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If it seems like your quartz countertops have lost their shine, or that they have sustained some stains or scratches, then you will want to know how to polish quartz countertops.
When it comes to getting quartz countertops, an engineered stone, back their shiny allure, it is not as straightforward as natural stone countertops such as granite or marble. In this article, you’ll find out what makes quartz countertops lose their shine, and what your options are in terms of polishing them. That way, you can choose the best option for you.
You’ll also find out how to care for them, and what not to do as part of maintenance of your countertop. Read on for maintenance and how to polish quartz countertops.
How to Polish Quartz Countertops
First, let’s understand what your options are in terms of polishing your quartz countertops. Most quartz countertops come with a natural shine and may not really need polishing or modifications often — a simple cleaning routine will ensure that they look smooth a really long time. You will need to go further for two situations, though:
- The countertop has a film of dirt over the stone, which is hard to get rid of. This could cause the engineered stone to lose its luster.
- The countertop has scratches or deep stains which calls for more than surface-level cleaning.
Use quartz cleaner with a microfiber cloth for a regular polish
In the case of the first situation, you can do a deep clean to remove the layer of dirt with a spray and wipe. You can also use ingredients available in your kitchen. We will discuss some of the best DIY methods later in the article.
In the case of a scratch or deep stain, there are options for a chemical polish or physical polish.
Use a quartz cleaning sponge for deeper stains
The quartz cleaner spray combined with a quartz cleaning sponge can be used to remove deep stains from the quartz countertops. A cleaning sponge made for stone is designed to be non-scratch, so you can also use any sponge as long as it is the non-scratching type.
If wine was spilled, the kids got markers, or other pigmented liquids are left on the countertop, it can leave a deep stain. It’s more noticeable on light colored and white quartz.
To remove these, you can spray the cleaner onto the stain and leave it for a few minutes. Then buff the wet area with a microfiber cloth or quartz cleaning sponge. Make sure it is still wet while you’re scrubbing in a circular motion.
Check to see if the stain is being lifted. If you’re making progress, this scrubbing process can take a few minutes, depending on how tough the stain is.
A polishing grinder for scratches on granite
In the case of scratches on the surface of the counter, depending on how deep the scratch runs, your option could be physical polishing. Physical polishing is an actual modification, in which the shine on the countertop is restored not by cleaning it, but removing a little bit of the surface of the granite.
This cannot really be a DIY project unless you have knowledge of how to deal with quartz stone. This requires power grinders, diamond polishing pads and knowledge of a thorough procedure regarding how to polish quartz countertops the way manufacturers do them.
We will steer clear of this physical polishing method in this article as this must only be your last resort, after exhausting other easier ways to polish the countertops, which are in the upcoming sections.
Now that we are aware of what the word “polishing” really entails and when to perform which kind of polishing, let’s now explore some of the easy ways for how to polish quartz countertops.
Tip 1: A consistent cleaning routine
One of the best ways to take care of your quartz countertops regularly is to follow a consistent cleaning routine.
The trick is to do this often, and stick to a routine. An example of a simple routine would be wiping down your countertops every time you load the dishwasher.
A home made cleaning solution can be putting warm water and a drop of dish soap into a professional spray bottle. Having the soap water in a spray bottle makes the routine easier. If you have hard tap water, you can consider using distilled or filtered water to get a better shine.
Using a buffing cloth, wipe down your quartz countertop with the soap solution. For tough spots, like dried on food, let the soap solution sit for a few minutes. Then, wipe it dry with a clean cloth so that it’s spotless and shiny.
Tip 2: Using a quartz cleaner
There are cleaners that are made just for quartz countertops that work well to polish and bring luster, when paired with a microfiber cloth.
As these quartz cleaners are designed to make the resins in engineered stone shine, they would work their magic on your quartz countertops without leaving streaks or residue like other types of cleaners. It also acts to protect the stone from UV rays in bright kitchens.
Just spray the solution on the quartz countertop and wipe it dry with the included microfiber cloth.
Tip 3: Removing tough stains
For removing tough cooking stains that have dried up, spray warm water on it. Optionally, you can add a bit of baking soda on it. Leave it to soak for 5 to 15 minutes.
Then, you can use a plastic putty knife (never sharp metal ones) to gently scrape away the stain and immediately wipe it with a sponge dipped in warm water.
You may also use an adhesive remover to get rid of tough stains like markers, gum and candle wax.
Caring for Quartz Countertops: Do’s and Don’ts
As they say, prevention is better than a cure. You might as well follow best practices on caring for them to make it easy when it’s time to polish quartz countertops before your guests come over.
1. Clean up spills of liquids other than water on the countertops as soon as they occur. Do not wait for them to dry up, especially ketchup, wine, oil, and other pigmented substances.
2. Do not place anything hot on the quartz countertops. Unlike laminate countertops that tend to bubble up when heated, quartz countertops it can withstand higher temperatures. However, quartz is heat resistant up to 150 F so it is not heat proof.
3. Cut your vegetables on a cutting board, not directly on the quartz stone, even though the shiny, durable stone tempts you to.
4. Do not use any chemicals such as bleach, vinegar, lemon juice or similar ingredients. This could cause the stone to fade and lose its luster. It also won’t protect the stone from UV rays if the kitchen is a sunny one.
5. Never use anything sharp such as the scrubby side of your dish washing brush. Stick to using a non-scratching sponge for cleaning. Having a cleaning routine will also help, like cleaning the countertops after you’ve done the dishes.
Following these tips will ensure you are able to care for your favorite part of the kitchen. You could try these methods on how to polish quartz countertops right away.
FAQs on How to Polish Quartz Countertops
How do I restore my quartz countertop’s shine?
You can choose between chemical polishing and physical in order to restore the shine to your quartz countertop. While physical polishing with a grinder requires you to modify the stone to fix deep scratches and stains, chemical polishing involves the use of quartz-specific cleaners to get the stains out. You may also have a cleaning routine of scrubbing the surface with warm water and soap solution using a non-scratch sponge, in order to remove dirt layers and restore the shine.
How do you polish quartz at home?
In order to polish quartz countertops at home, you may use a solution of water and dish soap solution. You can also choose a quartz cleaner. Spray this solution on the stone and scrub away with a microfiber cloth. Then wipe it dry using a clean cloth.
Takeaway
How to polish quartz countertops may seem like a daunting task. However, the best way to do this is using a non-scratching sponge or microfiber cloth with the cleaner of your choice. You can choose from warm water with a bit of dish soap, to a quartz cleaner to clean and polish your quartz countertops.
Physical polishing involves modification of the stone to remove scratches. That’s best left to knowledgeable stone polishers and professionals to work on the engineered stone with power grinders and polishing pads.
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