You're Unknowingly Damaging Your Quartz Countertops With One Common Cleaning Agent

It's good to keep a clean kitchen; sanitized surfaces are important to safely cook and prepare food. But what is the best way to ensure your kitchen countertops are properly cleaned? The easy solution might seem to be reaching for a Clorox disinfecting wipe, but this option can do more harm than good, especially if you have nice, new quartz countertops. In this case, reaching for a Clorox wipe is the last thing you should do since they contain citric acid, which is simply too harsh for quartz countertops when used repeatedly.

Although quartz is non-porous, citric acid can wear down its surface over time, causing discoloration because the acidity etches the countertop surface and breaks down the silica bonds. These bonds are present in many stone countertops, not just quartz. This same damage may occur if you regularly use any cleaning product containing citric acid, or even if you leave a juice spill of citrus fruits, such as lemon or lime, sitting on the counter for too long. Other acidic or alkaline cleaning products, such as Windex, can also be harmful and should be avoided. If you're ready to start avoiding the quartz countertop cleaning mistakes that everyone makes, it's time to start checking the ingredient lists on your cleaning products and being more careful about which products you use and where.

When it comes to cleaning your quartz countertops, the simple answer is the best one. Mix a gentle dish soap or antibacterial soap with warm water, and wipe down the countertops with a microfiber cloth or soft sponge. This removes any dirt and grime from the surface without causing any scratches or chemical damage. While dish soap is the easiest option, there are also cleaning products made specifically for quartz that can clean and sanitize without damaging the stone. The highly-rated Weiman Quartz Countertop Cleaner and Polish promises to prevent damage from sunlight and remove grease, stains, and water marks with a pH-neutral formula. It even has a citrus scent, so you can have a fresh smelling kitchen without abrading your countertops.

On deep cleaning days when you want to sanitize or disinfect your quartz countertops, you can either use your antibacterial dish soap or isopropyl alcohol. But, since isopropyl alcohol can be harmful when fumes are inhaled or your eyes or skin are exposed to it, you need to take some safety measures: Ideally, you should wear chemical-resistant gloves, protect your eyes with safety goggles, and use it only in a well-ventilated space. After wiping down the surface to remove any loose crumbs or dirt, mix two parts of the isopropyl alcohol with one part warm water in a spray bottle and spray it onto the countertops, leaving the solution on for at least one minute before scrubbing with a soft cloth and wiping down the surface again.

There are some maintenance tasks to do in order to extend your quartz's lifespan: Always wipe up any spills immediately (especially if it's highly acidic or alkaline), make sure you only use soft cloths and sponges rather than abrasive materials, and regularly take the time to clean the countertops. These should help prevent further damage and keep your quartz in the best possible shape. You should also remember to check the compatibility of other cleaning products with the surfaces and items throughout your whole home, as you might find more common cleaning products with ingredients that are doing more harm than good.

Additionally, you may be wondering what to do if you have previously used abrasive cleaning products on your quartz countertops. If you have visible discoloration and damage, you might want to look into how much it costs to upgrade your countertops depending on material. If there is not visible damage, it is probably okay to leave the countertops and avoid using harsh cleaning products on them in the future.