Quartz Cleaning and Polishing Products

QUESTION:

I know it's recommended to use dedicated stone cleaners on granite & marble.


But what about quartz countertops?

What are the best products for cleaning and polishing quartz countertops?

And it is important that you treat quartz differently from a cleaning and restoration perspective?

ANSWER:

Good question. Quartz countertops can be permanently stained by some cleaners and household chemicals, so product choice is an important decision.

Quartz countertops are 90% natural stone after, so the best performing and safest products to clean and polish quartz are those made for use on granite and marble.

Using granite and marble cleaners on quartz kitchen countertops will guarantee that you'll never discolor or damage your quartz (well from cleaners anyway). It's the smart tip.

Several types of chemicals and common cleaners can permanently discolor or stain quartz countertops. I know that may seem to contradict everything you've read or heard about quartz... but... the truth is...

Quartz countertop stains can occur from some foods like tea or coffee and cleaners. White quartz is particularly vulnerable to food stains.

For cleaning quartz countertops, the Granite & Marble Cleaning Spray is very effective and dries streak-free. This is your go-to daily cleaner.

To polish quartz a Topical Polish can be used to enhance the shine of your kitchen countertops so it really pops... But... The topical polish will not repair discoloration, dullness, or any other damage.

That requires a different process. A different kind of "polishing" discussed below under "repairing quartz countertops".

To remove surface food stains use Bar Keeper’s Friend which has a proven record of success.

Note: some quartz countertops can dull from abrasives or acids even though they are supposed to be highly scratch-resistant and acid-resistant.

So test BKF before removing a stain or try the less-abrasive Soft Scrub Oxi. And it's best to use a non-abrasive scrub pad.

Cleaning Quartz vs. Granite and Marble

Basically, quartz countertops and tile slabs (used in showers) should be cleaned just like granite. Or even better... like marble.

The idea behind this is that any product made safe for cleaning marble is also safe for cleaning granite or quartz countertops or Corian or glass, etc.

Marble is immediately damaged by many household cleaners.

Quartz can be damaged by cleaners too.

Granite is much less sensitive to chemicals. But it can still etch when exposed to very strong chemicals or from repeated use, so stone-specific cleaners should still be used.

When it comes to regular cleaning, you don't really need to treat granite and quartz countertops differently.

The proper, non-damaging cleaners are required for all stone or man-made stone-based surfaces like quartz countertops.

General care, do's and don'ts do vary a bit between marble, granite, and quartz.

With marble, you have to be much more particular about avoiding acidic foods and drinks than on granite or quartz which won't readily etch.

Acidic foods, drinks, and most chemicals etch marble, which is why marble is not the best choice for a kitchen countertop.

It's mainly cleaners and other household products that you have to be careful with. Products (including brand-name cleaners) like oven cleaners, limescale removers, bleach, and acetone can damage quartz by discoloring or bleaching out the resin binding the quartz materials together into a slab.

Often this discoloration is permanent.

So common cleaners are a gamble on quartz. Quartz is not nearly as sensitive as marble, but not quite as resistant to chemical damage as granite.

You simply don't know which cleaner may be the one to stain your quartz so sticking to granite cleaners and other products formulated for use around natural stone is the safe bet.

Quartz Countertop Repair & Polishing

Repair and restoration, however, is a different ball game than cleaning. Marble repair can be somewhat different than granite repair and quartz repair can be a lot different.

The main repair difference is that natural stone kitchen countertops can almost always be repaired or restored by repolishing, but damage to a quartz countertop is often permanent.

Chemical damage results in lighter-colored areas where the color looks like it was bleached out.

It's the coloring dyes within the resins used to make quartz tiles and countertops that are affected.... usually permanently.

Such spots can resemble marble etching (dull chalky spots), but cannot be repaired in the same way as marble or at all in most cases.

We get asked a lot about this... can a marble polish be used to polish quartz? Unfortunately, no.

The ETCH REMOVER / Marble Polishing Powder is made for use on calcareous stones like marble. It WON'T work on quartz... or granite for that matter.

Since marble is a relatively soft countertop material, the above DIY product works very well and can be easily used by an unskilled person to restore mild to moderate etching (which is the most common) or scratches on marble.

Granite, on the other hand, is too hard and professional re-polishing is best. You can do-it-yourself with the correct tools and knowledge. Also, severe damage to marble is best repaired by a marble cleaning and maintenance pro. The trick is always getting an even finish and shine.

Again, the Marble Etch Remover won't do a thing to restore the quartz. When marble is etched it's simply a matter of re-polishing the rougher surface back to a smooth, glossy surface.

There is no damage or discoloring of dyes or resins with marble, which is the case with quartz countertops.

Polishing quartz countertops to repair damage is possible and is basically done in the same fashion as granite using diamond polishing pads on a power tool.

BUT it is not exactly the same as polishing granite. It is more difficult.

Matching the original factory finish when repolishing quartz kitchen countertops is a challenge. It requires several steps, special quartz polishing compounds, and using the polishing pads in the correct order.

Polishing quartz countertops can be a DIY project, but really it is best left to a person experienced with re-polishing quartz. It's even trickier than polishing marble or granite.

One thing though... repolishing quartz may not remove or repair bleached-out chemical damage. It depends on how deep into the resin the chemical damage is.

Pits or chips is a quartz countertop can be repaired just like on granite using the Pit & Chip Repair Kit. Easy.

Cleaning Quartz Shower Tiles

Most people don't know that quartz wall slabs and tiles are also available for showers and tub surrounds, etc.

The Soap Film / Hard Water Remover and the Mold & Mildew Stain Remover are safe and will work excellent on quartz shower tiles as well.

The Soap Film Remover is best used as your "regular" shower cleaner. It will keep all normal shower soap film buildup off the quartz tiles so they don't ever look dull.

Conclusion

Quartz countertops are very durable and low-maintenance with performance qualities similar to granite.

Makes sense since quartz is manufactured from natural stone.

So, when it comes to cleaning and polishing quartz it also makes sense to use products made for quartz & natural stone.

Granite and marble care products are the most effective and safest on quartz countertops providing the best performance.

The main reason is that many common cleaners and household chemicals can permanently stain quartz by discoloring or bleaching the resins.

Using granite and marble products to clean and polish quartz countertops will eliminate the risk of cleaner damage.

Quartz kitchen countertops can also be refinished or repolished like granite or marble but the process is trickier requiring specific quartz polishing compounds used with diamond polishing pads in sequence.

Pits and chips in quartz can also be repaired just like granite pits by filling with clear acrylic.

All considered, if you follow the general protocols for cleaning granite when polishing and cleaning quartz countertops, you'll maintain your quartz in pristine condition without any problems.