Barkeepers is very abrasive.

All that came from just putting a pot lid with water on it. Then trying to get water stain off with barkeepers cream and then dawn and water. You are right this quartz should never be sold for kitchens or bars.

I knew granite was better than man made- I should’ve bought into the idiots online and in stores. Quartz sucks.

I'm experiencing the exact same thing. Can you polish Honed finish after its installed?

Hi Jennylee424, can you use that sealer for Honed quartz caesarstone? Does anyone know if that will work, or if it will ruin it?

Love to find answers on this. Where are the dealers of this product? Mine said clean with baking soda everyday????? Really!!!

I’m in the same predicament after ordering Nolita suede silestone. What an awful product. Not fit for purpose. I’m glad I’m not alone in making this blunder. I’ve used a quartz polish which has really helped. Has anyone used the sealant mentioned above? Think I’ll try that if the polish wears off quickly.

Yep I have the same thing with my Daltile matte quartz countertops….I have quartzite on my island and it actually does better. We have hard water and it and everything else makes a mess of the Daltile and actually my stainless steel sink as well. I did research as opposed to what some rep accused me of not doing before I bought. Nowhere did I see that a matte finish would be so hard to keep looking nice. He told me to wash my countertops every day and then rinse with plain water and then dry with a Microfiber towel. I have a big kitchen. I don’t want to spend my life cleaning my countertops. I did not want a shiny countertop I also thought it would show marks easier…but this is way worse.

I have a new-build (Shea Construction) house that is only 1.5 years old & stupidly put so called "upgraded" AZT Portofino Classico Honed countertops on a very large kitchen island with a sink & on the perimeter countertops for a cost of over $10,000. Worst mistake ever & I am so angry with the Shea Design Studio for not warning me about how the honed countertops show absolutely every mark (even water) imaginable. The area around the sink always looks terrible no matter how much wiping & cleaning I do! I have consulted with several local countertop companies about the possibility of having the countertops polished & sealed & have been informed that it can't be done. I dislike these countertops so much that I'm thinking of at least giving it a try as I don't see how they could be any worse! Does anyone have any experience with having honed quartz countertops polished & sealed? Would appreciate hearing on this & any advice that could be given on that process. To make matters worse, I had polished quartz kitchen countertops in my previous house & loved them so what a huge mistake I made getting honed! Everyone...stay away from honed quartz unless you don't care that they will always look smudged & dirty!

Try some Tenax Quartz Toner please.

Just got new Pental Quartz Misterio honed counters, which are white with a grey veining very sporadically. I hate them and so regret this decision! Nothing was ever disclosed to me by the store or the third party stone vendors that honed finish would have all these problems. Scuff marks from anything metal - the entire area around the sink is scuffed from washing pots and pans. Last week I laid some mail on my countertop and picked it up a couple hours later and the ink from something is now imprinted on my counter! I tried Fantastic (which is what the stone company recommends) , Mr Clean Magic Eraser, Clorox Clean Up spray, Windex, Acetone finger nail polish remover (also recommended by the stone company) and nothing will remove the imprint. The counter absorbs everything. I am petrified of spaghetti sauce, or red beets, or curry sauce, or a pen. I went back to the home improvement store I contracted through and asked about having the counters sealed and they said they already were! How can this be? If that is true, this product should never be sold for use in a real home. I am just sick with having spent this much money on such a huge mistake. DO NOT EVER INSTALL HONED COUNTERS IN A REAL HOME KITCHEN THAT GETS USED!!

Try some Tenax Quartz Toner please.

@Joseph Corlett But how do I get the marks out first?

The best thing you can do is seal the countertops. This will help tremendously. Makes sure the countertops are clean first. FYI, we seal all quartz countertops as it just makes them easier to wipe down. I would bet the sealer will last at least 5 years before requiring again. On honed surfaces you may require a couple of coats. This is a DIY. You do not need to hire anyone to do this... its stupid simple.

I had pental honed sorano quartz installed a couple weeks ago and immediately noticed a ton of smudge marks.

It's horrible, the countertop absorbs everything!

@ rock-it-surfaces, how dark will the sealant make the countertops. They are currently charcoal grey with white veining.

I found that if I use a hand held steamer the countertops come out great and all the smudges come out.

Sealing will not change the color at all. Use Stain Proof Porcelain & Quartz Sealer. This should solve your problem.

Jenny Lee I am just wondering how you got all the smudges off with just Dawn and then acetone on remaining! My countertops are over 5 years old and there are marks everywhere. I’d love to try the sealant I just don’t know if I can get all the marks off first. And contrary to what someone here told me I feel like you, NO ONE warned about smudges on matte surface Quartz and I did not see anything about it except for one mention that it might take an extra cleaning to get some marks off. I can clean one spot over and over with a variety of things and it still remains…and it is a spot from water. We do have hard water.

Most quartz companies offer near life-time warranties. You should contact the quartz manufacturer.

I finally found two things that worked on the honed GooGone and WD40 takes the stains off and polished it up. Do whole area and polish off.

As a follow up to my post last month, a rep from the Quartz company and a rep from the stone vendor came to my house to show me how to professional clean my honed quartz. All the metal scuff marks from pans etc sliding across the surface were removed with Flitz Metal Polish. Just a tiny dab on a cloth works great. The other marks were removed with Bar Keepers Friend powder mixed with pure acetone into a thin paste that was gently rubbed on the markings. The ink mark took several treatments to come off but it did come off. They recommended washing the counter off daily with just Dawn, and then rinse off and apply Method Daily granite cleaner. They told me to only use white cloths for cleaning my white quartz. Hope that helps someone else because I breathed a big sigh of relief realizing that the marks can actually be removed.

PS. They also told me if using a heat generating appliance like a waffle iron or a crock pot, be sure to put it on a trivet or a cutting block or something to protect the counter. They said heat is the worst enemy of quartz.

All those who wanted real marble but were afraid of the maintenance, this quartz issue to me is crazy. I have Bianco Avion honed marble in my bathrooms and on my kitchen counters and have never had a problem…no etching no staining etc. They were sealed when installed almost six years ago but if it’s recommended that you now seal quartz, and in view of all the maintenance required and the headaches, you might as well go with the real thing (which for me has been maintenance free), rather than install something that is supposed to mimic the look of genuine stone but is a complete maintenance nightmare!

Rock it Surfaces Inc, I got no help from the place I bought it from other than use Dawn and maybe some other cleaners. And I also contacted a local Daltile Service Center and got the same info that was in the papers given to me by my dealer. They only had sales people giving advice.

Download their warranty and submit a warranty claim. Get someone out to your home.

DAL_ONE_Quartz_LimitedLifetime_MonochromaticLook_Warranty_RES.pdf (daltile.com)

This is the only info they have about cleaning matte countertops “Quartz can be cleaned easily with a mild detergent, water and a soft cloth or paper towel, then rinse and dry thoroughly. Abrasive cleansers or harsh scouring pads and cleansers that contain bleach should not be used with quartz. Engineered stone surfaces do not require polishing to keep them shiny and smooth, but they should be cleaned gently to maintain their distinctive shine. Some quartz colors and finishes liked honed, matte, etc., are more sensitive to grease or finger-prints and may require extra care during routine cleaning.”
No info on what “extra care” means.

Hellooooo!!!! Please excuse my english. I hope for you to get my point. Well welcome to the club ! Another victim of matte quartz! Its been a year i have installed it and its been a nightmare!!!! I cannot safely cook i cannot leave water glass or anything without protection because within few minutes a water ring appears or water marks within 2 3 minutes especialy if i cleaned my countertop with water and if i dont clean it imediately with dry cloth it leaves watet marks. U will see many photos x also my ventor installed my quartz countertop with marks around it and dont leave and they dont admit its their fault i believe when they put glue for the procedure and in order to clean it they put thinner and imediately left those marks. And its been a year im fighting with them with still no results i will give them another chances x many recommend to not seal the quartz because it will damage it whats ur opinion? Imagine if water leave stain within 2 3 minutes and dont leave imagine a wine or coffee. I gave so much money and unfortunatrly my kitchen is a showroom in my house its exaclty where u enter my house. Find attached the photos and also see how i cook. Stains left with some chemical i use but its not a solution but those marks around my island still there. Help or any opinions please. This is a very stressful for me for my everyday rutine and imagine if i didnt take care of it.

I would try mixing Bar Keepers Friend with denatured alcohol and clean the stained areas by gently rubbing. Once removed I would seal the countertop with Stain Proof Porcelain and Quartz Sealer. The sealer is not harmful to the quartz. You may have to seal twice. After that you should find the countertops are easily cleaned.

I'm not responding to anymore posts about this as people don't seem to read my previous posts about how to take care of this issue.

Tenax Quartz Toner please.

I would NOT recommend the Tenax Toner. We have tried and it will make the finish uneven and will wipe off over time. The Tenax is a quick fix that won't last.

Thank u so much!!!! But my question why within seconds 1 minute if i leave the water it leave stain? Its because its matte? Or there is a prpblem with the material? Its quartz it supposed to be stain resistant and many people i know dont have problem but ok most of the have have woth polished finish. Maybe i had to go with porcelain countertop but its to late.

I'm not sure why you are having the issues you are but just do as I suggest and then report back. I would definitely not say porcelain is better. There are pros and cons to everything. There can be a huge issue with porcelain.... chipping.

I will try !!!! U as person who sell quartz did u have this kind of issues? Or did we made a bad choice choosing matte?

Matte is fine when it is properly sealed. I don't know what brand of quartz you have and I don't recognize the color. A reputable brand would stand behind the quartz and provide a solid warranty.

I myself have a matte quartz kitchen table that I have not had any problems with.

Mine its not sealed cause manufactures ventors and everyone i asked they recommend to not seal the quartz x that quartz doesnt need it x truth or not i dont know .. so ur advise matte quartz must be sealed due to their sensitivity relating to polished?

Yes, the quartz sealer will not hurt it in any way. I'm getting tired of posting the same thing and won't post again on this thread. Been in this business for over 20 years. Most people in showrooms know little about what they are selling. Just seal it with the product noted above.

Following. Terrible experience with quartz here too. Never again.

@Rock-It Surfaces Inc, after fighting with my installers for a month and running across the manufactuer's recommendation to seal my Metropolis Gray Honed quartz countertops, they came to remove stains and seal. They took lacquer to the surface of my entire kitchen, laundry room, bathroom, and office, then sealed with an impregnator. Now my countertops have the look and feel of wax. Water beads, which is great, but this doesn't seem how they should be having been installed and sealed properly following the manufacturer's recommendation. Any input/advice is appreciated.

Nope, should not have the look and feel of wax. A sealer will not change the appearance whatsoever. Sounds like they used a color enhancer. Your best bet is to talk to Arizona Tile. They will help you. Arizona Tile is a good company.

Cary:

From the MSI website: "There is no need to seal your Q countertop. Sealers cannot penetrate Q and remain on the surface. Eventually the sealer will start to wear off unevenly in high use areas causing the polish to appear inconsistent."

While they use the word "polish", the only difference between a polished engineered stone and a honed engineered stone is the finish, not the composition of the material which means that sealers cannot penetrate either.

I can't find any manufacturer's recommendations to seal that you've supposedly run across.

I've had good results with Tenax Quartz Toner and for the second time, I suggest you try it. It isn't waxy and is a DIY project.

Right under product details.

Arizona Tile is obviously incorrect. The manufacturer makes no such recommendation.

Arizona Tile does not recommend sealing engineered stone on the FAQ of its website:

How often do I need to seal my countertops, stone floors, marble vanity tops, etc.?

The frequency in which you need to seal your stone surface depends on the area in which the stone is installed. On average, it should be sealed every one to three years. Higher traffic areas may need to be sealed more often. There are several variables that affect this timeframe:

1. The type of stone and its porosity
2. The traffic in your business or home
3. How often you clean your floor
4. The type of sealer that has been used previously

If you are going to work with a company to have your stone sealed, they may be able to create a recommended schedule for resealing based on these variables.

From the AT Fabrication Manual, page 17:

"NOTE: Water that is left to dry on the surface of quartz can leave a calcium stain that is hard to remove and may be highly visible on darker colors. It is recommended to remove excess water before allowing to dry on the surface."

We have been fabricating and installing countertops for over 20 years. We have hands on experience and have used nearly ever product out there.

It's your choice who you listen to (to a guy who has an opinion on every topic out there or someone in the field who has tons of hands-on experience). Despite what Arizona Tile's web site says, my Arizona Tile sales rep says the exact same thing as I do... seal the quartz. Do not use Quartz Toner.

Thank you Rock-It Surfaces. Arizona Tile, the manufacturers of Della Terra quartz countertops, agrees with you. They state on their website that sealing this particular color is recommended. I shared a screenshot above. Besides the level of arrogance Joseph exudes, he is condescending and presumptuous. I stated that those marked up countertops looked like that before any exposure to food or water. They were stained from handprints and items setting atop them that should not leave marks. Also, the obvious appearance of a slate chalk board isn’t consistent with the looks of the product found online after proper installation. Thank you for taking the time to validate me, and the manufacturer. Also, thank you for the advice on how to proceed with my concerns regarding how the installers attempted to correct their error in not following manufacturer’s recommendation. It was a detriment to the integrity of my countertops and the way they look and feel in places where heavy lacquer was used to remove stains.

A bit louder for those in the back of the room. Lol.

Metropolis Dark is apparently manufactured for Arizona Tile by the Italians at Santamargarita:

"Due to greater surface roughness, textured surfaces can be treated with products

specifically for quartz agglomerate, which protect it against oily and aqueous stains and

make cleaning easier. Neutral protective treatments are available on the market, which

leave the original colour unaltered, as well as toners that enhance it."

This would explain why Arizona Tile says "The factory" as opposed to "We". Notice that Santamargarita uses the qualifier "can be treated" instead of "must be treated".

If you Google "products specifically for quartz agglomerate" you'll get more Italians, Tenax, the manufacturers of Quartz Toner, my first recommendation.

Cary:

Judging by the context, I'm betting that when you used the term "lacquer" you meant to say "lacquer thinner", which is understandable. Santamargarita specifically forbids the use of thinners:

"Keep solvents, acetone, alcohol, thinners, detergents containing bleach, laundry bluing,

highly alkaline liquids such as bleach, caustic soda or oven cleaners, acids, oily soaps,

descalers, markers or ink, abrasive and micro-abrasive detergents away from the surface."

This is because lacquer thinner is loaded with acetone and acetone can damage engineered stone surfaces, particularly dark ones.

I regret that you found my previous posts "condescending and presumptuous." I struggle with my tone occasionally.

You’re correct. This is the product. So, does this mean my installer voided my factory warranty?

"So, does this mean my installer voided my factory warranty?"

No. You may have gotten lucky if they didn't let the lacquer thinner dwell on the top for a long time. It doesn't ruin the countertop itself, however, it can ruin the factory finish and matching an engineered stone factory finish can be problematic, even for an experienced restoration technician.

Your picture is frightening to a fabricator/installer in that if there is spillage that runs to the bottom of the can, is trapped under the can creating dwell time, a perfect white outline of the can bottom may result. The success of removing that imprint can vary greatly.

Furthermore, lacquer thinner is highly flammable and they spread that stuff all over your home. I set a lady's sink on fire with acetone once, but extinguished it with her sprayer before it hit the window curatins. Whew.