Quartz Cleaning and Polishing Products
by Diana
QUESTION:Will your Stone Care Pro Etch Remover/Marble Polishing paste product be effective to restore etching removal on Quartz shower tiles due to using a strong cleaning chemical? Will the Pristine Soap/hard warer/grout Remover and the Blast Mold and Mildew Remover be safe for Quartz shower tiles?You mention that these products work effectively on marble, traverine and limstone specifically but not specifically on quartz. I know you say that quartz is similar to marble, but I have read that marble,traverine & limstone are a calcareous stone and quartz is a siliceous stone which is similar to granite. And it is important that you treat these two stones differently from a cleaning and restoration perspective. Please clarify if these products will work effectively on quartz. ANSWER:Yes, all the products we recommend for cleaning marble are safe for all stone and for quartz too.You are correct that quartz countertops and tile should be cleaned just like a granite, which is not as sensitive as marble, travertine or limestone. Since marble, travertine, limestone and onyx are immediately damaged by most household cleaners we make a point of noting that a particular product is safe for such surfaces. It certainly wouldn't hurt if we included all common surfaces, however, granite is much less sensitive to chemicals. It can still etch when exposed to very strong chemicals or from repeated use, so stone specific cleaners should still be used. The idea is that any product made safe for cleaning marble is also safe for cleaning granite or quartz or corian or glass, etc. Thus, you don't really treat marble and granite or quartz differently when it comes to regular cleaning. But general care, do's and don'ts are different for marble vs. granite and quartz. With marble you have to be much more particular about avoiding acidic foods and drinks than on granite or quartz which won't readily etch. Acidics foods and drinks etch marble, which is why marble is not the best choice for a kitchen countertop. However, repair and restoration is a different ball game than cleaning. Marble repair can be somewhat different than granite repair and quartz repair can be a lot different. The main difference is that stone can almost always be repaired or restored, but damage to quartz is almost always permanent. The spots you have on your quartz shower tiles are almost certainly not etching, but rather bleached out color. You see, quartz is made with resins and coloring dyes. Harsh cleaning chemicals can and do discolor or bleach the surface. These spots are typically permanent. The ETCH REMOVER / Marble polishing paste is made for use on calcareous stones. Since marble is relatively soft the above DIY product works very well and can be easily used by an unskilled person to restore mild to moderate etching (which is the most common). Granite on the other hand, is too hard and must be professionally re-polished. Also, severe damage to marble requires professional marble cleaning and maintenance as well. The Etch Remover won't do a thing to the quartz. When marble is etched it's simply a matter of re-polishing the rougher surface back to a smooth, glossy surface. There is no damage or discoloring of dyes or resins with marble, which is the case with quartz. However, the Hard Water / Soap Scum Remover and the Bathroom MOLD & MILDEW Remover are safe and will work excellent on quartz tiles as well. You may try calling the quartz manufacturer with the exact chemical that did the damage and see what they suggest, but most likely they will tell you it's permanent and such chemicals should not be used. Good Luck, Ryan
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