Why would you use that on marble??? You know marble etches, and scratches easily., right?? Well I guess you do now.

Teri Ziegler BKF is highly caustic aka corrosive and also highly abrasive

Both of which will etch any stone especially marble and engineered stone.

What disinfectant can I use on my new quartz countertop? White vinegar does not kill coronavirus. I am a healthcare worker and want to keep my family safe.

"What disinfectant can I use on my new quartz countertop? "

Pretty much any disinfecting cleaner will do the job.

https://www.businessinsider.com/epa-registered-cleaning-products#clorox-commercial-solutions-clorox-disinfecting-biostain-and-odor-remover-14

I know that it is not recommended to use bleach on quartz. I keep a small spray bottle of 70% rubbing alcohol and use that on my quartz. I believe that will kill coronavirus, but I bought some 91% rubbing alcohol recently.

My quartz rarely stains and usually soap and water removes anything, but I did have something that I could not get off with water. I don't know what it was, but I used a small amount of Comet and rinsed thoroughly. It removed the stain and did not damage the counter, but I would not use something like that for daily disinfecting - use the rubbing alcohol.

Use only a pH neutral cleaner. This way you will not damage the surface of any quartz stone.

There is two cleaners that will kill all germs and virus plus clean the quartz correctly.

But the true secret that actually lifts it all from the work surface is a good microfibre or Nano fibre cleaning cloth

1) Stone Power Cleaner - Power Pack. Kills all germs, including all viruses and bacteria. Plus you will get the microfibre in the pack

or

1) mix 70% Methylated Spirit and 30% Water, place in a spray bottle and use

Hi Susan,

Thank you for your service to our collective health!

I tested bleach on several brands and colors of engineered quartz and it didn't damage any of the samples I tried it on. So bleach is one option and alcohol is another option.

just be careful with abrasives - that's what damages quartz more than anything else I tested.

https://usenaturalstone.org/do-engineered-quartz-countertops-stain/

Good luck and stay clean and healthy!

Bleach may be recommended around the place but all quartz manufacturers do not recommend its use. As it is highly caustic, has a pH of greater than 10

It will damage the surface if it is left on the surface of most materials - Quartz countertops included.

Below are a number of bleach damage to various quartz brands and finishes.... would not like to see anyone cause more stress than they have to.

We recommend

1) Stone Power Cleaner - Power Pack. Kills all germs, including all viruses and bacteria. Plus you will get the microfibre in the pack

or

1) mix 70% Methylated Spirit and 30% Water, place in a spray bottle and use

With a good quality microfibre cloth

https://stoneguys.com.au/clean-caesarstone-stains/

For upto date cleaning quartz countertop information

I put undiluted bleach on ~30 brands and colors of quartz and left it there for 2 hours. No damage to any of them. Happy to share the details if anyone is interested.

But there are other choices as well, and I'm not trying to convince anyone to use bleach. Just sharing the definitive results that I got during my testing.

karin_mt Dangerous statement, as we do know to potentially damage quartz stone countertops. Yes you can use it but at your own risk.

Why know bleach damages quartz countertops as we have seen the damage and can repair the damage. Like any products the concentration or dilution will wary and is not usually indicated on the product the concentration. Just like vinegar which contains Acetic acid at various dilutions. No vinegar will tell you the dilution, like bleach it can be anywhere between 5-25%. Why some people can get away with cleaning with such products and others can not. It also depends on how you clean the surface and how it is neutralised.

As a 25 year fab shop owner. Don't put bleach on quartz, regardless of Karin's "definitive results"

Fair enough - thank you for sharing your experiences and recommendations.

Interesting thread. I came across this because when my Pental Quartz (Galaxy, I think. Almost black) polished countertops were installed 5 years ago, I asked the installers what was best to clean them with. They said BKF, and that's what I've been using since without issue. However, I recently had a slight, small stain (that would not come out with soap and water) so I used BKF just on that area. Stain gone, haze appeared. I'll never use BKF, again. Questions: Can anything be done about that 2 inch haze spot I created (it just looks like a lighter circle, fortunately, not too noticeable because of where it is and the lighting, but my eye goes to it right away, of course). And, husband thinks we can use Windex to clean the countertops, but I haven't seen anything pro or con. Thoughts? Thanks so much.

PS - I'm in the US and can't find the Stone & Quartz power pack here. Any idea if it's called anything else or if there is something comparable?

Al CStone Power Cleaner is normally available via Amazon. Though Amazon has cut all no essential listings due to the coronavirus outbreak.

You can however purchase it here. Otherwise methylated spirits at 60% to 40% water is a good alternative. It just will not pull all the stains out, plus does not allow the surface NOT to fingerprint. Stone Power Cleaner when used, removes all grime, germs, stains etc from the surface. Why it removes stains, and the surface will not fingerprint or streak. It does so without damage, is all natural, pH neutral and suitable for all stone or hard surfaces. Leaving the surface clean and germ free.

As for Windex or any glass cleaner, it is just as corrosive and will damage any stone over time. Leaving it dull and also streaky. This is because the pH level is around 11.7-12.7 which is more than oven cleaner or any drain cleaner etc. All highly caustic as well.

For your haze mark you will need to either have it professionally repaired of use Diamond Quartz Polish, which will permanently repair the stone in that area back to the original factory finish and shine.

https://stonebenchtopcleaner.com.au/stone-quartz-marble-polish.html

Diamond Quartz Polish also will repair any stone polish or shine damage. It is easy to use and is permanent. As it restores the stone polish.

This article has great information on what can and can not be used to clean any stone, especially engineered stone.

QSCCRE:

I just watched your video

"Warning - Do not mark the area with a permanent pen." @2:43. Hilarious. Your super-duper cleaner doesn't even budge the marker. I suggest some acetone. Making a video on how to screw up your countertop. What were you thinking?

On a more serious note, your video fails to show the repaired areas in low level light. Making marks disappear and using a gloss meter is the easy part. Making repairs blend invisibly into the factory finish is not. Too bad your video doesn't show whether or not you've done it.

QSCCRE:

Here's how a repair video is properly shown in low level light. He ain't a stone mason either.

Joseph Corlett, LLC

A sharpie is used for demonstration purposes, This is not a blend it is a repair and returns the surface back to the original finish and shine.

That is the reason we use the gloss meter. So low or high light levels do not apply as the surface is restored back to the original gloss level. Hence it will reflect the light in any conditions correctly.

As for your Renew video it is a blend to the shine and surface. You only need to ask any Stone restoration professional who is a qualified stonemason. Also why if you actually what the main video of theirs they do the whole sample piece not the whole surface.

In the video you have shared at 12.59 on the timeline of the video. You will see it is still not correct to the original factory finish.

It is great that you are sharing your limited knowledge on stone.... but again engineered stone or natural stone is not CORIAN or any other plastic surface. It does not repair like corian, as you can use sandpaper and cutting compound to "BUFF" Corian like car paint.

Stone restoration is far from this procedure.... why these techniques for corian DO NOT WORK.

QSCCRE:

It may be a repair, but since we can't see the "repair" in low level light, we have no way to know whether or not it is successful. A similar gloss reading is meaningless if the finish doesn't match.

Why are you bringing up Corian? It has nothing to do with the subject at hand.

If your magic in a can works, prove it in low level light please.

As indicated previously, the gloss metre readings are the same as the original. Why we use the gloss metre as it has the same reflectivity in any light conditions to the original surface finish and shine.

If you were familiar with a gloss metre and what it actually does, it is a measure under a controlled situation of light and angle. It is the reading that is given to any surface from matte, honed to polished.

For stone, and most engineered base ranges read between 32-40 gu depending on brands and density of stone. So if you etch the surface you are lowering the gloss reflectivity and hence the light reflectivity. Why you will see a haze or dull patch. As the light does not reflect as highly as the original surface. White stone Granites and marbles are usually between 70-90 gu and some of the marble look engineered stone are the same.

Using anything abrasive such as BKF, scrubbing pads, cream cleansers, magic erasers will mechanically etch or sand the surface. Meaning you are sanding the polish finish down to a duller finish. Why it looks dull, because it is DULL!. from the use of an abrasive.

With Bleach, Citric Acids, oven cleaners, glass cleaners, windex and other various chemicals they are either corrosive from being a strong acid or an alkaline. Why you will be a WARNING on the MSDS of the product. All these products etch by chemical means and will dull the surface as well. It is similar to the way you would etch glass, it is a process through a chemical that dulls or eats into the surface causing the light reflectivity to alter. Again causing it to look dull.

We measure our repairs through Diamond Quartz Polish via a gloss metre as it is the most accurate to determine the level needed to achieve the factory finish and matched. Along with checking it with a light source from different angles to confirm the level achieved.

The best way to check a etch or dull patch is in natural light that enters directly across the surface and viewed from an angle from in front of the light source. Why island benchtops and countertops will show etch or dull damage more readily.

"Along with checking it with a light source from different angles to confirm the level achieved."

Show us please.

I read this thread and used liquid bar keepers friend to remove a stain and now I have very visible dulling at that spot! What can I do to fix it?!!!

Hire a fabricator to come in and resurface the top using the quartz renew system. Plan on spending $300-$500 to have the spot polished out. Possibly more depending on your location.

Quartz - Stone Care, Cleaning & Repair Experts

I would love to test your DIY polish that will restore all finishes. Considering I have been in the counter top industry for over 20 years and have thousands of dollars worth face polishing equipment. I know for a fact face resurfacing isn't a DIY project. Material type and even color of material dictates what should be used.

I've just contacted Quartz - Stone Care, Cleaning & Repair Experts and am very willing to purchase whatever they suggest and pay the shipping from Australia to WA to fix the dull/light spot I created by cleaning my Pental quartz countertop with BKF. Once I do, I will post before and after pictures. Actually, here is the before. You can see the dull spot between the 2"and 4".

Which bar keepers friend ?? There’s a few different bottles on amazon.
My quartz guy also told me to use that

are keepers friend did not work for me. It took all the shine off of my courts.

*quartz

I use only the liquid BKF, and it has never removed any shine - never. You don't SCRUB it in - you only need to let it sit for a minute and lightly sponge it off.

Unfortunately, after reading this thread (and apparently not thoroughly enough) I tried BKF on a small area on my light Pental Quartz countertop. Now there is a dull spot as others have reported. Thanks Chessie. :/

Give this a shot please.

spudlysma LOL. Clearly you did NOT read the thread. You don't scrub. And why would you try a product that is new to you, on a spot where you can see it? And I have to say it - folks - if you are using liquid BKF, and not even scrubbing, and you have a dull spot - then your quartz SUCKS.

I would not recommend someone without experience try to surface polish quartz with MB20. It's a great product but more geared towards natural stone. Quartz renew is the correct method but its critical you know what you are doing and have the right equipment.

Just hire a local fabricator to fix your dull spots and stop using ANYTHING abrasive on your countertops.

RTGM:

MB 20 is geared toward natural stone, but it will make Corian scream. Quartz Renew is an excellent choice for this application, but much more expensive.

I have some Black Diamond Granit Plus 2-in-1 cleaner and sealer that I’ve used on my granite counters with great success. Now I have quartz counters. The label says that it can be used on quartz - I called the company to verify and a live person answered after the first ring! He said used, it could be used on quartz and he also recommended their Polish Preserver. Both are available on Amazon and reasonably priced.

I'm back (see my comment from 4 mos ago under "avid448"). I did get the product from Australia, Diamond Quartz Polish from stonebenchtopcleaner.com.au. It did nothing for my dull spot. I've tried it multiple (at least a dozen) times on that spot, following the directions. Nada. Since I was ordering from so far away, I also bought their quartz cleaner. It's fine (not crazy about the smell) but when it came, there were supposed to be 2 bottles of it. 1 of the bottles had broken (nozzle cracked), so all the cleaner spilled out because the package was sent in a plastic mailer, not a box. I called and spoke to Aaron there, who had been very helpful on the phone when I ordered, including walking me through how to use the Diamond Quartz polish. He said they would send me another bottle (as well as the spot remover they'd promised to "throw in" with the first order - for brown water spots on my other, white quartz - but forgot). I waited almost 2 months (mail can be slow due to COVID), then emailed. Never heard back. Waited another week and emailed, again asking if I'd ever hear back. Still nothing after another 2 weeks.

I would be happy to pay for a professional to do the Quartz Renew, but live across the Puget Sound from Edmonds, WA (a little north of Seattle) and finding someone willing to do the drive and ferry (only an hour each way, total from Edmonds), even if I pay a nice trip charge, has been difficult.

I may just have to wait a few years until we get someone trained in this on our side of the Sound, unless someone has any other ideas.

Apparently Aaron works as hard and well as the products he sells.

Anyone have a comment on using this on my quartz dull spot (it is smooth to the touch, done by a cleaning chemical - picture above)

Tenax TeEtch Etch & Water Mark Remover 8 oz (tenax4you.com)

I would suggest to not use it. It only dulled mine further.

Al C:

That's not the stuff. Quartz Renew (Regent Stone Products) is your only hope and it's not that DIY friendly.

I realize that and would love to hire a professional to use Quartz Renew, but no one will come out to my rural area (Kingston, WA. GranQuartz in Seattle, which is about 75 min away can't find anyone for me, either.)

Al C:

How far is Kingston from Bellingham please? My brother and his wife live there. You buy the tickets (my girlfriend's coming), cover the expenses, and I'll pack my tools and QR kit.

Just sent you a private message.

Happy Update: After Joseph didn't respond to my PM, I called GranQuartz in Seattle, again. I figured if I was willing to pay for a flight and expenses for two, I could certainly offer a generous trip charge.

Turns out, they lost my number and did have someone! He came and used the Quartz Renew. It was an all day job with all the taping to protect cabinets, etc and the fact that I did have more than one dull area from using BarKeep's Friend (which the original installers said to use). I've attached a picture of the same area as the one above in a previous post 8 months ago which showed one of the spots. I cannot see the previous spot at all! Quartz Renew really did the trick.

(Any variation you see, like browner areas, is an artifact of the light. The countertop now looks very uniform.)

AI C - I know this is an old thread but I’m hoping you remember who you used in the Seattle area. I just called GranQuartz and they didn’t know of anyone who performed the Quartz Renew service in the Seattle area.

I'm wondering if someone can help me. I spent all last night researching online only to get lots of useless, contradictory advice.

I moved into a new apartment that had grey quartz countertops in the kitchen and bathroom. I knew nothing about how to care for these, but management didn't mention any special care ( I didn't even know they were quartz until I looked them up, I thought it was Corian or something). Anyway, while sanitizing with Method cleaner, I discovered white speckles all over the counter where the Method had been.

How do I remove them? Are they permanent?

( Ps I immediately went out and bought proper stone cleaner, better late...)

Pictures please.

Al C:

Yours is apparently the first PM I've missed. I even went back to look for it and couldn't find it. Sorry anyway.

@lynchpl I lost his card, but have his # - Erwin 253 561 3810. Tell him Doreen in Kingston sent you.