How to Clean Quartz Countertops: The Ultimate Maintenance Guide

What’s one of the most beautiful renovations you can make to your kitchen or bathroom? The installation of quartz countertops. 

If you’re considering an investment in quartz kitchen countertops or quartz bathroom counters, you have discerning taste and understand the value of going with top-quality materials.

But you may have questions about how easy caring for quartz countertops is. No matter how stylish these home additions may look, all bets are off if they prove difficult to clean.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at how to clean quartz countertops. That way, you’ll know whether or not they’re right for your home.

Quartz Countertops 101

Few renovations do more for a home than quartz countertops. Homeowners rave about this material for many different reasons. 

They love quartz’s attractive appearance, and they admire its durability. It’s also worth noting that quartz comes with fewer weaknesses than natural stone, making it a natural choice. 

Sometimes referred to as “engineered stone countertops,” many people are surprised to learn that quartz is a manufactured material. As a result, it also comes in a far more comprehensive range of colors than natural stone such as granite or marble.

Nevertheless, the finished appearance of quartz proves both luxurious and rich. Yet, residents are delighted to learn how forgiving it is. 

It doesn’t “feel” as hard as natural stone alternatives. Despite this, it remains impervious to most cracks, chips, and scratches. Its non-porous surface resists staining, holding up well to wine, oil, coffee, tomato juice, and other sources of kitchen stains.  

The non-porous texture comes with other clear advantages, too. For example, it doesn’t harbor viruses or bacteria. In the midst of a global pandemic, this remains an essential benefit.

With quartz, you can feel confident about getting surfaces thoroughly clean. This fact is a distinct benefit no matter the room in your house.

Take a look at the differences between natural stone and quartz countertops at our countertop gallery. 

How to Clean Quartz Countertops

What does the process of cleaning quartz countertops entail? You’ll want to follow these steps for a standard kitchen or bathroom countertop cleaning:

• Use mild soap or a soft rag to wipe your quartz counters
• Scrape away dried food and other gunk from your countertop
• Use a degreaser to remove oils and grease

Let’s take a closer look at things to keep in mind as you complete each of these steps.

Use Mild Soap or a Soft Rag to Wipe Your Quartz Counters

Start with a soft cloth or sponge dipped in a mixture of mild soap and warm water. You’ll use this cloth or sponge to gently and firmly wipe down your countertops.

You can do this step as often as needed to maintain a stunning shine and cut down dust and dirt buildup. Often, this step might be enough. For harder jobs, you’ll need to explore other options.

Scrape Away Dried Food and Other Gunk from Your Countertop

Kitchen counters are notorious for collecting dried food and unrecognizable “gunk.” The same goes for bathroom counters where products like toothpaste, shampoo, and hand soap can collect.

How do you remove these sticky substances without harm to your quartz? We recommend using a plastic scraper. You’ll use this tool to pry dirt, food, and grime gently away. 

Keep a scraper in a nearby drawer to make the process more convenient moving forward. As you can see, keeping your countertops clean and shiny is easier than you think. 

Traditionally, experts recommended putty knives. But we discourage the use of sharp metal on your countertops. It could inadvertently scratch the surface. Even though quartz is scratch-resistant, no substance proves entirely impossible to scratch or harm. 

Use a Degreaser to Remove Oils and Grease

Yeah, but what about grease? This substance loves to build up in kitchens, and it can be notoriously challenging to remove. 

How should you attack it? Your secret weapon should be a quartz-friendly degreasing agent that doesn’t contain bleach. (Make sure disinfectant wipes don’t contain bleach, either.)

Spray this degreaser generously on your countertops. Then, use a wet sponge or towel to wipe it away (along with the offensive grease).

When it comes to degreasers or any other products you use on countertops, make sure they are quartz compatible. A reputable quartz countertop supplier can help you find the best products to maintain your investment.

Nixing Tough Stains from Your Quartz Countertops

Despite the durability of quartz countertops and their non-porous surfaces, exceptional circumstances sometimes arise. What do you do if a tough stain ends up on your counter? Follow these guidelines:

• Use adhesive remover to rub away tough stains
• Apply isopropyl rubbing alcohol
• Use a glass cleaner

Here’s what you should know before undertaking these processes.

Use Adhesive Remover to Rub Away Tough Stains

Some adhesive removers prove effective when attempting to banish an unsightly stain. These include substances such as Goo Gone.

Apply the adhesive remover of your choice to a wet cloth or rag, or you can apply it directly to the stain and let it sit there for approximately five to ten minutes. After the timer’s done, wiping up the mess is a cinch.

What’s a reliable alternative to Goo Gone? Surprisingly, caramel. The sticky qualities of caramel can help pull up gooey stains. It’s a handy hack to keep in mind.

Apply Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol

You can also grab a rag or cloth and pour some isopropyl rubbing alcohol onto it. Then, rub the stain using a wettened cloth or towel.

Next, go over the counter with warm water. Rubbing alcohol remains a highly effective way to get challenging stains off when soap and water just won’t cut it. 

Use a Glass Cleaner

If you’re after a deep clean, spray a quartz-safe glass cleaner on your quartz tops. Let the liquid sit for a couple of minutes and then wipe it away with a wet towel or cloth. 

There’s a caveat to this option, though. Some quartz counter suppliers swear by glass cleaners, while others will tell you to avoid it. While its use may be fine in principle, always refer to your quartz company before using a new product. Especially if it doesn’t explicitly say it’s quartz-friendly. 

Dealing with Water Etching on Black Quartz Countertops

One of the most attractive home decor options you can select is black quartz for your countertops. It has a sophisticated feel that can unite a room’s disparate decorative elements. 

That said, black quartz countertops come with an annoying tendency for water etching. While pure water doesn’t cause this phenomenon, hard water most definitely does. So does soap residue.

Water etching looks like dust or a gray film on countertops and can prove annoying to get rid of unless you know what to do. 

Fortunately, getting rid of water etching and cup rings is as simple as purchasing a soap film and hard water cleaner. These specially formulated cleaners are fantastic at removing water deposits. 

Some people also suggest rubbing a fine 000-grade steel wool pad over the area in question to re-polish it. But we don’t recommend this approach. Abrasives could damage your quartz, so you should refer back to your countertop supplier for better options. 

Learn more about best practices regarding countertop cleaning and care for other materials such as granite. 

Avoiding Damage to Quartz Kitchen Countertops and Quartz Bathroom Countertops

Although quartz countertops are renowned for their durability, keep in mind a few tips to extend the life of your investment. Remember to:

• Clean spills right away
• Protect your counters from high temperatures
• Watch out for citrus
• Avoid harsh cleaners
• Always use a cutting board

We’ll quickly dive into each of these tips to show just how easy it is to keep your counters in tip-top shape.

Clean Spills Right Away

Yes, quartz countertops are stain-resistant. Nonetheless, no counter surface is entirely impervious to stains, especially if you let substances sit on them.

When you clean your counters regularly, you avoid these problems. Conversely, when you let liquid and food sit on them for too long, you run the risk of damaging counters.

So, keep mild soap and soft towels handy. That way, you’ll prevent the coffee spilled today from turning into an unsightly stain tomorrow.  

Protect Your Counters from High Temperatures

Some homeowners mistakenly assume their new quartz countertops are resistant to high temperatures. But don’t take this risk. Instead, keep trivets and mats handy to place under hot pans, crock pots, and electric skillets while they’re on.

Avoid placing extremely hot items on your counters because high temperatures will do damage. 

And don’t forget about the appliances used in the bathroom. Make sure you’ve got mats or trivets underneath items such as curling irons and straightening irons as they heat up. 

Watch Out for Citrus

Citrus juices don’t mix well with quartz countertops. Why not? Because of the acids in the liquid.

What’s the best way to avoid damage? When you have citrus beverages you want to sip on, use coasters. 

And should a spill occur? Stay proactive about wiping it up right away. 

Avoid Harsh Cleaners

Like citrus juices, you’ll also want to stay away from highly acidic or alkaline cleaners. Both will harm your countertops. As with lemon and lime juice, wipe up anything corrosive that drops on your quartz. 

Use a wet cloth dipped in a mild detergent diluted with warm water to thoroughly remove it. You should also keep substances such as oven cleaners, turpentine, drain cleaners, methylene chloride, and nail polish away from your kitchen and bathroom surfaces. 

These harsh substances all prove damaging to quartz, as well as other countertop materials.

Always Use a Cutting Board

Because quartz countertops have the appearance of extreme hardness, it can feel tempting to cut and chop food directly on these surfaces. But we don’t recommend this.

Instead, keep some cutting boards handy for slicing, chopping, and cutting food and other items. While quartz is scratch-resistant, why take a risk?

What’s more, it’s the fast track to constant knife sharpening. After all, quartz is notorious for dulling knives. 

Some Final Advice on Keeping Quartz Countertops Clean

One of the best rules of thumb when it comes to quartz countertops? Purchasing the best cleaner you can buy. And you don’t have to shell out a ton of money on this product.

Many home improvement stores offer quartz cleaning products. You can test out a handful of brands before settling on the cleaner that works best for you.

Just make sure you avoid bleach. Otherwise, you risk discoloration of your surfaces. When it comes to purchasing the right products, read labels carefully to ensure you disinfect and clean quartz tops without any damage.

When working with cleaners and isopropyl rubbing alcohol, always wear rubber gloves to protect your hands. If you’re particularly sensitive to odors, you may also wish to wear an N95 surgical mask.

Check out our wide selection of quartz kitchen and bathroom countertop options to get started. 

Finding the Right Quartz Countertops for Your Home

Quartz remains one of the top choices when it comes to counters, backsplashes, bathroom vanities, and other structures in your home. Unlike natural stone, it’s manufactured to be stain-resistant, non-porous, and water-resistant. 

Yet, it has a luxurious, sophisticated appearance that will elegantly accent your home. Besides these benefits, you also have an endless array of hues when you go the engineered stone route. You can get it to match virtually any decorative theme.

As we’ve discussed above, besides being gorgeous, it also proves low maintenance and easy to clean. These features couldn’t be more important than in areas such as the kitchen and bathroom, both known for attracting messes. 

Now that we’ve discussed how to clean quartz countertops, you may be ready to make a purchase. Where to start when searching for the ideal countertops for your home? Contact us to find out more about our wide selection of options.