Can You Polish Countertops Made of Quartz?

When real estate listings make the news, chances are celebrities are involved in the transaction. Such was the case in mid-2019, when Formula One racer Helio Castroneves put his Fort Lauderdale home on the market for $2.69 million. A few months earlier, pop music star Jennifer Lopez retained the services of Chip and Joanna Gaines, stars of the HGTV series Fixer Upper, to remodel a Malibu beachfront estate she’d just acquired. What these two properties have in common, aside from the celebrity factor, is that they both feature quartz countertops, a design trend that will likely dominate bathrooms and kitchens over the next few years. Quartz is often confused with granite and quartzite, two types of natural stone that are popular choices for countertops, but there’s a major difference insofar as the former being an engineered construction material with different maintenance requirements. With regard to polishing quartz countertops, there are a few things to consider. Understanding Quartz Finishes By virtue of being manufactured, quartz comes in different brands, and each manufacturer offers various finishing options. In the case of Caesarstone, for example, you can choose between rough, honed, and polished surfaces, the latter being the shiniest. These finishes will last forever as long as you clean and polish them with a combination quartz polish and cleaner such as Granite Gold Quartz Brite®. Silestone offers a "Volcano Texture" finish that looks rustic and moderately glossy at the same time. Quartz Is Easy to Care For Granite Gold Quartz Brite@ and a microfiber cloth are all you need to keep your quartz countertops looking like the day they were installed. Unlike natural stone, you don’t have to worry about periodic sealing or using separate products for polishing. However, you do need to avoid using common household cleaners, as they’re too abrasive and can dull the finish. If your installed countertops feature a polished or honed finished, keeping them clean with Granite Gold Quartz Brite® will be sufficient in terms of maintenance. Granite Gold Quartz Brite® is a non-abrasive, pH balanced cleaner that will leave quartz surfaces shiny, and you can improve upon this look by buffing with a dry microfiber cloth after wiping the countertops clean. Don’t leave Granite Gold Quartz Brite® to air dry. Instead, work it into the surface for maximum luster. Overlay Treatments for Quartz Countertops If you want to transform the look of your quartz countertops, contact the manufacturer and ask about an overlay treatment. You can change from rough texture to sleek, polished surfaces, and the new countertops are professionally applied on top of the existing countertops, avoiding the time and cost of tearing out the old counters and doing a full remodel. Once the overlay has set, your countertops will sport a new appearance, and you can continue using Granite Gold Quartz Brite® to keep them clean and glossy. To learn more about polishing quartz, or if you have countertops made of granite, marble, or another type of natural stone and want more information on natural-stone care, reach out to Granite Gold®. Call one of our friendly and knowledgeable representatives today at 1-800-475-STONE (7866). Don’t forget to like our Facebook page for regular tips and updates on caring for quartz and natural stone.