It seems like all the premium real estate listings these days feature quartz countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms. Homeowners are discovering something that owners of commercial properties such as shopping malls, banks, and hotels have known for decades: similar to natural stone, quartz is easy to maintain. When it comes to durability, looks, and value, quartz is a viable option. Moreover, keeping quartz clean is similar to cleaning marble, granite, travertine and other types of natural stone. With this in mind, homeowners shouldn’t overestimate the resilience of their quartz tiles and slabs with regard to common household cleaners.
Potential Chemical Reactions to Avoid
The fabrication process of quartz involves the blending of natural aggregate, synthetic pigments, natural stone, and quartz, bonding them together with resins, and curing them at high temperatures. Once fabricated and installed, quartz won’t be impervious to chemical reactions from substances with a strong alkaline or acidic content.Highly acidic chemicals can damage the surface of quartz and disintegrate the bonds between natural quartz and resin.Because glass cleaners, soft-scrub cleansers, all-purpose cleaners, and other everyday household cleaners tend to contain ammonia or other damaging chemicals, they shouldn’t be used on quartz.The Problem with Abrasive Products
Quartz isn’t like laminate or ceramic materials that can be routinely cleaned with abrasive powders or creams. Abrasives are chemicals formulated to agitate heavy accumulations of soil, particularly those mixed with organic substances. This agitation may be augmented by chemical heat, which explains why some scrubbing powders warm up after applying elbow grease. You should keep abrasive cleaners away from quartz, and the same goes for utensils such as steel wool and heavy-duty scrubbing pads.The Problem with Oxidizing Agents
Toilet bowl cleaners typically contain oxidizing agents such as sodium hydroxide and ammonium salts, which feature a high alkaline content. This formulation is ideal to dissolve stains produced by rust and uric acid, which are typically found in toilet bowls. Though it’s possible to find rust on quartz countertops near a sink, toilet bowl cleaners with oxidizing agents shouldn’t be used to remove these types of stains. Cleaners with oxidizing agents fight corrosion with corrosion, plus they have antimicrobial properties. The ceramic finish of toilet bowls is made to withstand oxidizing agents, but such is not the case with quartz, which is ideal in kitchen and bathrooms because of its antibacterial properties.Rust stains on quartz will need to be removed or repaired by a professional.What You Should Use on Quartz Surfaces
Instead of rolling the dice and hoping the common household cleaner you buy doesn’t contain ammonia, sodium hydroxide, abrasives, or solvents that could damage your quartz, you should use a specially formulated quartz cleaner such as Granite Gold Quartz Brite®, a two-in-one formula that cleans and polishes quartz surfaces. This product isn’t acidic or toxic, and it’s fully biodegradable and free of harsh phosphates and ammonia. Granite Gold Quartz Brite® can be sprayed on the surface and gently wiped and buffed away to keep counters clean and shiny.To learn more about caring for quartz countertops, get in touch with Granite Gold®. Call 1-800-475-STONE (7866) to speak with one of our friendly and knowledgeable representatives, and also make sure to like our Facebook page, which features regular updates on quartz care as well as caring for granite, marble, travertine, and other types of natural stone.
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