Cleaning Quartz Countertops for Long Term Beauty
Homeowners love quartz countertops for their durability, antibacterial qualities, and timeless beauty. Quartz looks fabulous in the kitchen or bathroom. As an engineered stone, they are made by combing 90% ground quartz with a mixture of resins, polymers, and pigments to create a surface that is versatile and easy to maintain. Although quartz is essentially stain-resistant and does not require sealing, as does natural stone, you still need to perform regular maintenance to keep your countertops looking good for many years.
How to Clean Quartz Countertops Daily
Get into the habit of cleaning your quartz surfaces daily, as this simple task will ensure that spills will not stain and food will not become stuck to the quartz surface. Daily care is easy. Fill a bowl with warm water and add a generous amount of mild dish detergent. Wet a clean microfiber cloth and wipe your quartz countertop in a circular motion until you have covered the entire surface. To dry, use a fresh towel to wipe away the excess water and detergent. Always use a soap with a pH range of 5-8, so it doesn't affect the countertop finish. You can also use a commercial cleaner made explicitly for quartz surfaces.
Remove Spills Immediately
No matter how careful you are, spills happen. Although non-porous quartz countertops resist permanent staining when exposed to liquids like wine, vinegar, tea, lemon juice, and soda, or fruit juice, you should wipe spills immediately with a paper towel before they have a chance to dry. If you wish, you can follow with a mild soap solution.
How to Remove Stains on Quartz Countertops
You want to clean quartz countertop spills immediately because they can create difficult stains that are hard to remove, making it a crucial step in how to keep quartz countertops clean. For many of these problems, you'll need more than just soap and water to keep your quartz countertop looking good. Follow these tips to clean stains from the surface safely.
Grease Spots
Soak a paper towel with isopropyl alcohol and let it sit for a few minutes on the spot, and then buff it out using a circular motion. Alternately, you can use a degreaser product like Easy-Off or Krud Kutter, which will loosen and remove the grease from the quartz countertop surface. Follow with a mild soap, and then rinse and dry.
Permanent Marker
If you find an ink spot or permanent marker stain, moisten a clean cloth with Goo Gone or a similar product, and rub it into the stain. Rinse thoroughly with warm water to remove any residue.
Soap Stains and Hard Water Deposits
How to clean water stains on quartz countertops is easy. To remove these issues, mix equal parts of vinegar and water in a bowl. Stir the mixture and then pour a generous amount into the area. Follow by wiping with a clean paper towel and then soak the area again with warm water to completely remove the solution and then wipe it dry. You can also try buffing them out with denatured alcohol.
Dried Spills
Try a glass or surface cleaner with a non-abrasive sponge for dried and tough spills and rub hard. Keeping a plastic putty knife handy to gently scrap off food, gum, nail polish, paints, or other messes that may harden on your quartz countertops is also a good idea.
Deep Clean and Disinfect Quartz Countertops
While daily cleaning prevents most problems, you should also know how to clean quartz countertops deeply and disinfect them when necessary. Even the best-kept quartz countertops can benefit from a periodic deep cleaning. To do so, spray a generous amount of non-abrasive cleaner over your quartz countertops and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before wiping away with a non-scratch sponge.
Sanitize your quartz countertops by mixing one part concentrated bleach with ten parts water, spraying all visible countertops. Leave the disinfectant solution on the surface for 10 to 15 minutes and then dry it. You can also spray isopropyl or ethyl alcohol on the quartz surface and wipe it away with a non-abrasive sponge. Always make sure to rinse afterward.
Don't use a disinfecting wipe on quartz countertops, as these contain undiluted citric acid as their primary ingredient. Using these will weaken the surface seal and leave the quartz vulnerable to discoloration.
How Not to Clean Quartz Countertops
Most quartz countertop manufacturers will provide buyers with recommended cleaning methods and supplies to use on their surfaces. In short, you should avoid abrasive cleaners and pads and any cleaners that are highly acidic or alkaline, even natural ones. Harsh scrubbing will lead to a dull finish. Avoid concentrated bleach as it will leave stains. You should also avoid:
- Grill and oven cleaners
- Dishwasher detergent
- Paint remover
- Ammonia
- Steel wool
- Magic eraser
- Scrub brushes
Cleaning solutions at both ends of the pH spectrum can disintegrate the quartz and resin bonds. Quartz can tolerate occasional exposure to mild alkaline cleaners like diluted bleach.
Using abrasive pads will cause minor scratches on the surface. You won't see them, but they will cause your counters to lose their shine. Using abrasive pads will void your product warranty.
Experts recommend using microfiber cloths because they are soft, highly absorbent, and don't leave watermarks. Make sure that your cloth or rag is fresh and clean because if you use dirty ones, the grease or soil will remain on your countertops. Lastly, make sure that water is at room temperature or only slightly warm to avoid damaging the countertop's resin.
Tips to Keep Your Quartz Countertops Looking Good
Now that you know how to clean quartz countertops, consider these tips that go beyond maintenance to keep them looking new.
- Don't place hot pots and pans directly on the countertop. Even though the surface is resistant to heat, extreme temperatures will damage the resin and cause it to discolor. Always put a trivet or pad underneath to protect against direct heat exposure.
- Use a cutting board when chopping food to prevent any permanent scratches from happening.
- Never use metallic objects to scrape gunk off the surface, as you can damage it.
For more information on how to clean quartz countertops, ask the experts at Bullseye the Granite Guy. We proudly serve Duncan, Crofton, Nanaimo, Parksville, Victoria.