That’s a question on every quartz countertops owner’s lips.
Are you scared that your quartz countertop, the one you recently replaced, may not be heat resistant?
Or you just parked into a new home, and your new kitchen is designed with quartz countertops.
And now you would like to know if they are heat resistant or not.
It is absolutely normal to want to check for things like this because, the kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in your home and, you may have exposed the countertop to heat which brings you great concern.
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Why choose a heat-resistant quartz countertop?
When you get a heat/fire-resistant countertop, it becomes more resistant to fire and even limits the chances of starting a fire on your countertop in the kitchen.
Also, the heat-resistant countertops do not get damaged easily. A normal quartz countertop may crack or wear out as time goes on. This may be due to the fact that it isn’t heat resistant.
Meanwhile, these kinds of countertops are durable and do not cost much maintenance.
How do you notice that your countertop is burnt?
When you notice a slight coloration, like a dull brown or dull yellow mark on the surface of the countertop, that means your quartz countertop is burnt.
You may have noticed this on your countertop many times but when you notice this, ensure that the countertop is occasionally prevented from heat.
Or you change the countertop entirely so you can have a new one.
Are the quartz countertops heat-resistant?
Research has found that quartz countertops are heat resistant, but the materials they are made of do not encourage much heat.
That is why it can be damaged due to exposure to too much heat.
The countertop is made of 90% of quartz, while the rest of the material has do with resin and pigments.
And resin cannot withstand a huge amount of heat. Therefore, placing hot materials directly on the countertop can cause damage to the countertop.
If you have been placing hot objects directly on your quartz countertop, you will notice that there will be an unusual yellowish or dull brown mark on the countertop.
This means that the resin present in the quartz countertop is burnt.
This heat will cause discoloration to be permanent on the quartz countertop. There will be nothing you can do to get it repaired except if you change it to a new one.
Since you can’t do without placing hot objects on your countertop, kindly get a trivet or preferably a hot pad to carry the hot objects.
Read: How To Polish Quartz Countertops And Bring Out Their Beauty
How to prevent quartz countertops from burning
Get a hot pad to avoid any kind of burns on your countertop. You can have your hot pads or trivets right on the countertop just beside your stove so that whenever you need to place any heated object, you won’t forget to place it on the hot pad.
When you notice greasy stains and spills, including tea, water, coffee, wine, and soda spills, clean them quickly because some of these substances can be acidic to the countertop and, in a way, cause the resin to get burnt which will, in turn, cause a coloration on the countertop over time.
So don’t wait for these spills to become dry before you clean them off.
Also, do not think that your tea or coffee mugs cannot also burn your countertop. Use the hot pads for them or if there is a better option, kindly revert to this.
How to clean your quartz countertop
First, you must know the kind of countertop you are using because it will determine the type of countertop cleaner that you should use.
Your quartz countertop can be quite selective when it comes to cleaning. But to be on the safe side, you should use a cleaning agent that is friendly with the quartz countertop.
You can decide to make use of mild liquid soap and warm water. Mix them to form a soapy mixture, then get a soft sponge or foam to clean the surface with it.
After cleaning, get a soft, damp cloth and wipe the countertop with it thoroughly.
Can you place heavy objects on your quartz countertop?
It depends, but it is better to be on the safe side by refusing to place heavy objects on the countertop.
Objects like your rice cooker can be placed on your countertop but with a trivet or hot pad beneath it. The Rice cooker isn’t too heavy, but your microwave can be pretty heavy and unfit for your countertop.
But blenders and other light appliances can be placed on the countertop.
So always check what appliance you can place on the countertop or not to avoid any kind of damage that you may encounter on your quartz countertop.
Read: Best Way To Clean Quartz Countertops
Things you must avoid doing if you want a durable quartz countertop
First, do not use harsh chemicals such as alkaline-based products, degreasers, or even acid cleaners.
Simple mild soap and water will do. This is because even if your heated objects are not placed on the countertop, things like this will damage the countertop instead.
Furthermore, check the kind of scouring pad and brush you use for the surface.
In fact, do away with an abrasive scrubbing brush.
Use more soft cloth or soft sponge instead. This is because your countertop is delicate, and using a brush might have a negative effect on the resin in the quartz.
Also, never use your quartz countertop as a cutting board or as a sitting stool. All these have a negative impact on the quartz and can damage it even faster than the hot objects placed on it.
In conclusion, quartz countertop is heat resistant, but they need to be protected to avoid them getting burnt.
So extra caution has to be applied so that the countertop is prevented from getting exposed to heat such that it will now lead to it getting burnt.