How to Clean Quartz Countertops Without Dulling Them

Step by step

1
Scrape off anything dried on
Gently lift dried food, gum or glue with a plastic scraper or the edge of a plastic card. Don't use a metal blade.

Why: Removing the lump first lets the cleaner work evenly, and metal tools can mark the surface.
2
Wash with mild soap and warm water
Add a few drops of dish soap to warm water and wipe the counter with a soft cloth or microfiber in small circles.

Why: Mild, near-neutral cleaners don't attack the polymer resin that holds the quartz together.
3
Rinse with clean water
Wipe the surface again with a cloth dampened in plain water.

Why: Soap left behind can leave streaks or a haze, especially on dark quartz.
4
Dry with a soft towel
Buff dry, paying attention to the area around the sink and faucet.

Why: Even plain water can leave streaks on dark quartz, and water drying near the faucet leaves mineral spots.
5
Protect it while you cook
Use cutting boards for knives and trivets for hot pans, and wipe up spills, especially citrus, vinegar and wine, as they happen.

Why: Knives can leave fine scratches. Heat can scorch the resin, leaving a ring or a crack, and prolonged acid contact can damage it.

What quartz countertops are, and what that rules out

Engineered quartz is crushed quartz bound with a polymer resin. The resin makes it non-porous, so it doesn't need sealing or polishing, and most spills sit on top instead of soaking in. The resin is also the weak point: strong alkalis (oven cleaner, grill cleaner, paint remover, undiluted dish detergent) can permanently dull it, strong acids left sitting can damage it, abrasives (steel wool, scouring powder and pads, razor blades) scratch or dull it, and heat from pans straight off the stove can scorch or crack it.

Don't confuse it with quartzite, a natural stone that's cleaned like granite. If you're not sure which you have, check the installation paperwork.

Makers don't all agree, and even one maker's advice has changed over time. One quartz maker's current guide allows a few drops of dish soap, diluted bleach per directions, and hydrogen peroxide for stains, while another quartz maker lists hydrogen peroxide, bleach and oxygen bleach as products to avoid. The same first maker's earlier article warned that most dish soaps leave haze and recommended a pH-balanced, ammonia-free cleaner. Check the care guide for your specific brand.

How to remove stains from quartz

Because quartz is non-porous, most "stains" are residue sitting on the surface. Work from gentlest to strongest, rinsing after each:

Dried food or grease: a paste of baking soda and water, rubbed gently with a soft cloth. It's mildly abrasive, so don't scrub hard.
Ink, marker, glue or blood marks: rubbing alcohol on a cloth, then rinse.
Discoloration from food: one maker suggests hydrogen peroxide, rinsed off afterward. Another maker says to avoid it, so check your brand's guide first.
Hard water spots near the sink: equal parts white vinegar and water, used sparingly and rinsed off, or a limescale product your maker approves, used per its label.

For long-standing coffee or tea stains that a daily cleaner won't lift, one maker's advice is not to scrub harder but to call a professional. Scorch marks from hot pans are damage to the resin, not a stain, and won't clean off.

By situation

Quartz countertops in the bathroom

The same routine applies. Wipe up toothpaste, makeup and hair products quickly, use diluted vinegar sparingly for water spots, and keep drain cleaners and solvents such as nail polish remover off the counter, since makers list high-pH products and some solvents among things to avoid. Rinse and dry after use.

Honed or matte quartz

Matte finishes show metal marks and fingerprints more than polished ones and need cleaning more often. Stick to non-abrasive products; a soft cloth with mild soap handles most marks.

Disinfecting quartz

Guidance conflicts. One maker allows bleach diluted per the product directions, while another lists bleach as a product to avoid. Concentrated bleach can leave stains. If you disinfect, use a product your maker approves and rinse afterward.

Using glass cleaner

Use an ammonia-free glass cleaner only occasionally. High-ammonia cleaners used routinely can dull the surface over time.

What not to do

Don't use oven cleaner, grill cleaner, paint remover or undiluted dish detergent. These high-pH products can permanently dull or damage the resin.
Don't scrub with steel wool, scouring powder, scouring pads or razor blades. They scratch and dull the surface.
Don't set hot pans straight from the stove or oven on quartz. Heat can scorch the resin, leaving a permanent ring or a crack.
Don't leave acidic spills like citrus, vinegar or wine sitting. Prolonged acid contact can damage the resin.
Don't use concentrated bleach. It can leave stains on quartz.

Other methods that work

pH-balanced quartz cleaner

A cleaner labeled for quartz, pH balanced and free of phosphates and ammonia avoids the haze some dish soaps leave.

Caution: Check that your countertop maker approves it.

Rubbing alcohol

Good for ink, marker, glue and other sticky marks, applied with a cloth and rinsed off.

Caution: Ventilate, and rinse afterward.

Stain still there?

A haze or streaks after cleaning

Soap residue. Rinse with plain water and buff dry with a microfiber towel, and use less soap or a pH-balanced quartz cleaner.

A pale ring where a hot pan sat

That's heat damage to the resin, not a stain. It won't clean off; contact the countertop fabricator or maker about repair.

A dull patch near the stove or sink

Usually a harsh cleaner or repeated acid exposure. Switch to mild soap. Dulling from high-pH products is often permanent, so ask the maker or a professional.

Safety

Never mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia or other cleaners. See what never to mix.

Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.

Questions

What is the best way to remove stains from a quartz countertop?

Start with warm soapy water, then a baking soda paste, then rubbing alcohol for ink or marker. Rinse after each. Call a professional for old coffee or tea stains rather than scrubbing.

How do you clean hard water stains on quartz countertops?

Wipe with equal parts white vinegar and water, sparingly, then rinse and dry, or use a limescale product your maker approves.

Do quartz countertops need to be sealed?

No. Engineered quartz is non-porous because of its resin binder, so it doesn't need sealing or polishing.

Can I use vinegar on quartz?

Diluted 1:1 with water and used sparingly, yes, per one maker. Don't leave undiluted vinegar or other acids sitting on it.

More guides for this room

Sources

Quartz Countertop Care: Tips to Keep Your Surfaces Looking New (2025), Caesarstone (quartz surface manufacturer)
Best Cleaners for Quartz Countertops Reviewed (2021), Caesarstone US (quartz surface manufacturer)
Cambria Quartz Product Care, Cambria (manufacturer care guide)
How To Care For Your Quartz Countertops, MSI Surfaces (manufacturer care guide)
Caring for Stone Countertops, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach - AnswerLine
Care & Cleaning of Natural Stone, Natural Stone Institute

Last updated October 26, 2026. Methods are drawn from the sources above; how we research and check our guides.