5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Use Common Household Cleaners on Quartz Counters

Despite the global trade war and the import tariffs imposed on various construction materials in 2018, demand for quartz countertops has continued to increase in the United States, and this has a lot to do with pricing strategies being applied by American fabricators. Depending on the brand, market, and contractor, installing quartz countertops in your kitchen or bathroom may be even more affordable than granite. Something you can certainly count on with quartz countertops is that you’ll never have to worry about sealing them and that overall maintenance will be easier, but—much like granite and other types of natural stone—this doesn’t mean you should use household cleaners on quartz surfaces. Here are five reasons you shouldn’t clean your quartz counters with cleaning products you find on supermarket shelves. 1. Quartz Is Mostly Natural Stone Even though quartz is engineered instead of quarried, the crushed resins and natural quartz that make up more than 90 percent of the material have a high content of silicon dioxide, which is the main reason you shouldn’t use common household cleaners on quartz. Similar to granite, marble, limestone, or travertine, there’s a chance of staining and other chemical reactions occurring beneath the surface. 2. Most Household Cleaners Aren’t Formulated for Quartz Just like you wouldn’t use oven cleaner to wash your clothes, you shouldn’t apply an everyday cleaning product to your quartz countertops. Quartz has a level of sensitivity that could be triggered by certain chemicals, and you don’t want to take your chances in this regard. Keep in mind the permanent seal applied to quartz during finishing isn’t completely indestructible. Instead of a household cleaner, use a specially formulated quartz cleaner like Granite Gold Quartz Brite®. 3. You May Void the Warranty Quite a few quartz brands come with a warranty certificate you may end up voiding when certain chemicals are used. Some fabricators include a list of approved cleaners, while others list the products you shouldn’t use under any circumstances. 4. You Could Accidentally Stain Your Countertops Some of the coloring agents that make cleaning products look better on supermarket shelves may end up staining quartz. In the 1980s, janitorial staff at shopping centers, banks, and other commercial establishments across Latin America were puzzled to see their floors turning blue after a few months of using a popular cleaner with a very fresh fragrance. The culprit in this case was a chemical compound known as sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, which reacted with the coloring agent on quartz surfaces. 5. Quartz Doesn’t Respond Well to High pH Levels Many common cleaners contain citric acid and other substances with a high alkaline content, which should never be used on quartz surfaces. Instead of trying to guess the pH level of household cleaners, you should only use those that have been specifically formulated to safely clean quartz. Whether you have quartz in your home or natural stone such as granite, marble, or slate, cleaning it properly is essential. To learn how to clean natural stone, contact Granite Gold® today at 1-800-475-STONE (7866). If you haven’t already, please sign up for our newsletter to receive quartz and stone care tips every month.