5 Tips to Help You Care for Quartz Countertops

The popularity of quartz as a construction material in 2018 is making headlines even in the political realm. A renowned American manufacturer of quartz slabs and tiles recently asked the United States Commerce Department to look into the issue of tariffs being loosely imposed or altogether ignore quartz countertops coming from China. This request is being made at a time when trade issues between the U.S. and China are uncertain even as demand for quartz is increasing. What is certain about quartz is that it has become a preferred material for kitchen and bathroom countertops, and one of the reasons supporting this trend is a perceived maintenance advantage. Caring for quartz is fairly simple, and it boils down to the following tips. 1. Don’t Seal Quartz If you have grown used to the frequent application of sealant on marble or granite countertops, you will be pleased to know that quartz care is different from natural-stone care because quartz does not require resealing. Once a slab of quartz is manufactured, the resins, bonding materials, and pigments will form a nonporous surface that pretty much seals itself for the lifetime of the countertop. 2. Use the Right Cleaning Solution Similar to natural-stone, quartz will not react well to household cleaners, particularly those that have a high concentration of bleach or ammonia. The problem with these common cleaners is that their high pH content will break down the amalgamation factor of quartz. The best recommendation is to use a cleaning solution that has been formulated specifically for this purpose. You can then frequently wipe down your kitchen and bathroom counters knowing your quartz surface will be safe. 3. Keep Oven Cleaners Away All oven cleaning products have a great risk of damaging quartz countertops, and some of the most popular brands can be the most dangerous in this regard. In case of an accidental oven cleaner spill on your quartz surface, you should absorb it immediately with paper towels or a dry cloth before wiping it down with quartz cleaner. 4. Be Careful in the Bathroom Even though quartz slabs are manufactured to be resistant to stains, they are not completely impervious to nail polish remover, hair dye, oil-based soaps, certain body lotions, and lipstick. Just like oven cleaner in the kitchen, you need to absorb spills on your bathroom counters right away, and this should be followed up with an application of quartz or Cambria cleaner. 5. Protect Against Nicks, Cracks, and Scratches Quartz is mostly a decorative surface. Unlike the stainless-steel surfaces of food preparation tables, quartz countertops are not meant for heavy duty cooking. Make sure to use hot pads instead of placing hot skillets, pots, or pans on top of your counters. You should not cut, chop, or dice directly on top of a quartz surface. Use a cutting board for this purpose. If you have quartz countertops in your home, make sure to care for them properly with a cleaning and polishing combination solution such as Granite Gold Quartz Brite®, which is safe to use on all quartz surfaces, including Silestone, LG and more. Call Granite Gold® today at 1-800-475-STONE (7866) to learn more.