I have been using Dawn. And tried microfiber cloth. But maybe not together. I will try that…. I am pretty disgusted with it.

Nope doesn’t do it.

Thank you for the advice!!

I clean my matte Cambria quartz with Simple Green--recommended by Cambria. I spray the Simple Green on the surface, wipe with a wet cloth and then buff with a dry cloth. I only have to do this once in awhile.

@sylvermoon I am looking at Daltile Lincoln White, which is also a matte finish. did you have any luck in getting the stains out? can you share what they are from and what color Daltile quartz you have? thx..appreciate your input..and also any pix you might have of the issues.

@sylvermoon Yes please tell us which quartz you have. Also, did you talk to your dealer about the cleaning problem? Thank you!

@cupofkindnessgw hello..did you install daltile matte/suede finish in your home? if so any issues? what color did you put in?

@theresa21 how is your cambria holding up? what color is it? we are getting daltile lincoln white (matte finish) and concerned about staining, etc. appreciate any info. thanks

Yes I still have issues. I have grey Daltile with tiny flecks in it. I can see smudges all the time. It’s not stains but almost like grease marks, you see them in certain lights looking at an angle. And they happen all the time…i could clean my countertops constantly. Even on countertops that we dont use for food preparation. I am scared to use anything other then Dawn. I have used baking soda and it left a bigger mark after using it. I will try the simple Green in an inconspicuous spot…. So whomever commented that not being clean does not equate to being stained please advise me what to use to get it so it is clean and not smudged.

Are you using a microfiber cloth to both clean, and then dry? Is it a kitchen rag that has kitchen debris on it?

@susanrhill34 I have a sample of a dark charcoal Daltile (with pale gray viens intermittently running through it) which I love, but gosh I cannot deal with the issue that @sylvermoon is facing. No one should have to baby a manufactured stone countertop. Marble, yes-that's a separate category, but as anyone would agree, quartz should be engineered to be bullet-roof.

I think a call to the Daltile dealer is in order. I find that the employees working in the countertop/stone warehouse do not know a lot-they either move slabs around or place customer orders but cannot answer anything beyond the most basic questions.

@sylvermoon and @cupofkindnessgw thanks you both for responding

I am happy to hear the quartz is not staining, but sorry you are dealing with this smudging issue. on other threads I have read some have found success with the following:

baking soda and lemon juice

Mrs. Meyers Baking Soda Cleaner

And also the Daltile rep told me this is what they use at the slab warehouse…attached pic.

my fabricator told me that daltile is excellent in terms of standing behind their products (so should be worth a call, as cupofkindnessgw suggested, if you have not already)

I see a smudged looking area in the middle of the pic posted..is that what you are referring to? The pic looks like one of the concrete finishes, correct? the Lincoln white we plan to order is the white version… potentially maybe the white will be less noticeable smudging type issue..or maybe would be less visible..but really do not know for sure.

pls post if you have success with any of the cleaning options or what you find out from Daltile if you contact them. thanks!!

@cupofkindnessgw btw…I think you were referring to Daltile’s Broadway black? I had a sample of this home and tested it with canola oil, etc. I did find I could not completely get the smudge off with water and or dawn/water or windex. but I will say it was very very vague and could have been in the stone..but do your testing. it is a beautiful option and may also come in polished, but I dont remember. you do not have issues with any polished from all of the research I have done, which has been pretty extensive.

That's great information, thank you! Here is a picture of the sample taken in my kitchen. It is a little darker than shown but not a true black. I do not know the name, but plan to go back and find out. It is polished. Has a soapstone vibe. Thanks again, @susanrhill34 !

@cupofkindnessgw yup..that looks like broadway black by daltile. we were considering it at a point too. personally I would not be worried at all about polished quartz. I have done a ton of reading and everything I read and every manaufacturer and fabricator I have spoken with all said no issues at all with polished. they do say with dark quartz you will see fingerprints, but they wipe right off..you can probably tell that with the sample you have. for me that would not be an issue. Interesting seeing the polished version, as I can see the ”smudges-looking” spots, but clearly are part of the pattern..so I guess even on the matte version of this quartz it was not a problem.

@susanrhill34 I chose matte Pike's Peak Cambria. It's holding up really well and I am so happy with my choice!

@susanrhill34

It's good to know the name of the sample, thank you! I have not seen an entire slab yet. I went to Daltile Slab and Stone Center looking for soapstone and it was a real challenge communicating with the workers about what I wanted. I found this as I was looking for soapstone samples and I like it a lot. Not sure I will be doing this or a crisp white quartz with gray veining... most of my inspiration kitchens have white marble counters though many have black granite or soapstone. I have been very impressed with the Arizona Tile slab warehouse. So organized!

I've ordered Dove White Kraftmaid cabinets, a cool white. So if I go with a light quartz, it will have to be a pure white with no yellow or pink undertones.

My countertops are cleaned all the time but still have ghosts, shadows of whatever dropped on them…I don’t understand because I use cutting boards and glass type boards and coasters all over my countertops. It seems sometimes just water leaves a mark. We do have hard water. This is what Daltile says about cleaning: “To remove grease from your quartz countertops, use a product recommended for stone care. Harsh cleansers should not be used to remove grease or other cooking stains.” And it says this: “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 other info on what cleaner or explanation on what extra-care. I called them once way back when we first had them installed and they told me the Dove dish soap story…and insisted it should take care of it. They were not more helpful.
My surround problem countertop is Daltile One Quartz Ash Grey. They now refer to it as Concrete Look but mine was called Nature Flecks and has tiny flecks in it. Matt finish.
(My Island is Quartzite La Dolce Vita leather finish)

@sylvermoon we also looked at the ash grey. how long have you had it installed? we are ordering the Lincoln white..which is defintiely white with gray flecks, but same group of quartz as you did. I am hoping that on white it is not as evident as we are doing quartz on all the counters. we had marble, which has it’s own set of problems, so the quartz was suppose to take care of etching and staining concerns. guess there is no perfect solution:(

@sylvermoon

@susanrhill34

I just returned from the Daltile Slab and Stone Center. There is no real help in the place, the folks working there don't seem to care about customers, which is the complete opposite of the Daltile tile showroom which is within walking distance. Anyway, sylvermoon, I'd love to see a picture of your countertops. The Ash Gray is just beautiful.

Now I'm wondering if "cleanability" is related to the product grade or perhaps the color of the quartz? There are seven grades of Daltile... Broadway Black is the highest grade but why not just get black granite instead? Or soapstone. Except Broadway black looks like black marble. *Sigh.* Corian is starting to look better all of the time. At least you know what you are getting!

@User thanks for the insight. what is your opinion on what to use to clean matte quartz with? daltile is a bit vague in that they do not suggest any specific cleaner, but seems you have a deep knowlege of quartz and would be interested in if there are any specific products you have found to be more useful for cleaning matte quartz. thanks so much!

@User thanks so much!! very helpful info! curious..why the microfiber cloth? just trying to get a good understanding of how to care for matte quartz.

We are getting Daltile Lindoln White. iIt is a matte/concere look finish and white with just a few flecks here and there. Am I correct in thinking that the white stone will show less streeaking than anything with color? thank you again!

My Matt daltile grey with specks. Here’s a better photo of the marks it gets all over. Nothing I’ve tried gets them off. I hate these countertops.

Plain Dawn detergent with a textured microfiber cloth, and then both rinsing and drying is required. If you skip the rinsing, or the drying, you get blotchy looking quartz.

Honestly I have done all that.

I am wondering if the marks are made from our hard water. You see them everywhere when caught in a reflection of light. Ghost spots.

Wow, this thread is very enlightening! I was looking to get Cambria matte Britannica, but after reading this thread, well frankly I don't know...? Can anyone comment on Cambria's quality of matte finish...or share pics. ...? We too have a lot of iron in our water and our tubs are orange!

Lomo - Wow, thanks for the response Lomo!! f I order a sample of the matte will I get a true idea of what I can expect as far as cleaning? Do you think a white base would show the smudges/hand oils. Does the cleaning actually work, as another person on this thread mentioned she tried all that was recommended with no luck! It seems like a lot of money for countertops that won't ever look clean....?

Dawn:

Test some Tenax Quartz Toner on your sample please.

@theresa21 Can you post a picture of your countertops? I am thinking of getting Britannica matte and wanted to know how its holding up ?

Dawn: think long and hard before buying matte finish countertops. Just look at the advice comments, they indicate the amount of work it takes to keep them nice looking in most light. I’ve given up more or less. I am a perfectionist. It’s been disappointing. I took time choosing our surfaces. No one at the many places I looked at countertops told me about this. Now I’m stuck with them. I have 2 countertops I do not prepare food on, apparently they are a mess just from hands touching them. Someone said contact Daltile, lol, no one there was any help at all. And not my dealer either who is many miles from my home. Anyone out there that has a contact person at Daltile that can help, please share.

Try the Tenax please.

Daltile will not do anything. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭. It is the nature of the beast for any matte counter. Or floor. Or wall. Or cabinet. This is what matte finishes do. They hold on to dirt and oils because of their texture. Just read all the threads from unhappy people with footprints showing on their matte floors. It is normal to require that additional cleaning to remove that dirt and oil from that matte texture. Your failure to do your due diligence does not shift the blame for your unhappiness to anyone else, or any company. Your unhappiness is on you. Own it.

That’s ridiculous. Thanks for your comment 🙃 I came on here today to warn someone, I will own that! I’ve explained here how diligent I have been to no avail. Who wants a surface that you constantly have to work at to look nice? They should be required to explain this when selling the product. And they should explain exactly what product to use to clean it and the process to use. I wonder why they do not. Perhaps it is because there is no product that does the job satisfactorily.
I will try the Tenax. However I have not found any reviews for this product. All I have seen is that it is used to remove suction cup marks at distributors.

Just the barest smidgen of due diligence would have alerted you to the issues. Matte quartz has been in the market for 15+ years, with stories like this everywhere.

Thanks for the hindsight and putting me in my place. I appreciate it.🙃

sylvermoon Thank you so much sharing your experience, I certainly don't want to be cleaning my countertops 24/7 and be pissed off about watermarks that wont wipe off! What color and manufacture did you buy from? I was looking at the Cambria Brittanica Matte, but since reading these reviews I am thinking about quartzite. You mentioned you have that on your island; how's is that holding up? I like the Perla Ventana(SP) quartzite. Thanks again for your honest review!

My info on my Quartz countertop is all here in this discussion with photos. It’s Daltile but I don’t think they still carry my style. It’s grey with tiny specks.
I am pleased with my Quartzite. We have a leathered finish.
Contrary to some criticism of me here I did quite a bit of research before we choose our countertops on line as well as I visited at least 5 different showrooms. I never saw anything at all about cleaning difficulties with a matte finish and no one I spoke to mentioned it.

sylvermoon thanks again for your shares about Matte finish! What color quartzite do you have? Can you share pictures?

Dawn: It’s a grey color. Scroll up, there’s a photo.

@Dawn, no problems what-so-ever in 3 years with my Cambria quartz. I love its easy care and no glare. I worried that a glossy-gray countertop would be very mirror-like and reflect my under-cabinet lighting along with everything else in my kitchen. Other reasons for choosing matte includes: I like the dull-matte contrast against my shiny BS and cast iron sink, and my house is super-casual so the matte was a much better fit.

One little known advantage with the matte is that if it the countertop should ever scratch (everything scratches and wears eventually), the scratches won't show as much as it would in a glossy surface. Likewise, I can hardly locate my two seams because the seams are hidden so well with the matte. Go ahead, try to find the seam in the second photo. Another advantage of matte is that I love the way it feels when I rub my hands across the countertop.

If you have a lot of natural light in your kitchen, you might not want to go with the matte because water and grease marks might show when the countertop is lit with sunlight. Such marks are difficult to see in my kitchen, because I have very little natural sunlight streaming into my windows.

Everyday maintenance is done with a Dawn-damp dishrag; and then, sometimes I buff-dry with a hand towel, which makes the countertop totally smudge-free and delightfully smooth! I don't always buff because, like I said, I hardly can see smudges with my artificial lighting and ambient natural lighting. Once in a blue moon I use Simple Green for really stubborn smudges. Simple Green is recommend by Cambria to use on its matte countertops..

Another disadvantage with the matte is that it can sometimes be mistaken for Corian or Formica. However, I'm not too offended because I love the qualities of quartz when compared to those two other surfaces. I feel like my countertop is my version of the little black dress, just like Corian's Glacier White that my daughter has. Granite was never in the running for me because I am super sensitive to busy patterns and mismatched seams--hence the reason why I chose a simple pattern. And for sure, I would not want to have to worry about the porous nature of Granite, or being exposed to chemicals if I ever needed to seal the countertop.

I use a ton of cutting boards everyday in my cooking, so placing a hot lid or pot on the countertop has never been a problem for me because there is always a cutting board nearby. And I am a heavy-duty tea drinker, so I can attest that my countertops have never been stained by black tea, which Cambria warns might be an issue. If I had to do it all over, I would choose Cambria Matte again.

I did not do any staging or buffing of countertops when I took the following photos.

theresa21

it looks so pretty, thanks for all the info. I love the matte look.found a Quartzite I like but it super shiny and I am not a fan of shiny, but the colors are amazing and price point in close to Cambria. I am wondering it anyone has cristallo honed finish and would share pictures...? Here is slab and my cabinets. I have a sample I started testing.

sylvermoon I saw your picture of matte quartz, but can you share a picture of your leathered quartzite and what color you got? Also, can you tell me if the surface is smooth or pitted ? I am thinking about leathered cristallo,but have only found the polished version in warehouses near me. I don't want a rough surface, and I have seen some slabs that are rough and others smooth after the leathering process....any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Yesterday I again tried to contact Daltile about the problem with my quartz countertop. I sent an email explaining the problem to their customer service. Their response was this:
Thanks for reaching out. To answer your question please reach out to our Stone Center. The most experienced professionals are available at your nearest location. https://www.daltile.com/store-locator

When I followed their lead the only “Stone Centers” or locations, anywhere near to me were Home Depot stores.
NOT MUCH HELP.

Your fabricator is Daltile's customer. That is who you go through if you have issues. This is not a manufacturer's issue. Matte finishes of all kinds are more difficult to clean. This isn't just confined to countertops.

I have always found Zep products effective and affordable. https://zep.com/products/granite-and-stone-cleaner-and-protectant-zucspp32

They are a joke. They just spout the answer on the daltile web page which is something to the effect of Matte surfaces are more sensitive and can require extra care. No cleaners suggested.

@susanrhill34 Did you end up purchasing the Daltile Lincoln White? I am looking at it and wonder what your experience has been? Thanks!

I've used Lincoln White in multiple projects. With zero issues, if the homeowners have the correct expectations and cleaning regimens.

I'm also in the process of selecting a counter top and Lincoln White is at the top of my list. Good to hear @Mnardi has had success with it. Would love to hear what @susanhill34 selected and if she is happy about it.