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Tips for Keeping Quartz and Natural Stone Countertops Clean
Natural stone and quartz countertops add beauty and value to your home as well as make your kitchen highly functional. These are durable materials eminently suitable for kitchen countertops, and maintenance is usually a breeze.
That said, kitchen countertops get a lot of traffic, and while stone countertops are tough, you can still damage them. They still need a reasonable amount of care and maintenance to keep them in top condition. Here are some tips for keeping quartz and natural stone countertops clean.
Basic care
- Use trivets and heat pads to keep direct heat away from stone countertops. Granite and marble are both heat-resistant to a high degree, but the sealers that make them stain resistant are not. Placing very hot pots, pans, slow cookers, and other items directly on a sealed countertop can burn off the seal and leave marks. These marks might fade over time, but it might not. Quartz countertops, on the other hand, are not heat resistant at all because of the resins in the mix. Heat damage on quartz countertops is permanent.
- Do not sit, step, or place very heavy objects on unsupported overhangs. Most kitchen countertops have an overhang, and these are particularly prone to cracking and breaking if they do not have support. Even if they do, it is still a good idea to avoid testing it.
- Mop up or remove spills from your kitchen countertops as soon as possible. If you have marble countertops and the spill was some type of acid such as wine or organic matter such as coffee, rinse the area off with clean water using a sponge, and thoroughly dry with a soft cloth.
- Use a chopping board during food preparation, even if quartz and granite countertops are tough enough so that you can slice directly on them. It is easier to clean chopping boards, and it is more likely to be safer for direct contact with food.
- Check the seal of your natural stone countertops regularly to avoid stains. Do a water bead test every few months or so, especially areas that you use most frequently. Simply place a drop of water in these areas and see if it beads or spreads. If it spreads and darkens the stone, it means the seal is no longer intact. You can apply sealer yourself quite easily. Just make sure you get the right one for the type of countertop you have. You do not need to seal quartz stone.
Granite
Granite countertops are very durable and come in a wide variety of naturally occurring colors and designs. It is food safe and mostly stain-resistant. Cleaning them takes very time, requiring just a daily wipe down with plain water or a mild soap solution followed by clean water. Make sure you rinse and dry it off completely. Avoid anything harsh when cleaning them to avoid damaging the finish, especially if you have a polished one.
While granite is mostly stain-resistant, especially with a seal, stains might occasionally appear. If this happens, you can remove it by applying a thick paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide over it. Leave it for at least 24 hours, and then scrape it off with a plastic card or scraper. The stain should lift right off. If it does not, repeat the process until it does. Make sure you apply a coat of impregnating sealer after the stain is gone.
Marble
Marble countertops are undoubtedly beautiful and elegant, but it is quite soft compared to quartz and granite. Marble is also porous, so it always needs to have an intact seal. It sustains surface damage such as stains and etches quite easily, especially in the presence of acids and hard edges.
Cleaning marble is like that of granite. However, you must pay special attention to the ingredients in your favorite cleaner, as ammonia in glass cleaners and acetic acid in many commercial cleaners are no-nos.
Marble countertops stain easily from several sources. You can remove rust and other surface stains using the same paste and process described for granite. If the damage is physical, however, you will get better results using commercial polishing powder designed for marble.
Quartz
Quartz countertops are currently very popular today, mainly because they are easily available in a wide range of colors and designs, and they require practically no maintenance. As mentioned earlier, you do not need to seal quartz countertops because they are non-porous. Simply clean it regularly with any type of cleaner you want, including glass cleaners, but do avoid anything too harsh as it is not good for the finish or the environment.
While virtually stain proof, paint, nail polish, and permanent markers do stick to quartz stone. You can scrape away the first two, but not the last one. Marks from a permanent marker are, well, permanent. It is very hard to remove, so avoid trouble by keeping permanent markers away from your quartz countertops.
Conclusion
These tips for keeping quartz and natural stone countertops can keep your kitchen looking pristine and beautiful. If you are in the market for new ones, make sure you get them from a reliable contractor. Get in touch with
Granite ASAP for a free design consultation and quote for your kitchen countertops. We help clients visualize their kitchen design before doing any work. We service the state of Virginia, including the cities of Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, Fairfax, Chantilly, Herndon, Centreville, Tysons, and Washington DC.
We carry a wide range of products for your kitchen renovation needs, including natural stone slabs as well as the best engineered stone brands in the country for your kitchen countertops. Over 100 colors of granite and marble slabs are available for inspection at our Chantilly, Virginia showroom.
If you prefer engineered stone, we can offer you products from the Cambria, Caesarstone, Silestone, and MSI brands, each one carrying the manufacturer’s warranty. You can choose what you want, and we will deliver it ASAP!
We strive to help clients create their dream kitchen, keeping their budget and time in mind always. Feel free to ask any questions over the phone or get in touch using our contact form!