Your Quartz Countertop Care Guide

Engineered quartz is one of the most popular countertop materials used in kitchen remodels. This material has all the sophistication and timeless appeal of natural stone without the high maintenance. It’s resistant to scorching, scratching, and staining, and it’s nonporous, so it never needs to be resealed.

Plus, quartz comes in an endless variety of colors, from apple green and fire engine red to earthy brown and cool gray. You can find countertops with veining that mimics granite, marble, and travertine, or flecks of recycled glass to create a terrazzo effect. Whether you prefer a traditional or modern look, you can find a quartz slab to match the design of your kitchen.

To ensure your quartz countertop lasts a lifetime, follow the advice in this guide.

The trick to keeping your quartz countertop looking like new is to wipe up spills immediately. While quartz resists etching and staining when exposed to wine, fruit juice, soda, tea, and lemon juice, it’s best to wipe up these spills before they have a chance to dry. If they leave a residual stain behind, get at it quickly with glass cleaner and a soft cloth or paper towel.

You don’t always spot spills while they’re still wet. Follow these tips to remove specific types of stains from quartz countertops:

• For dried spills, try Soft Scrub or a Scotch-Brite™ pad with Formula 409® Glass and Surface Cleaner. Scrub the affected area until the stain is gone.
• For messes that harden when they dry—such as gum, nail polish, or paint—gently scrape the area with a plastic putty knife or glass razor scraper.
• To remove cooking grease, apply a degreasing product such as Easy-Off® or Krud Kutter before proceeding with your regular cleaning routine.
• To erase permanent marker, use glass cooktop cleaner, Goo Gone, Goof Off, or Magic Eraser. These products work because, unlike with porous granite, the marker only stains the countertop’s surface layer.

There’s no need to reseal quartz to retain its stain-resisting abilities. Still, in addition to wiping spills as they happen and addressing any stains left behind, you should deep clean quartz countertops about once a week. It’s easy—simply spray a generous amount of nonabrasive surface cleaner on the countertop and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then, wipe the counter with a damp cloth or sponge.

It’s good to know the dos when caring for your quartz countertop—now consider the don’ts. Here’s what you should avoid:

• Abrasive scouring pads
• Extreme heat (Anything above 300 degrees F is a risk. Plus, sudden changes in temperature could cause quartz to crack.)
• Slicing and dicing without a cutting board (Quartz is hard, but repeated exposure to knives could eventually scratch the surface.)
• Bleach (Short-term exposure to bleach diluted by 50% is acceptable for cleaning difficult stains, as long as you rinse the area thoroughly.)
• Oil-based products including soaps, dyes, paint thinner, and stripper
• Harsh products, such as acetone, nail polish remover, lacquer thinner, turpentine, drain cleaner, and dishwasher rinse agent
• Chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethylene or methylene chloride
• Concentrated acids such as hydrocyanic acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and nitric acid
• Chemicals with high alkalinity (pH greater than 10), such as concentrated bleach and oven cleaner

Remodel Your Dallas Kitchen with Hatfield (now Alair Homes- Plano) Builders & Remodelers

The countertop material is only one small aspect of your kitchen renovation, and quartz is just one of many options available. When you work with Team Hatfield on your project, we’ll make sure everything works seamlessly, both in terms of aesthetics and functionality. Whether you already have a plan in mind or you need inspiration to bring the kitchen of your dreams to life, we’ll help you get there.

Contact us at 214-281-8800 today to schedule your free consultation and begin your kitchen remodel in the Dallas, Plano, or Richardson area.