Care & maintenance
Care and maintenance, by material
How to clean, seal and protect each surface we install, in one table, with the guides that explain it in full.
Care at a glance
Short versions of what our guides say. Each entry links the guide it comes from.
| Material | Daily cleaning | Sealing | Keep off it | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineered quartz | Warm water, a soft cloth and a drop of dish soap. Source | Never: sealer cannot soak in and dries to a dull film. Source | Oven and drain cleaner, abrasive powders, colored scouring pads. Source | Hot pans: the resin scorches, so use a trivet every time. Source |
| Granite | A pH-neutral stone cleaner or mild dish soap. Source | When the water-drop test fails, often about once a year. Source | Vinegar, lemon and bathroom cleaners. Source | Oil stains: a baking-soda poultice left 24 hours draws fresh ones out. Source |
| Quartzite | A pH-neutral stone cleaner, as for granite. Source | Once or twice a year, by the water test. Source | Vinegar, ammonia, scouring powders. Source | Stone sold as quartzite that is really marble: a lemon test on a sample settles it. Source |
| Marble | pH-neutral products only. Source | Every 3 to 6 months by the water test. Sealing slows stains only. Source | Lemon, wine, tomato and vinegar: they etch it, sealed or not. Source | Etching: a honed finish hides it far better than a polished one. Source |
| Tile backsplash and grout | Dish soap weekly; a baking soda and hydrogen peroxide paste monthly. Source | Cement grout where the water-bead test fails; epoxy grout never. Source | Vinegar on cement grout, straight bleach on colored grout. Source | The joint at the countertop is flexible caulk, not grout. Re-run it if it cracks. Source |
Engineered quartz
129 colors in our catalog.
Granite
79 colors in our catalog.
Quartzite
35 colors in our catalog.
Marble
10 colors in our catalog.
Guides that cover it
- Sealing: who needs it, how often, and the twenty-minute test that decides
- Backsplash Patterns and Grout: The Choices That Change Your Quote
- Countertop Care by Material: The Honest Owner's Manual
- What Skipping Kitchen Maintenance Actually Costs
- Backsplash Grout Care: Sealing, Cleaning, and Knowing When to Regrout
Shop and services
Tile backsplash and grout
Guides that cover it
Shop and services
Every care guide
- Sealing: who needs it, how often, and the twenty-minute test that decides
- Backsplash Patterns and Grout: The Choices That Change Your Quote
- Countertop Care by Material: The Honest Owner's Manual
- What Skipping Kitchen Maintenance Actually Costs
- Backsplash Grout Care: Sealing, Cleaning, and Knowing When to Regrout
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