Has your quartz countertop been looking a bit dull lately? That’s normal, and can happen with everyday use. The quartz stone is quite resistant to scratching, but over time it can start to lose its shine. However, there are some methods you can use to bring that shiny look back. So, in this article, we’ll tell you how to shine quartz countertops.
While scratching is one of the possible causes of your quartz slab getting dull, the stone being hard as it is makes scratching take a long time to become noticeable. What normally happens is that small particles tend to pile up on it, such as dust, grease, and food particles, creating a layer that blocks light from reaching it, making it look grayer and duller.
Thankfully, quartz is not porous, so, in general, it’s possible to make it shiny again without having to deep polish it. There are multiple ways to shine quartz countertops depending on what is making it dull, so we’ll tell you the possible reasons and the methods you need to know to make it look better.
How to shine quartz countertops: some methods
Some things are harder to remove than others. Dust is quite simple. Some stains, not so much. That means some methods will need more raw power than others. If you don’t feel comfortable using some of these methods, be sure call professionals to do the job. While some may seem simple, if you do something wrong you may end up scratching or staining your slab!
Method 01 – Light cleaning
If the dullness is light or recent, you may be able to clean up your countertop with stuff you have at home.
You can first try to dust it to see if it gets better. Any simple hand duster should do it, as it’s unlikely it’ll scratch the quartz. Just be thorough and sweep it multiple times to see how it does.
Most likely it’ll probably not be enough. That means that some particles may have already lodged themselves within the stone’s small imperfections.
In this case, you can also try good old soapy water. Using soapy water and a soft sponge or cleaning rag, you can clean it as if you were cleaning any other piece of furniture. This way, some other impurities and grease substances are more likely to come out, which will make the quartz more shiny.
Just make sure that the sponge or rag you’re using is clean and soft. If you’ve used it a lot already, it may be harder and have hard particles lodged in them, which can end up scratching the stone.
It’s a good idea to do this kind of light cleaning at least once a day. This way, you prevent it from becoming dull with time. Also, make sure to clean it immediately as soon food or liquids fall on it, to prevent those kinds of stains from forming.
Method 02 – Deep cleaning
If it’s been some time since you last cleaned the slab, just doing some light cleaning probably won’t be enough. This means that the dirt and stains have already settled in, so you’ll need to use some stronger agents to take them out.
The first thing you could try is vinegar. Vinegar is not very acidic, but it’s a pretty good organic solvent, meaning it could help you dissolve the stains from foods and liquids, making them easier to remove.
Try leaving a vinegar-soaked rag on top of the stains for a while to see if it loosens up. If it does, just sweeping it away with the rag should be enough. Using as mixture of 25% vinegar and 75% and cleaning the stone with the rag may also be helpful to do a more complete cleaning.
However, if that wasn’t enough, you’ll want to use something stronger.
As weird as it may sound, a cleaning agent that works great for quartz countertops is the glass cleaner. Glass cleaners are strong enough to remove grease and stains, but light enough that they don’t end up damaging the quartz. You can use it just as you’d use it to clean a window, and that should make your slab much shinier.
When picking a cleaning product to shine quartz, you have to be careful. While quartz countertops are very resistant to scratches, they are very sensitive to acids. Things like bleach, acetone, degreasers and strong cleaning products shouldn’t be used on it, as they’ll likely leave a stain that won’t come off.
Method 03 – Polishing
If all other methods fail, there is always the option of polishing it up. Maybe the stains are too hard to remove, or they were caused by some strong product, or the dullness is actually caused by many thin scratches.
In those cases, fully polishing the slab is the better way to go. Polishing consists on removing the topmost layer of the stone with a rougher grit, and then using finer grits on it until it looks smooth and shiny. It’s great to give new life to your slab, especially if it still has thickness to spare.
However, this is also the toughest method. Because quartz is pretty hard, it also makes it very hard to polish. That means you’ll need a grinder, equipment to hold the slab in place, and enough space to make a mess. You shouldn’t try it if you don’t have experience with this kind of job.
How to shine quartz countertops: contact the professionals
When the subject is how to shine quartz countertops, the best thing to do is, of course, avoiding the need to do the heavy work of deep cleaning it. That is: take good care of it by cleaning it daily, and clean spills, dirt and grease as soon as it appears.
However, if your quartz slab ends up looking too dull, or you realized it got a stain you can’t take out, call the professionals. They’ll know how to best clean up your countertop and make it look as good as new.
If you need help with your stone countertops, be sure to contact us! Stone countertops are our specialty, so we’ll know to help you.
