If you’re close to making the decision to invest in the engineered stone that is quartz, it’s important that you know how to clean it. It’s no doubt that quartz is a stone that you’ll love no matter where you install it—your kitchen or your bathroom—and part of the reason why is that it’s so easy to take care of.

Quartz countertops are low maintenance, but even still it’s important to keep up the proper care if you want them to last in your home for as long as they can.

Countertop Cleaning Routine

The routine for cleaning your quartz countertops is easy, as we previously said. Here are the steps that you should keep in mind for your cleaning routine:

• Do wipe down the countertop with mild dish soap and a soft cloth.

• • • All you have to do is take your soft rag and dip it in a mix of warm water and dish soap. You can also use a sponge, if that’s what you’ve got handy. After that, take your rag or sponge and carefully but firmly wipe down the countertop. You can do this as often as the countertop needs cleaning.

• Do scrape off dried bits from the surface.

• • • What works well to scrape off dirt or dried food is a good old putty knife, but it’s important to remember to only scrape gently when you’re removing buildup.

• Do wipe off grease with a degreaser.

• • • You can use your degreasing agent of choice for this step, as long as you make sure that it’s safe to use on quartz. All you have to do is spray it generously onto the countertop, then rinse it off immediately after with that handy soft rag that you have.

• Don’t use cleaners with bleach content.

• • Bleach and citrus are very harmful to quartz countertops, and it’s imperative that you keep them away from your countertop.

Getting Rid of Tough Stains

Now that you’re familiar with the everyday cleaning routine, it’s time to move on to what to do if there’s a stain on your quartz countertop that you’re not quite sure how to get rid of.

• Do use Goo Gone.

• • • What really works well on removing tough stains from quartz countertops is adhesive remover. Take your wet rag from before, and with a cleaner like Goo Gone, you’ll be all set for stain removal. Just pour the Goo Gone on the stain, let it sit for about five to ten minutes, then wipe it off. Then from there, wipe down the entire counter using warm water. (Hint: If you don’t have any Goo Gone, a surprising but useful alternative that you can try is caramel. Strange, but true! Its sticky quality helps to pull off tricky stains.)

• Do use isopropyl rubbing alcohol.

• • • If you have an especially stubborn stain, you can take a wet rag with some isopropyl rubbing alcohol and rub at the stain using the rag, then wipe the counter down using warm water.

• Don’t be scared of glass cleaners.

• • To deep clean quartz countertops, you can use glass cleaner. Make sure it doesn’t have any bleach, spray it on, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe it off with a wet cloth.

Preventing Damage

While it’s definitely smart to know how to clean your quartz countertops, it’s also helpful to know how to prevent damage. Here’s how to do that:

• Do clean up spills right away.

• • • Even though engineered stone can resist stains for a little while, you should still clean up stains as quickly as you can. If you wait too long, you run the risk of damaging your countertops. If the spill consists of coffee, wine, or tea, permanent damage can be done if you’re too slow to clean it.

• Do use heat protection.

• • • You should stay away from placing hot materials directly onto your countertop and instead use mats or trivets to prevent damage.

• Do use a cutting board.

• • • We do not recommend chopping food directly on your quartz countertop because, while it may be nonporous and safe against bacteria, they’re not impervious from scratches from your knife. Cutting directly on a quartz countertop could also dull your knife!

• Don’t use harsh cleaners.

• • Cleaners that are highly alkaline or acidic will harm your quartz countertops. If a liquid like this happens to come in contact with your quartz countertop, grab a wet cloth dipped in mild detergent right away and wipe it off.

Cleaning Your Quartz Countertop

As you can see, cleaning quartz countertops isn’t rocket science. All it takes is some thought and care, and these countertops will last in your home for generations. If you have questions about the cleaning routine of quartz or would like to schedule a consultation, give Sanford Granite a call at (321) 578-9329.