What is it supposed to look like? I have had 3 types of quartz installed (2 cream colored and 1 brown-tan speckly) and have not had "fingerprints" left over.

Have you tried to clean it? If you have, I don't think the marks will disappear. The installers wanted to get out of there.

I had fingerprints like that on the granite we had installed. They were gone in a few days. And no fingerprints like that have shown up again.

It is a matte dark gray. There are dark fingerprint looking marks and in the photo you can also see one of the dark lines running up along the left hand side.

I have tried to clean it with soap and water. I haven’t wanted to do anything too vigorous for fear of damaging it.

I can't speak for what happens with granite, like Joe T. mentioned above. I have not had a dark quartz.

The soap and water may be leaving a film. What does the manufacturer say to clean it with? I use a mild spray cleaner (like Method or the green Trader Joe's kitchen cleaner in a spray bottle) and a paper towel.

That’s just how matte quartz behaves Normally. It grabs and holds on to fingerprint oils, or cooking spatters, or any and all kind of dirt. It’s high maintenance and should be avoided by those who don’t want to scrub with a fingernail brush and Dawn instead of just wiping it off.

This is what the countertops looked like Before I attempted any cleaning.

If this is normal for freshly installed quartz I don’t mind cleaning it, just need to know how. Dish soap didn’t work.

You have to get into all of the tiny little crevices of the texture. A soft brush, like for fingernails, is usually helpful.

Thanks Sophie Wheeler - any guess as to what the darker lines around the edges of the countertop and around the sink would have been caused by? You can see one in the photo I posted, they are more uniform than finger prints.

Maybe oil from the polishing tool. It’s not clear enough to say.

it will never come off. there are many threads on this forum about matte quartz... here are some picture of some similar to yours.

I don’t understand how an installer would be okay with putting in quartz that is unrepairably damaged. I’m working with a great designer with high expectations. I’m anxiously waiting to hear back what he thinks about the situation!

thats the thing its not "damaged" its still usable. It just may not look the way you want it to.

Or rather, doesnt look the way I want it to nor the way it is advertised to. I mean, new carpet could be installed with big stains all over it and still be usable, but it would still be damaged. Definitely holding out hope this can be resolved.

that is the stone. that is what you picked. you can-not purchase a prius and expect a drag car. you got honed quartz that is behaving like honed quartz..

Is it upsetting? yes? should you of known it was going to act this way? maybe, not sure how much research you did into it or even how often your fabricator installs it.

but the stone is just being the stone. this is what it does.

I have seen honed stone. If that is what you ordered, I still would not find what is in your first photo acceptable.

The upsetting part is not that it behaved this way - if it did so due to my actions that would be my responsibility, fine - it’s that it happened before it even reached my door, but they still opted to install it. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect a clean product. ‍

you are absolutely right . you are entitled to that. but at the same time things get dirty when they get fabricated and handled. and once its been touched that is the way this product behaves.

what does your contract say? did you sign a waver about it?

This is why I am anxious to speak with my designer. He is the one dealing with coordinating all of that.

your designer signed the contracts for you ?

I do not have a contract with the countertop company, only with the designer.

then its the designers responsibility then. let us know what they say

That’s what I’m thinking. He’s impressed me so far with his high expectations so I trust he’ll know the best course of action!

Not all honed quartz soaks up stains.

I have Diresco quartz (manufactured in Belgium). They call their honed finish "Velvet". Nothing stains it that doesn't come off with either dishwashing soap or, (rarely needed) scrubbing bubbles (no chlorine version). Most of the time I just clean it with a wet rag.

That appears to be silicone fingerprint contamination, especially since there is more of it around the sink. Try this, please.

Thanks Joseph. I’ve seen your name around here a lot and was hoping you might weigh in!

Joseph - aha, silicone is the culprit!

That would explain Diresco's cleaning and maintenance instructions. It says not to use any silicone based product anywhere near our countertop.

The countertop installers asked us if we were going to install a backsplash. We said, yes we would, so they didn't fill the counter/wall intersection. Thing is, we've changed our mind. We painted the wall on the sink run, and like it so much, we don't want to add a bs. (There will be a stainless steel panel behind the cooktop).

No bs means, we now have to apply a silicone bead at the counter - wall intersection. If we do use silicone, will it stain the counter? Should we use some other material? I'm confused.

pippabean:

You always want to use a paintable caulk, it may be "siliconized", at a wall/top plane change. I doubt it will stain.

Joe, thanks.

I belief the more silicone in the caulk, the more elastic it is. Am I right? We'll definitely try out siliconized on our sample first.

I'd prefer siliconized, as we do have paintable caulk in the masterbath and it cracks and shrinks back, along with seasonal changes. Both the bathroom and the kitchen counters are along outside walls.

So the owner of the fabrication company and the owner of the company that makes the product are coming out on Monday to check it out. Fingers crossed it’s an easy fix. I haven’t tried anything but soap and water yet so nobody can point the finger of blame at me!

Did he say what sealer he was putting on it? because i have never heard of such a thing.

Glad they got fixed! Enjoy your new countertops!

Be cautious using either of those two products where the counter is backlit by a light fixture or a window. They have actually scratched your quartz with microabrasives and it may show when backlit. This may not matter with matte quartz, but with polished quartz, they would have taken the sheen off and ruined your countertop.

What brand is your quartz?

Mayflowers it is from Arizona Tile. The counter is backlit by a window and I have not noticed any scratches.

Catt Combs he did not say what kind of sealer. There are two options I’ll be checking out - one is a simple sealer, the other he described as an enhancer that will also serve to enrich the color. I’ll have to find out more and pass it on when it gets done!

For those of you still interested, they used this:

https://miraclesealants.com/products/seal-protect/511-impregnator

Thanks, Nattles. I'm glad they took care of this issue that should not have been, for you. And that you passed on a solution for others that may in the future be in this bind.

Cat Combs, is that the Corian Nero soapstone quartz in your photo? Sure looks like it. Was considering it but maybe not after seeing that. Trying to get a sample but they have none now.

No, it is Zeal Alckemist Honed Quartz. It's their soapstone "look-alike". However, I have heard that 90% of these types of surfaces in quartz will do the same thing. Your best bet is to just get soapstone.

The Silestone one doesn't but it's mostly solid grey with some white veins and very blue grey. I liked that the background of the Nero was mottled and had tones of dark grey. It seems too porous though!

I know its been 5 years , im having the same issue on honed quartz dark countertop i see dark specs and smudges they will come off if i clean them but the countertop seems to quickly load up again . i didnt think that a sealer was needed on quartz but im wondering if it will help slow down or help the temp stains showing up wow had no idea of this issue . we thought quartz would be maintenance free

@HU-759956759 the problem is not the color, it's that you chose a honed finish. There are so many posts online about how problematic a honed finish is for Quartz. You could have chosen that same color but with a regular finish and then you'd not have those issues. Don't add sealer - it will make things worse since Quartz is not supposed to have sealer, and the sealer will just sit on top, and cause a haze.

I'll link a thread that goes from 2014 to the present, with 158 comments, but there are many others like that.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2688152/honed-quartz-help#n=158

Thanks

we were too busy researching and deciding between quartz or granite but never worried about the problems that finishes can cause as long as they clean up , it will just take getting used to cleaning them daily . If they didnt come off , we would be in a world of trouble

HU:

Try some Tenax Quartz Toner please.

Sure. Thank you