The quartz countertop is almost a cliche at this point, a staple of homes belonging to upwardly-mobile young folks and well-off families. It is not hard to understand the appeal. To begin with, the quartz material looks stately, ornate, and just plain great. Even looking past that pleasant surface, it is also highly durable and quite resistant to damage and stains. This makes it perfect for bolstering the counters of your bathrooms and kitchens.
However, as hardy as this furniture may be, it still requires proper care. Learning how to clean quartz countertops is essential for owning them. It may be an additional chore in your housecare routines, but it is rarely much of a hassle. All you would need are the right cleaning supplies and the right information. Here at My Stone Care, we can provide you with both.
In the past, we have given guidance on cleaning granite countertops and discussed how to clean and care for marble countertops. In this third part of the series, we will advise you on how to clean quartz countertops.
Steps for Basic Cleaning
Despite all your best efforts, stains are an inevitable part of life for countertops, no matter what they are made of or how fancy they may be. That is why you should know how to clean quartz countertops if you own or plan to install any. Thankfully, as we wrote earlier, it is not too hard — especially if you respond quickly when cleaning becomes necessary.
You should take action as soon as something spills on the counter. Whether it is a squirt of glue, a glob of mustard, a bit of soda, or something else entirely, time is of the essence. With that said, you do not need to stress too much. Preparation is short, and the materials you need are minimal. As you warm up the sink water, grab either a paper towel, washcloth, or sponge. Wet it, then mix in some soap — the stuff you use for washing dishes will suffice.
This combination is everything you will need to remove most spills, at least while the contents that fell onto the countertop are still dry. After you run the towel over those contaminants, you should go over it again with just water. That move will take out any remaining soap, which could leave some gross traces of its own if left on there for too long.
Advice for Tougher Cleaning
“Basic cleaning” of the kind mentioned above refers to the immediate treatment of spills, whether from food or other kinds of debris. We have been harping on the need for immediate treatment because that is when cleaning is at its simplest and easiest. If left unattended, the liquidy gunk that fell onto the surface may solidify into a residue that is much harder to remove.
In these cases, dollops of soap and douses of warm water may not be enough to resolve the issue. A half-and-half solution of water and either vinegar or hydrogen peroxide can do the trick. Just spray this combination over the spot. Then, use a non-abrasive scrubber, rather than a paper towel, to scrape off whatever remains. It will require a little more preparation and strain on your part, but it should be enough to restore the counter to its fullest glory.
A specialty cleaner can also work wonders. You can find plenty of products out there that are designed specifically for liberating hardened residue from quartz surfaces. Items like the Stone Pro Quartz Countertop Cleaner can do a great job of weakening the stains and loosening the materials. Just be careful about what is in the product. Cleaners containing acids, for example, can leave marks that are much, much harder to remove.
What to Avoid Doing with Your Countertops
Knowing how to clean quartz countertops is important, and so is knowing how not to clean them. Bleach, for instance, has many useful applications, but taking care of stains on quartz surfaces is not one of them. It can cause some serious damage to the finish if spread over the counter. Worse, mixing it with other cleaning products and coming into contact with it can be more dangerous than you might expect.
Just as valuable to know is how to adequately preserve the quality of the quartz finish. Time and use may wear it down until it no longer shines as nicely as before. Worse, that wear may leave the normally non-porous material more susceptible to staining that will not easily go away. We strongly urge owners of quartz countertops to apply a coat of sealant at least once annually. This yearly chore may sound like additional tedium, but it can prolong the life of your countertop.
Sometimes, carelessness can leave marks that may never disappear. Your counter, as marvelous as it may look and as strong as it may seem, cannot hold up everything. You should avoid putting anything with too much weight on there. You should particularly avoid putting anything on there that could scrape the surface if moved along the counter.
In general, all we are advocating is awareness and responsibility. The two are intertwined: knowing what to do and what not to do is valuable, but you can only avoid hurting your quartz countertop by actively applying that knowledge.
How to Clean Quartz Countertops for Best Results
By now, you should have a much better understanding of how to clean quartz countertops than you did before you started reading this guide. Of course, that knowledge will not serve you or your countertops if you do not use the best available products for the task. That is where we come in.
My Stone Care caters to anyone who wants to only use products of the highest quality for cleaning their stony surfaces. This selection extends to quartz countertop care products, which offer excellent sanitization. As an owner of such a fine countertop, you already know that you do not need to settle for anything less than the best. Shop with us today and discover just how much those surfaces can shine.