Quartz Counters
Care & Maintenance

Congratulations!

Your new quartz counter is designed for years of low-maintenance enjoyment. It is incredibly durable, dense and has minimal porosity, making it highly resistant to scuffs, scratches and common household stains when properly cared for. To keep your counter clean and looking its best, be sure to observe the care and maintenance instructions below.

Daily Cleaning

Once daily or as needed, wipe your quartz surfaces clean with a damp soft cloth or paper towel, then dry carefully. That's all that is needed to remove ordinary food residues, crumbs and household soils.

Should any liquids spill on the surface, wipe up the spill immediately, then clean with a damp soft cloth or paper towel and dry carefully. If liquid residue or staining remains, consider the more intensive cleaning options below.

More Intensive Cleaning

For more intensive cleaning, you may also use the methods listed below. Always start with the gentlest methods, working your way to more intensive cleaning options until the desired results are achieved.

1. Routine Soils — Using a mild soap or detergent, together with cool or warm water, wipe your quartz surfaces clean using a soft cloth or paper towel.

Take care to use a soap or detergent with a pH range of 5 to 8. A lower pH is too acidic and a higher pH is too alkaline. Either extreme can potentially dull the finish, especially with prolonged or repeated exposure.

Warm water can be used to increase the cleaning effectiveness of the soap or detergent, but should never be hotter than is comfortable to the touch.

After cleaning with soap or detergent, always thoroughly rinse the surface with cool water and immediately dry with a clean soft cloth or paper towel.

2. Stubborn Soils — If cleaning with soap or detergent is not removing the soil, you may consider 'stepping up' to a common, non-abrasive household cleaner such as Soft Scrub Liquid Gel. Apply the cleaner sparingly to a clean damp soft cloth or sponge (never directly to the quartz surface) and wipe the surface. Repeat these steps until desired results are achieved, rinsing the soft cloth or sponge and re-applying the cleaner as necessary.

Always thoroughly rinse the surface with cool water to thoroughly remove any residue and immediately dry with a clean soft cloth or paper towel.

3. Grease Spots — Moisten a clean soft cloth or paper towel with isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol and wipe the spot. Repeat these steps until desired results are achieved.

Always follow with cleaning using mild soap or detergent as outlined above, then thoroughly rinse the surface with cool water and immediately dry with a clean soft cloth or paper towel.

4. Glue, Tape, Stickers, Gum — Apply Goo Gone or a similar d-Limonene based cleaner to a clean soft cloth or paper towel and apply to the affected area.

If necessary, gently scrape the residue using a plastic putty knife until removed.

Always follow with cleaning using mild soap or detergent as outlined above, then thoroughly rinse the surface with cool water and immediately dry with a clean soft cloth or paper towel.

Disinfecting Your Countertops

Always start with a thorough cleaning, following the applicable instructions above. Soap and water are advisable against many pathogens including the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. That's because soapy water disrupts the lipid layer that binds the virus together, while helping remove the virus from surfaces. In short, "wash your counters as you wash your hands."

Should you wish to take an additional step to disinfect the countertop surface, use an ethanol/alcohol-based cleaner approved for this purpose. The CDC has approved PURELL Professional Surface Disinfectant Wipes for this purpose. You can also use isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol with a concentration of at least 70%. This is the active ingredient in hand sanitizer, and works the same way as soap and water — by dissolving lipids. The surface must remain wet for 5 minutes. Allow to air dry or wipe dry after 5 minutes with a clean cloth or paper towel.

Do not use products or solutions containing bleach, ammonia or quaternary ammonium to clean or disinfect quartz countertops, as these can degrade the surface over time.

Do Not Use

NEVER USE any of the following to clean your quartz counter. The list below is intended to be illustrative, not comprehensive. If a cleaning agent, tool or technique is not explicitly suggested in the cleaning methods section above, it is NOT recommended for your quartz counter.

• Abrasive cleaning pads such as Scotch-Brite or the equivalent (any color).
• Magic Erasers or equivalent melamine sponges.
• Steel wool, SOS, Brillo, etc.
• High-acid cleaners such as tub & tile cleaner, mold remover, rust & hard water stain removers, toilet bowl cleaner, drain cleaner, etc.
• Powdered oxalic acid (e.g. Bar Keeper's Friend).
• Alkaline cleaners such as bleach, ammonia, oven cleaner, etc.
• Oil soaps.
• Industrial solvents or fuels of any kind.
• Paint stripper or floor stripper.
• Goof-Off.
• Stone polishes.
• Acetone or fingernail polish remover.
• Scouring powders including Comet, Ajax and baking soda.
• Concentrated detergents such as those intended for automatic dishwashers or laundry.
• Glass cleaner.
• Hydrogen peroxide.
• Metal polish of any kind.
• Toothpaste.
• Stainless steel cleaner.
• Products containing waxes or silicones.

Protect Your Counter From Excessive Heat

Your quartz counter is designed to be heat resistant in normal use; however, like any product containing natural stone, it is subject to thermal stress when subjected to sudden and extreme changes in temperature.

Therefore, it is recommended never to set hot pots or pans directly on the quartz counter. Always use a hot pad or trivet designed for this purpose. Take care to similarly protect your counter from other sources of high heat, including but not limited to, crockpots, electric skillets, griddles and similar appliances.

Always Use A Cutting Board

Your quartz counter is highly scratch-resistant; but is not 'scratch-proof.' It is therefore NOT recommended that you cut or prepare foods directly on the quartz surface. Always use a cutting board for this purpose — it will help keep your quartz counter (and your knives!) in best possible condition.

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