" People prefer natural materials, which quartz is." This statement reflects the marketing by the quartz suppliers but is demonstrably false. "Natural", by definition, means "existing in or caused by nature; not made or caused by humankind." Quartz tops are a petrochemical based resin that is brewed up in big vats, mixed with quartz chips, artificial inclusions like glass, and coloring agents. (Incomplete mixing at this stage of the process is the source of the "resin pools" which are often found in the more variable quartz colors.) This mix is then extruded out into a large shallow container and then baked at several hundred degrees. The resulting sheet of baked resin is then polished with equipment very similar to a stone polishing line. Hardly "existing in or caused by nature; not made or caused by humankind". That said, the quartz surface products do make a relatively durable countertop surface that can be engineered to provide the appearance desired by the product designers. IMHO the primary long term threat to the desirability of quartz surface is the increasing presence in the market of low price quartz products (Korea & China). As cheap copycat products permeate the market the current panache associated with quartz tops will dissipate and it will become simply another low cost alternative. This is much the same as what has already happened to some extent with granite. The increasing use of exotic stones like labrodite and quartzite has helped to maintain at least some of the upscale perception natural stone has always enjoyed.

We hear everyday from people claiming to UV Damage to their quart countertop including brands like Caesarstone, LG, Cambria, Silestone, Quantum quartz etc. The facts are the UV or a spectrum of UV light that is omitted from various light sources including sunlight accelerates the reaction of soaps, salt and surfactant contained in 99% of all multi surface cleaners. Also if you live within 5 miles of a salt water body of water. E.G ocean, tidal creek or river. This will also cause the yellow stain, yellowing of quartz in the lighter colours. Why does yellow stains occur on Quartz? Yellow staining of any lighter coloured quartz occurs from when any high pH cleaners are used frequently e.g. 99% of off the shelf cleaner are a pH of more than 10. Which is the same pH or corrosiveness as drain cleaner. Windex has a pH over 12 which is more corrosive and contains more corrosive salts than oven cleaner. All will eventually dull and damage any stone. But will damage quartz countertops more and in less time. Why? Quartz is not from a volcano basically. It is not as dense as granite, not formed at temperatures more than 1000 degrees C. It is not natural and is subject to various additives, ingredients that make quartz for the use of countertops or work surfaces. What is a Quartz Countertops yellow stain? Stains on Quartz of lighter colours, polished, marble look, matte, suede, rugged or any other finish are all effected. Over time (usually 4-6 years of use, though seen within 18 months on new marble look quartz) the stone/quartz has a reaction with salts, soap and surfactants contained in 99% of all multi surface cleaners. Turning any lighter coloured quartz yellow over time. You can easily tell how yellow your quartz countertop has become. By getting a new sample of your brand of quartz and comparing it to your quartz countertop. To see how much yellowing has occurred. You will be surprised who much colour difference there is. The most common yellow stains on any quartz brand countertop are the following; 1) General yellowing to the entire quartz surface due to build up of salts & surfactants 2) Around under mounted sinks - due to salts & surfactants in dish soaps. High pH 3) high use & cleaned area. 4) Under coffee machines 5) under pot plants on the quartz countertop 6) under dish mats or drying mats near the sink 7) under fish tanks. All of the above allow the salts & surfactants to form and generate the quartz countertops causing the yellow or light brown staining. As you will notice that UV light does not generate dish mats, under fish tanks and also pot plants. Whilst UV light can accelerate the yellow staining to white quartz countertops. IT IS NOT THE CAUSE! Of special note: Any region between the tropic of Capricorn and the tropic of cancer where high humidity is present or you are within 5-7 miles of a salt water body, or are using treated or untreated artisan water. This will also accelerate the yellow staining to white or light coloured quartz countertops. No matter the brand or finish. All brands are affected including the popular brands such as MSI, QStone, Stone Ambassador, Caesarstone, Silestone, LG Viatera etc. Hence the TDS (total devolved salts) in the air are the issue. Where does yellow stains occur on Quartz countertop? The most common yellow stains on any quartz brand countertop are the following; 1) General yellowing to the entire quartz surface due to build up of salts & surfactants 2) Around under mounted sinks - due to salts & surfactants in dish soaps. High pH 3) high use & cleaned area. 4) Under coffee machines 5) under pot plants on the quartz countertop 6) under dish mats or drying mats near the sink 7) under fish tanks. All of the above allow the salts & surfactants to form and generate the quartz countertops causing the yellow or light brown staining. As you will notice that UV light does not generate dish mats, under fish tanks and also pot plants. Whilst UV light can accelerate the yellow staining to white quartz countertops. IT IS NOT THE CAUSE! When does yellow staining on Quartz occur? Usually yellow staining to white quartz countertops or any lighter colour quartz if not cleaned correctly and all the surfaces at least once per week. White or light colour Quartz stone countertops WILL YELLOW STAIN over time. Generally the older colours or standard colours like Caesarstone White Shimmer, Ice Snow etc it is between 4 - 6 years. At this time the difference is quite dramatic, as this is why most people realise the issue. On the newer marble look ranges, we see PATCHING of yellow or brownish stains to quartz stone countertops including all the major brands. Yellow stains will look like the stone has gone patchy. We also note that Caesarstone are aware of the issue with the marble look ranges. Caesarstone have changed their general information to reflect this by the term “PATINA”. Which is something applied to metal not stone. It is metal ageing and oxidising. Stone does not and will never oxide. It is obvious that the term “PATINA” now applied to quartz stone surfaces produced by Caesarstone is to combat the YELLOW STAINS occurring on Caesarstone and any other quartz stone surface. Also everything that Caesarstone is recommending to clean their stone surfaces is high in pH full of salts and surfactants. Caesarstone and all other quartz manufactures are aware of the issues of yellow stains to quartz countertops and the cause. To stop the yellow staining, you must 1) Clean with a neutral cleaner made for stone 2) Use a cleaner that has no soap, surfactants or salts in it. 3) Use a nano or microfibre cloth. The only known cleaners that clean, kill germs are the following 1) Stone Power Cleaner 2) a solution of methylated Spirits & Water at a ratio of 50/50. Note: that we recommend you use a high quality microfibre that is 380gsm and knitted. Yes all microfibres are not equal. Our Nano Cleaning cloth or something like the mothers mcirofibre cloths are of this quality. How do you clean yellow stains from Quartz, Caesarstone, Silestone etc? We must say we have seen it all, and heard it all! The facts are that a yellow stain on a Quartz stone countertop that is listed above is NOT A STAIN! - it is DAMAGE to the quartz caused by corrosive chemicals that are salts & surfactants. Simple answer is be careful what you use or what advise you get. Yellow staining to white or lighter colour quartz countertops can be fully removed, without damage to any quartz brand of finish. Quartz Refresh is the only product on the market that works, fully restores the stone back to the original colour and finish. So to clean the yellow or brownish stain to white quartz countertops is not easy as it is damage. Bar Keepers Friend, VIM, Gumption, Ajax powder cleaner, magic erasers, bleach or any other home brew, forum recommendation WILL NOT WORK!. Sometimes you can be lucky that the damage (yellow stain in white quartz) is not that deep. Yes it can be removed by some or all of the above cleaning products. Though they work by sanding the surface, they will sand away the yellow stain or damage. But it will also change the surface finish, meaning that the polish is now sanded. It would be like sanding away a mark on the paint of your car. Yes it will remove it, but it will also make it dull, not polished etc. Why the other way of fully removing the yellow staining to white quartz countertops other than using Quartz Refresh is to “GRIND” the surface down past the damage. Whilst this is effective, it is a messy, requires a lot of time and money to have done. But the most critical issue is that the factory finish can not be restored fully. On stone and especially quartz to get back the factory polish on the stone is EXTREMELY difficult, but can be done by a select few. How to avoid yellow stains on quartz countertops, caesarstone or any brand? To stop the yellow staining, you must 1) Clean with a neutral cleaner made for stone 2) Use a cleaner that has no soap, surfactants or salts in it. 3) Use a nano or microfibre cloth. The only known cleaners that clean, kill germs are the following 1) Stone Power Cleaner 2) a solution of methylated Spirits & Water at a ratio of 50/50. Note: that we recommend you use a high quality microfibre that is 380gsm and knitted. Yes all microfibres are not equal. Our Nano Cleaning cloth or something like the mothers mcirofibre cloths are of this quality. How to remove yellow stains on white quartz countertops We must say we have seen it all, and heard it all! The facts are that a yellow stain on a Quartz stone countertop that is listed above is NOT A STAIN! - it is DAMAGE to the quartz caused by corrosive chemicals that are salts & surfactants. Simple answer is be careful what you use or what advise you get. Yellow staining to white or lighter colour quartz countertops can be fully removed, without damage to any quartz brand of finish. Quartz Refresh is the only product on the market that works, fully restores the stone back to the original colour and finish. https://stonebenchtopcleaner.com.au/stain-caesarstone-yellowing-dull-marks-polish/quartz-refresh-caesarstone-yellow-stain.html So to clean the yellow or brownish stain to white quartz countertops is not easy as it is damage. Bar Keepers Friend, VIM, Gumption, Ajax powder cleaner, magic erasers, bleach or any other home brew, forum recommendation WILL NOT WORK!. Sometimes you can be lucky that the damage (yellow stain in white quartz) is not that deep. Yes it can be removed by some or all of the above cleaning products. Though they work by sanding the surface, they will sand away the yellow stain or damage. But it will also change the surface finish, meaning that the polish is now sanded. It would be like sanding away a mark on the paint of your car. Yes it will remove it, but it will also make it dull, not polished etc. Why the other way of fully removing the yellow staining to white quartz countertops other than using Quartz Refresh is to “GRIND” the surface down past the damage. Whilst this is effective, it is a messy, requires a lot of time and money to have done. But the most critical issue is that the factory finish can not be restored fully. On stone and especially quartz to get back the factory polish on the stone is EXTREMELY difficult, but can be done by a select few. https://stonebenchtopcleaner.com.au/stain-caesarstone-yellowing-dull-marks-polish/quartz-refresh-caesarstone-yellow-stain.html Yellow staining from salts & surfacts If you check around the yellowing is a common issue with the use of the incorrect advise and cleaning solutions. This is what causes the yellow stains to any quartz countertop. https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/caesarstone

I have a kitchen table from Room & Board that has a white quartz top. It does occasionally stain with ink, pencil, colored pencil, etc. Normally I use a homemade cleaner with water, alcohol and blue dawn. It gets everything out for me. I did have one stain from the magnet on the back of my phone case which came in contact with water. I used bar keepers friend and it came right off. I am only left with a small mark that was on the table when it was delivered (we were out of the country and someone else received the table and didn’t say anything to the delivery men). It appears to be a small ink mark. We have been able to dull it slightly, but haven’t been successful at removing it. I will try the greased lightning suggested above, and maybe diluted bleach as a last resort.

Cutting or increasing a colour by a percentage is open to a great deal of interpretation. So it’s kind of a clunky approach unless you have actually seen the results of a specific colour being manipulated from a specific store and liked it. Does it mean somewhat lighter - but the same degree of colourfulness? Does it mean both lighter + less colourful? Whichever it is - you end up with a new colour - which you may - or may not like. You can however, create an effective palette layering white & off-white tones together. The secret? Ensuring the two ’whites’ look deliberate, by having enough contrast so neither looks dingy or dirty next to the other. This can be done by managing their difference in Chroma. (degree of colourfulness) And if they aren’t too close together in Hue, nor too far apart either, this also adds to the degree of contrast. As Colour Guru Lori Saway explains ,if two white surfaces ’have a minimum difference in Chroma of at least 0.2 then neither will appear dingy or dirty alongside the other.’ #huefamilies #white #chroma