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mary_eng60

how to disinfect Silestone Quartz countertops

6 years ago

Hi there, Does anyone know if Clorox disinfecting wipes can be used on Silestone Quartz countertops? I am almost 70 years old and have a countertop installation finally scheduled for next week (my kitchen has been out of commission for 3 weeks). Do you know what products could be used to disinfect the counters and cabinets if Clorox wipes are not advisable? Thanks.

Comments (24)

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    Best to direct your question to Silestone so you don't void a warranty on the material.

    Mary Eng thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
  • 6 years ago

    Dishsoap and water will probably work as well as anything.

    Mary Eng thanked jmm1837
  • 6 years ago

    I have asked Silestone, but they just send me the care & maintenance section of their website which doesn't address disinfecting. Only caution is no bleach or windex.

  • 6 years ago

    Disclaimer: test your own product in an inconspicuous spot first.


    I have used Clorox w/ bleach cleaner on my Cambria, Pental & Silestone quartz counters in the bathrooms for years without any issues. I also use it on my quartzite kitchen counters and granite counters outside in the bbq area, also with no problems.

    Mary Eng thanked chispa
  • 6 years ago

    Clorox Wipes don't have bleach. As far as Windex, I'd compare the ingredients in the wipes to glass cleaner.

    Mary Eng thanked tsjmjh
  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Soap and water is all the disinfectant anyone needs on a non porous surface.

    Mary Eng thanked User
  • 6 years ago

    chispa: i did read on one cleaning website that 'light' usage of clorox disinfecting wipes would be ok - just don't let the disinfectant sit pooled on the surface. but i would have liked silestone to have stated that. arrrgghh, if i had known that this corona-virus was about to descend upon us, i would never have started this project. but now i am stuck with no countertops and worse, no sink!! gotta finish because it sounds like this quarantine is gonna go for a quite a while, and i need my kitchen!! thanks.

  • 6 years ago

    I would give the new countertops a thorough soap and water cleaning and then not think about it again. Well, of course I'd keep cleaning them, lol - I don't know if you're worried about continued use with visitors or the one-time installation cleanse. If you feel better using Clorox wipes after installation, go for it, but I don't think you have to continually wipe down with strong chemicals.

    Mary Eng thanked tsjmjh
  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    ^^I agree. Even if Clorox wipes won’t harm your counter (and I am not sure they won’t), do you want the chance that food on the counter might pick up the several ingredients left behind by chemical disinfectants? Disinfectant chemicals called quaternary ammonium compounds in wipes are especially problematic. These chemicals are skin irritants, can irritate your lungs, and have been linked to asthma and reproductive harm. Their overuse can also lead to the promotion of antibacterial-resistant bacteria. Also, all pre-moistened wipes include some form of chemical preservative to prevent bacteria growth in the package. Many preservatives used in wipes include parabens, formaldehyde releasers and MI/MCI which have also been associated with adverse health effects.

    I use a couple drops of fragrance-free dish soap to clean my counters. There is also the recipe from Cat_mom of a homemade counter cleanser mix of 50% isopropyl alcohol and 50% water and some drops of lavender oil. It is Ph neutral and alcohol is an effective disinfectant.

    Mary Eng thanked M Miller
  • 6 years ago

    Live-wire-oak the cdc recommends you wash counter with soap and water then disinfect with approved/proven disinfectants... during this cOvid 19 time.

    Mary Eng thanked Lisa Dipiro
  • 6 years ago

    I have Hanstone quartz and the manufacturer recommends soap and water, which is what I use most of the time, and alcohol for disinfecting. I don't ever use the chemical wipes.

    Mary Eng thanked chocolatebunny123
  • 6 years ago

    Soap really is your best choice. Soap infiltrates lipid membrane and and breaks down the lipid layer in the SARS-CoV-2 virus (what causes CoVID-19) and effectively deactivates it. Soaking the virus in alcohol and other disinfectants kill viruses in a similar way, but why deal with harsher products that may or may not be suitable for your surface (either due to the material or due to its use in food preparation) when plain old soap and water will work?

    Mary Eng thanked BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA
  • 6 years ago

    High octane booze. seriously I read vodka works if it is 140 proof. Not stuff drunk by reasonable adults, but that Everclear that fuels poor choices in college kids can disinfect surfaces to CDC standards. The residue would be food safe but flammable. Doesn't Silestone have some anti-microbal quality anyway?

    Yes i would do a general cleaning to removal construction dust and then a disinfecting wipe of some kind. After that just you usual cleaning as long as no one is sick in your home.

    Mary Eng thanked Kathleen K
  • 6 years ago

    I've stopped setting grocery bags on the counter to cut down on cross contamination. Even in the best of times it is probably not a great practice unless you clean and disinfect your countertops immediately after.

    Mary Eng thanked wilson853
  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I've had my Silestone (with built-in Microban) for 7 years and clean it many times a day with Windex. No issues.

    I use ammonia-free Windex on my wooden dining room table and for spot-treatment in my wood floors. Maybe use that if you don't want the regular Windex?

    Mary Eng thanked Anna (6B/7A in MD)
  • 6 years ago

    We are also getting quartz countertops (Cambria) installed this week and I have a Method disinfectant that I will spray after it is installed. We will have installers, plumbers and movers in the house this week and I am going to want to disinfect things as per the CDC instructions, not something I would normally do, but these are not normal times.

    Mary Eng thanked cjammer
  • 6 years ago

    This is what I just received from Cambria:


    Here are the cleaners that are on our Approved Cleaners list and also meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines:

    -70 percent isopropyl rubbing alcohol

    -Mixture of 4 teaspoons of bleach and 1 quart of water:
    Let this solution sit on the surface for 30 seconds,
    Wipe with a dry rag
    Rinse the surface with clean water and dry with a soft cloth.
    IMPORTANT: Never use full strength bleach on Cambria

    -Lysol Disinfectant Spray

    -Professional Lysol Disinfectant Spray

    Mary Eng thanked cjammer
  • 6 years ago

    Just want to add to the comment above by @cjammer, I presume that list from Cambria is an "Either/Or" list, not a suggestion to use all those cleaners in combination, right? I've seen too many accidents like this lately because people are exhausted and not thinking straight. Don't want anyone passing out!

    Mary Eng thanked Mittens Cat
  • 6 years ago

    If using Lysol for disinfecting it needs to sit on the surface for several minutes.

    https://www.lysol.com/products/disinfectant-spray/lysol-disinfectant-spray-spring-waterfall/

    Mary Eng thanked wilson853
  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Live-wire-oak the cdc recommends you wash counter with soap and water then disinfect with approved/proven disinfectants... during this cOvid 19 time.

    Lisa,,,why do I have to disinfect my own countertops in my own home? I can see if you're bringing home items from outside and sitting them on the counter, but otherwise?

    People don't even realize that for complete disinfection to take place, it often takes 5-10 minutes of letting the bleach (or whatever other agent you're using) sit on the surface. I had a disease and sanitation class in college (for Animal Science) and they broke down all of the disinfectants and what did what. UV sunlight is prob one of the best. I do remember bleach being one of the ones that had to sit for awhile.

    Mary, make sure the guys bringing it in wash their hands well first, or give them some gloves. make sure they wear some face masks while they're inside. They usually wipe down the countertop w/acetone after they do the seam/epoxy. the acetone should wipe out anything sitting on there. But I wouldn't worry too much about that. hot water and soap will be fine after it's installed.

    Mary Eng thanked Beth H. :
  • 6 years ago

    Coronavirus can be brought into your home if you set grocery bags, food packaging, and takeout containers on your countertops. The virus can live on various materials like cardboard and stainless steel for days so if you want to be safe, wipe down the packaging that you bring in or remove it altogether from its original packaging. A close family member is an ICU anesthesiologist and hasn't had a day off in three weeks. You don't want to end up there.

    Mary Eng thanked wilson853
  • 6 years ago

    I keep a small spray bottle of 70% Isopropyl alcohol on my counter for disinfecting. That was recommended when I got my quartz counters. I clean with a dishrag first, but then go over with the alcohol if I've been working with raw poultry/meat or am baking cookies and plan to place them on the counter.

    Mary Eng thanked jhmarie
  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    To support what Wilson853 said, per the NIH (excerpt):

    .

    New coronavirus stable for hours on surfaces

    SARS-CoV-2 stability similar to original SARS virus.

    The virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces, according to a new study from National Institutes of Health, CDC, UCLA and Princeton University scientists in The New England Journal of Medicine. The scientists found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detectable in aerosols for up to three hours, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel. The results provide key information about the stability of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 disease, and suggests that people may acquire the virus through the air and after touching contaminated objects. The study information was widely shared during the past two weeks after the researchers placed the contents on a preprint server to quickly share their data with colleagues.

    .

    From: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/new-coronavirus-stable-hours-surfaces

    Mary Eng thanked Buehl