The best time to read the maintenance guide is before you buy the countertop. So to help make that easy we have attached maintenance information form most of the manufacturers of quartz and solid surface below, along with some general information on natural materials.

Most countertops require very little work to keep them clean. Regular cleaning with soapy water or a proprietary cleaner suitable for countertops is all they need. In general very dark and very light colours will show marks more readily; and honed and textured surfaces will require extra maintenance. And some products such as soapstone, marble and unsealed granites will require extra treatments.

A quick review of Do’s and Don’ts

Do

  • Clean your countertop regularly with soapy water of a proprietary cleaner suitable for countertops.
  • Mop up any spills quickly – leaving difficult to remove products on a countertop will cause damage to it and almost certainly void the warranty.
  • Read the manufacturers maintenance guidelines to make sure you don’t void the warranty.

Don’t

  • Don’t leave water on the surface – wipe it up. Particularly in hard water areas deposits may form on the surface.
  • Don’t use concentrated chemicals on the surface – even products like bleach and ammonia can damage surfaces.
  • Don’t put hot objects on the surface – use a trivet – and be particularly careful with slow cookers and toaster ovens, especially on quartz and solid surface materials. Heat can cause damage very quickly and will not be covered by the warranty.
  • Don’t cut or bake directly on the surface. Knife blades can leave marks and oils can penetrate the surface.
  • Don’t stand or sit on the countertop. I guess you know what happens!