UPDATED 11/2023
Congrats on choosing a countertop material for your project! Your brand-new kitchen is now functional, beautiful, and will last you many, many years… as long as you’re practicing proper cleaning and maintenance. Uh oh, has this made you nervous? Don’t worry! We’re here to help you keep your countertops looking as beautiful as the day you got them for years to come!
Engineered Quartz
This countertop material is tough, but not indestructible! If you stick to a cleaning routine, your countertops will hold up well over the years.
How to Regularly Clean:
Wash your quartz countertop regularly with a soft cloth, warm water and mild soap. Mild soaps that we suggest are: Dawn Ultra Antibacterial Dishwashing Liquid, Green Works Dish Soap, & Joy Dish Soap Lemon Scent. Be sure to look at the recommended soaps/cleaners of the specific brand of quartz installed in your kitchen.
How to Clean Spills:
ALWAYS refer to the care & maintenance tips of the specific quartz brand you chose for your kitchen. Although each brand has very similar care tips, they vary slightly between each brand of quartz. Listed below are the links to the care & maintenance tips of the quartz brands we most frequently work with.
Do Not:
Get your quartz countertop sealed
Use bleach
Use abrasive powders
Use steel wool pads
Use paint removers
Place a hot item directly on your quartz countertop. Instead, use a trivet or hot pad under any hot pots, pans, etc.
Expose your quartz countertop to strong alkaline, acid, oxidizers or other similar products.
Leave any acidic spills (red wine, lemon juice, etc.) sitting on your countertop for a prolonged amount of time
It’s important to note that any finish that isn’t polished (honed, brushed, concrete, matte, etc.) may require extra effort to clean all spills
Granite
This countertop material is tough and nonporous, but it needs to be maintained to keep the true qualities of granite. Granite needs to be sealed at least once a year and fortunately it is easy to do yourself. You can test to see if your countertop needs to be resealed by doing a water test. Put a few drops of water on the surface, if it beads up then your sealer is at a good level. If the water gets soaked into the granite after a few minutes, then it needs to be resealed.
How to Clean:
Use a granite cleaner (these do not break down the seal like other household cleaning products may)
Use a warm cloth with gentle dish soap
It’s important to note that honed finishes are more prone to staining
Do not use harsh, abrasive, acidic, bleach or ammonia cleaners on your granite countertops.
Natural Stone (Marble/Quartzite/Soapstone)
Natural stones like quartzite, marble, soapstone, etc. can also be used for kitchen countertops. Natural stone is a beautiful option, however, it’s important to note that some of these options are more porous and less durable than engineered quartz or granite. Therefore, it’s especially important to make sure you are following a strict care & maintenance routine. The care & maintenance of natural stones varies depending on the type of stone, but MSI has a general guideline for natural stone care & maintenance that is helpful.
Something to note about natural stone is that no matter how careful you are, it will scratch and/or stain eventually, so if you want your countertop to look exactly like the day it was installed for 20+ years, we suggest not using natural stone. If you’re someone who appreciates the character & beauty of a lived-in surface, then natural stone could be for you! Be sure to discuss your options with your kitchen designer depending on your needs.
You can visit our website or contact us with any questions you may have about your kitchen design. We are happy to help!