So, to get straight to the point on this one – a quartz kitchen worktop adds a sophisticated and modern look to any kitchen, read on to find out why you should give your kitchen a quartz upgrade.
What is quartz?
Unlike granite, quartz is a man-made stone that is engineered from crushed quartz stone. Quartz is a non-porous material and is carefully engineered to be highly resistant to both stains and scratches.
Quartz is homogeneous, meaning it has uniform colours and patterns which make it a lot easier to match during the installation process. The worktops are made by mixing quartz with pigment which means that slabs and tiles can come in a wide variety of colours.
Why pick a quartz kitchen worktop?
Quartz is a very hardy material, and it is low maintenance. Additionally, staining is very rare and usually limited to occasions where a hyper-abrasive substance comes into contact with the surface, such as oven cleaner. It is much more hard-wearing than granite, making it difficult to damage. It is also resistant to heat and might withstand short bursts of what you would judge as reasonable heat.
In the UK, Quartz is available in around 50 different colours. As it’s a man-made product, Quartz can offer qualities that granite cannot, such as the inclusion of mirror chips, crushed glass and seashells. Quartz offers an impressive variety of modern, unique and fun finishes not available in natural Granite. With quartz worktops, you don’t have to stress about staining on brighter colour designs because even the lightest quartz stone can withstand staining.
How do you keep quartz clean?
To keep your Quartz worktop investment in its original condition, there are a few maintenance guidelines you must follow:
- No chopping or cutting straight onto your quartz slabs – knives can cause your worktops to become dull and scratched over time. After preparing food on your quartz surfaces, wipe with a damp cloth.
- No knocking or hitting the worktops – if you’re carrying out any work or DIY around your quartz worktops be cautious as they could get chipped.
- Hot pans – although quartz is more heat resistant than granite, avoid putting any hot saucepans or trays on quartz. Use protectors or trivets instead. Quartz struggles in particular with rapid temperature changes. Placemats and trivets under cooking appliances like roaster ovens and fryers too.
Keep the quartz in your kitchen shining, by using a natural approach to cleaning with a gentle soap and warm water. You can then buff the surface with a dry cloth. Don’t clean quartz with abrasive bleach, silicone or ammonia-based products.
It may be tempting to clean off food with coarse sponges or scouring pads, but this can be harmful to the surface and cause long-lasting damage. When you can’t get rid of a difficult stain, always get in touch with an expert who can help you clean your worktop without causing irreversible damage.
