Daily cleaning for all materials
For everyday cleanup, mild dish soap and warm water on a soft cloth or microfiber towel works for all countertop materials. Avoid abrasive scrubbers, steel wool, or gritty cleaners—they dull polished surfaces over time. Dry surfaces after cleaning rather than letting water pool, especially near seams and at the backsplash edge. A clean, dry surface is the baseline for all materials.
Engineered quartz care
Quartz requires no sealing. Clean up spills promptly—quartz is highly stain-resistant but not stain-proof under prolonged exposure. Avoid placing hot pots directly on the surface; use trivets or pads. Quartz is sensitive to harsh chemicals: bleach-based cleaners, strong alkaline cleaners, and oven degreasers can break down the resin binder over time. For stubborn spots, a small amount of isopropyl alcohol on a cloth is typically safe. Keep quartz out of sustained direct sunlight outdoors—UV exposure can discolor the resins.
Granite care and sealing
Granite should be sealed at installation and resealed periodically. The test: put a few drops of water on the surface. If the water beads up, the seal is good. If the water absorbs into the stone and darkens it within a few minutes, it is time to reseal. For most kitchen granite, this is annually; lighter-colored or more porous granites may need it more frequently. Use a dedicated stone sealer from a hardware store or ask us to recommend one. Daily cleaning with dish soap and water is fine; avoid vinegar and citrus-based cleaners as they can etch the sealer over time.
Marble care and etching
Marble requires sealing and is sensitive to acids. Clean spills immediately—do not let citrus juice, wine, tomato, or vinegar sit on the surface. Use pH-neutral stone cleaner, not general kitchen cleaners. Etching (dull, lighter spots from acid contact) is a reaction with the stone itself; light etching on a polished surface can sometimes be minimized with marble polishing powder, but significant etching requires professional honing or repolishing. A honed finish on kitchen marble hides etching better than polished. Resealing every 6–12 months is recommended for kitchen marble.
Quartzite care
Quartzite is durable natural stone but still porous and should be sealed. The same water-bead test used for granite applies. True hard quartzite resists etching; if your stone has high calcite content (sometimes the case with softer stones mislabeled as quartzite), treat it more like marble. Daily cleaning with soap and water is fine. Quartzite tolerates heat better than engineered quartz, but trivets remain best practice for all countertop materials—including natural stone.
Universal rules for all countertops
Never use a countertop as a cutting board directly—even hard stone can scratch knives and get micro-grooves that harbor bacteria. Never sit or stand on countertops—concentrated weight at unsupported spans can cause cracking. Keep hairline crack monitoring in mind: if you notice a new crack forming, contact a fabricator before it propagates. And for all surfaces: if in doubt about a cleaning product, test a small inconspicuous spot or ask before using it on the full counter.
