A potential buyer wanting to invest in engineered quartz countertops is spoilt for choice today, as there are many brands from which to choose. Choice may depend on which colours are available from a particular manufacturer, price considerations, or manufacturer’s warranty. There are many plus points to choosing quartz slabs as they don’t require sealing, and are non-porous so bacteria cannot grow on the surface. There are also options that look like marble but are much hardier and stain resistant than their marble counterparts.
But no matter which brand is decided upon, there are some aspects to be cognizant of, which embrace all brands and types of quartz slabs:
Quartz countertops cannot take direct heat to the surface, so boiling pots need to be placed onto pot stands. This is due to the resin which binds the quartz slab together.
The tops ARE scratch resistant but using knives directly on the surface can scratch the surface. Far better to use a chopping board to avoid this possibility.
Engineered quartz is non-porous and stain resistant, however it is possible to stain the surface with acidic cleaners or any other type of acidic liquid or material which comes into contact with the surface. These materials can even cause a chemical reaction to take place in the surface itself (due to the materials in the engineered quartz). The best defense is to wipe off liquids from the countertop as soon as possible. In the event of a stain appearing due to liquids left on the surface for too long, use a professional stone cleaner designed for this purpose. Or you can use baking soda with vinegar on the stain and rub in circular motions with a non scratch pad or paper towel. The vinegar cannot be left on the surface for more than 5 minutes, as it is acidic. I once experienced marking in my kitchen on my quartz top that I had installed years ago, and I found that rubbing with plain dishwashing liquid, water and a lot of elbow grease did the trick.
