There is a decent amount of confusion when it comes to the differences between vitreous china and porcelain. 

Are they two different materials or the same material with different names?

To state it simply and clarify, vitreous china and porcelain are made from the same exact materials; vitreous china is simply the glazing technique that is added onto porcelain for that sleek, shiny look you see on common bathroom sinks and toilets. 

How Porcelain is Made

Porcelain is made by cooking ceramic materials such as clay, feldspar, and silica, at very high temperatures to achieve the desired look. 

What we mean by “desired look” is really between a glazed or unglazed look.

Glazed or Unglazed?

The most popular and frequently seen unglazed porcelain is commonly called bisque or biscuit porcelain, named after its light tan, off-white coloration. 

Whether or not you want a glazed or unglazed finish is completely dependant on the manufacturing process, specifically, what is called the firing process. 

For unglazed styles, such as our VCS-1114B Vanity Sink, the firing process begins by heating up the inorganic materials of clay, feldspar, and silica to harden them. For unglazed styles, the process stops here. 

You are then left with a very raw, organic-looking finished product that can be fitting for a rustic or vintage bathroom decor such as a modern-day farmhouse. 

For glazed styles, such as vitreous china, they are subjected to a second firing process to achieve a much higher temperature. 

Once the right temperature is reached, a stain-resistant enamel liquid glass coating is applied on top of the porcelain. 

As a result, you are left with the beautiful finished product we know as vitreous china. 

The smooth vitreous enamel surface of vitreous china offers many benefits that unglazed sinks do not, hence the reason why glazed styles are more popular today. 

A few of the biggest benefits of glazed sinks are that the gloss enamel coating acts as a protective casing making it more resistant to scratches, more sanitary, and more durable. 

For these benefits, vitreous china is commonly the choice product for not only individual’s homes but industrial and commercial infrastructures as well as they generally last longer. 

Caring For Your Porcelain

As a general rule of thumb, you should try to clean your porcelain sinks on a daily basis, if not, weekly to prevent soap scum and other bacterial buildups. 

Try keeping a washcloth or sponge near your sink at all times so you can easily wipe down the inside of the porcelain bowl as you wash your hands or perform other daily chores over the sink. 

You should avoid abrasive cleaners! Porcelain is durable, however, if you’re trying to maintain and extend the lifetime of your porcelain sinks, abrasive cleaners will do the exact opposite as they are too harsh for porcelain products. 

For a deep clean, line your sink bowl with layers of paper towels and pour over bleach, covering all areas of your sink. After roughly 15-30 minutes, remove towels and rinse the bowl with water. This should remove any soap scum and other stains you may have tarnishing your porcelain sink bowls.

Allora USA warrants to the original purchaser consumer of an Allora USA sink that it will, at its option, repair or replace such product if it is found by Allora USA, in its sole judgment, to be defective under normal residential use, provided that it has been installed and maintained in accordance with Allora USA’s instructions. This limited warranty applies only to the initial installation and is not transferable from the original consumer purchaser. In the event of a limited warranty claim, proof of purchase will be required – save sales receipt. Registration must be done within 30 days of original purchase.

If this product is used commercially Allora USA warrants the product to be free from defects in material and workmanship for one (1) year from the date of purchase, with all other terms of this warranty applying except duration.

Improper care and cleaning will void the warranty.

Gloss reduction, scratching, staining and acid or alkaline etching of the finish over time due to use, cleaning practices or water or atmospheric
conditions, are not manufacturing defects but are indicative of normal wear and tear.

This limited lifetime warranty DOES NOT COVER the following:

1. Defects or damages arising from shipping, installation, alterations, accidents, abuse, misuse, environmental factors, lack of proper maintenance and use of other than genuine Allora USA replacement parts, in all cases whether caused by a plumbing contractor, service company, the owner or any other person.
2. Gloss reduction, scratching, staining and acid or alkaline etching of the finish over time due to use, cleaning practices or water or atmospheric conditions, are not manufacturing defects but are indicative of normal wear and tear.
3. Deterioration through normal wear and tear and the expense of normal maintenance.
4. Commercial application.
5. Options and accessories. Allora USA’s limited warranty on these items is one year for parts only. This one-year limited warranty covers accessories manufactured by Allora USA against defects of material or workmanship. Limited warranty coverage begins on the date the accessory was originally purchased by the owner.
6. Postage or shipping and handling costs for returning products for repairs or replacement under this limited warranty and labor or other costs incurred in connection with product removal or installation under this limited warranty.
7. ANY LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LABOR, ALL OF WHICH ARE HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED, OR THE EXTENSION BEYOND THE DURATION OF THIS LIMITED WARRANTY OF ANY IMPLIED LIMITED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR AN INTENDED PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT WILL ALLORA USA BE LIABLE FOR THE COST OF REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF ANY INSTALLATION MATERIALS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO TILES, MARBLE ETC.
8. Responsibility for compliance with local code requirements. (Since local code requirements vary greatly distributors, retailers, dealers, installation contractors and users of plumbing products should determine whether there are any code restrictions on the installation or use of a specific product.)
9. This limited warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may have other statutory rights that vary from state to state or from province to province, in which case this limited warranty does not affect such statutory rights.

***ANY CLAIMS MUST BE REPORTED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF INCIDENT. CLAIMS REPORTED AFTER 30 DAYS ARE NOT VALID***

Allora USA is a privately held manufacturer of custom sinks and faucets.  They use the best materials and workmanship in every product they offer. They are committed to providing the highest level of professionalism and customer service. Allora USA strive to achieve a long-term relationship with their clients by delivering high-quality and cost-effective products.

Allora USA is a family-owned and operated business that strives to be the best distributor on the Eastern seaboard and Mid Atlantic regions. By catering to the needs of industry professionals such as builders and kitchen & bath dealers, Allora USA has quickly gained a loyal following within the trade.

Their goal at Allora USA is to offer top-quality faucets, sinks and strainers at the lowest possible price along with exceptional customer service. Allora USA provide innovative and cost-effective product designs to meet the specialized needs of our customers.

Their company enhances its reliable product line with short lead times. Allora USA has a wide selection of kitchen and bath products to meet the unique needs of our large clientele. The unique competitive advantage that Allora USA has over competitors lies in the ability to offer the most advanced faucets and other sanitary products available. We pay attention to every last detail as if it were the first.

Allora USA welcomes the opportunity to serve your needs.

Like most things in the kitchen that needs care and attention click the links below to see how to take care of your new Allora USA product.

• Faucet Care & Maintenance
• Stainless Steel Care & Maintenance
• Ceramic Care & Maintenance

Your bathroom comes in contact with a lot of elements on a daily basis aside from just water. Faucets are easy places for dirt, soap, and calcium buildup to accumulate causing your faucet to look unappealing. Luckily, cleaning up your bathroom or kitchen faucet is easily accomplished. In fact, most of the materials should already be in your home already.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1. Water
2. Washcloth
3. Toothbrush
4. Cleaning vinegar 
5. Dish soap
6. Non-abrasive cleaner

Steps To Clean Faucets

1. Start by checking faucet material. This is pretty self-explanatory and quite honestly, in most cases doesn’t even need to be done since most faucets are constructed with durable materials to withstand most cleaning chemicals. Yet, it doesn’t hurt to check since there are some cases where chemicals can warp or alter the finish of your faucet. 
2. Begin by performing a light, initial scrub. With a damp washcloth, apply a small amount of dish soap onto the cloth and lather it around until you see substantial foam and bubbles forming. Then, simply rub the cloth around the surfaces of your bathroom faucet, making sure to get every area, especially between faucet handles. Rinse the soap off with water. 
3. Don’t forget about the edges. One of the most important areas to clean is the edges where the faucet base meets the sink. This area is a hotspot for grime and dirt so it’s crucial to clean these spots regularly. This is where an old toothbrush will comes in handy. Grab your toothbrush and scrub away.
4. Apply cleaning vinegar. If you finished steps 1-3 and still see some visible dirt or markings, try applying a water-vinegar solution with equal parts water and vinegar. The acidity of the vinegar should aid in removing some of those hard to get rid of marks. 

Steps To Clean Bathroom Sink Bowl

For the bowl of your bathroom sink, using bleach or other chemicals is not recommended. Try opting for a non-abrasive cleaner such as Bar Keeper’s Friend® for sink bowl cleaning. BKF is safe to use on stainless steel, porcelain, and most solid surfaces.