility room had developed rust spots, so she complained and was told it "down to general wear and tear", as well as "clearly a case of excess moisture" and she should "keep the sink dry".

After she was initially told by Ikea that it would "not be taking any further action", the company upheld the complaint and arranged for a new sink to be delivered and installed "as a gesture of goodwill".

Theaker said she was offered a five-year guarantee on the original purchase and the sink in her kitchen also from Ikea had not rusted.

She said she sent Ikea photos of the deterioration but was told it was "clearly a case of excess moisture".

It told her via email "although stainless steel is highly durable and resistant to rust and corrosion, this is only the case if it is regularly cleaned, and factors that destroy the protective layer such as harsh chemicals or scratches are avoided"

Theaker was advised to ring the customer service team if she was unhappy, which she did and said "the same information as was in the email was repeated to me".

She said: "I queried how I was expected to avoid excess moisture on a sink" and "the person got back to me and said that I needed to keep the sink dry".

"When I queried how this was possible, she cut me off," she said.

Theaker said she was also concerned that the company could not explain why the separate kitchen sink, which she said received more use, had not developed the rust.

In a statement an Ikea spokesperson said: "We take all customer concerns seriously and review each case on its individual circumstances.

"Following a review, we agreed to provide a replacement sink as a gesture of goodwill.

"While our assessment did not identify evidence of a wider product issue, we wanted to ensure a positive outcome for the customer and a replacement sink has now been supplied and installed at no cost to them.

"We are pleased that this matter has been resolved."

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