Don’t do honed quartz. You will regret it. It grabs and holds on to dirt much more than polished.

Well, I appreciate your comment Sophie but I have already ordered it. I already clean my countertop daily in our kitchen with our small kids so whether it is dirt and crumbs on a polished surface or honed, it will get cleaned daily. Should I be prepared for even more issues?

Yes, you should be prepared for greasy fingerprints to not come out with standard wiping. You’ll need a doft scrub brush every time you have grease splatter or kids sticky fingers touch it.

Thank you Blondelle. I have polished and honed samples of the Blue Savoie at home too. I have not experienced what you mentioned. Hmm, I am so torn on what to do. I have been experimenting all weekend and everything seems to clean up pretty easily. From the kids fingerpainting with olive oil to smearing peanut butter on it. It is a big investment for us. I guess I could try to call the fabricator tomorrow and see about switching or her experience in selling the honed finish to past customers.........

what does the company recommend? Ask them what to clean it with and what issues they've had with it. I've also heard of some stories about the honed quartz having issues. Do a little research on that and they should pop up for you. Also ask your fabricator if he's ever had complaints w/the type you're getting. if he does have some larger samples for you to play with, that'd be a great idea.

This is from Silestone:

VIM® Actifizz® multi-purpose spray easily cuts through everyday dirt around the home. Thanks to its effervescent technology, you can fizz away dirt and keep your Silestone quartz countertop gleaming.

• Works on:
• Everyday soap scum
• Food residues
• Makeup
• Watermarks

This is from PENTAL:

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

PentalQuartz is an extremely low maintenance surface that is not easily damaged.

Following a few simple instructions will keep your countertop looking like new for many

years to come.

Use a clean cloth or sponge with mild soap and warm water for routine daily cleaning.

Be sure to rinse thoroughly, as soap residue can affect the appearance of your

PentalQuartz.

For stubborn spots, use a soft cloth, sponge or a non

-scratch scrub pad, and a mild, neutral PH, non-abrasive cleanser along with plenty of water to clean the surface.

Care should be taken to not scrub too hard to avoid damage to the

countertop surface.

I agree with blondelle. If you can place your order on hold until you research further, please do so. I had a piece of my quartzite honed and had no problems with it. Consequently, I had all the countertops honed, expecting that it would react as my sample did. Every fingerprint and other bit of cooking oil shows up as a shiny blotch that cannot be removed with typical daily cleaning. I am now paying to have the countertops polished on site, hoping that I will end up with an attractive, functional surface in my expensive new kitchen. I don't want countertops that I am afraid to touch or cook on because it is too labor intensive to make me smile every time I enter the room.

Best wishes in your endeavor.

Thanks dstgts and A.

I sent an email to my fabricator yesterday to see about placing order on hold. I will see what she says. The countertop in the sink area will be a dark blue/grey so I can't imagine any discoloration.

I can't imagine that Quartz companies would keep selling this finish if it was so problematic, right?

Maybe I should call other fabricators and get their opinions.

I can only comment on your statement that manufacturers wouldn't manufacture problematic stuff.

I certainly wouldn't rely on that in terms of what are cosmetic issues of maintenance. People use counters in all kinds of different ways. Many people never cook and therefore could use high maintenance materials with no issues. Some people have housekeepers who clean. Others have different standards so fingerprints and splotches wouldn't bother them.

Not the same thing but I am having marble counter installed in my master bath. I know it is higher maintenance than porcelain might be but my use for the master bath is not as hard as it might be for others since I live alone - don't dye my hair and I also am fine with the marble acquiring a patina. FWIW, I opted for honed marble floor and counter both for appearances and also because to the extent it etched, it would be less noticeable with a honed surface. Other people might make different choices of a material based on how they are using the room and also what their tolerance is for normal wear and tear.

I recently had a problem with honed quartz. We called the manufacture and explained to them the problems we had and the owner was having with smudging and stains that cannot be removed. We tried all their "recommended" products. Eventually we got them to admit that there is no cleaning it to perfection. it will always be there. They manufacture it because people want it. Its not "their fault" if it behaves like that.

Catt: Can you tell me which manufacturer it was?

Zeal

I remember matte quartz came on the market about, perhaps, a decade ago to much fanfare ( don’t remember the specific company/ies) and then suddenly disappeared. This darkening/ staining could be why it left the market. But the question now is, why is it back? Have they improved it?

I have new black Volcano quartz countertops that show spots when water drips on the surface. How can I improve the finish so I don’t have to wipe up every drop of water? It’s as though there is a fine powder finish that shows everything.

I have polished Silestone ( color: charcoal soapstone), installed about 2 years ago. It looks beautiful, and is easy to clean. I heard that honed quartz is hard to keep clean. The Silestone by Cosentino website says routine care is to wipe it with soap and water; use any ph balanced household cleaner: Dawn Dish Soap, Windex. They recommend to use a trivet for extreme heat protection. For grease stains: use a formula 409 or Windex with a non scratch pad and rinse with water. Best of luck on your countertop choice❣️

Did you end up installing Pental Blue Savoie honed? I would love to see pictures!