How to Clean & Maintain Silestone Worktops
How to clean Silestone countertops
Made of 90% Quartz, one of the toughest natural sheen materials, Silestone is easy to care for and difficult to damage. Despite knowing it’s literally tough as rock, many people are wary of using the wrong product on their new Silestone worktop. Below you’ll find what you need to know to keep your Silestone worktop in great shape for years – or decades – to come.
Regular cleaning of Silestone worktops
Silestone quartz worktops are easy to maintain with daily cleaning. For most day-to-day cleaning, all you have to do is wipe your counter down with a damp cloth. You can also use any pH balanced gentle household cleaner, such as dish soap or an all-purpose cleaner. Don’t use harsh or abrasive chemicals, such as bleach or oven cleaner, and make sure you avoid abrasive cleaning cloths and scourers, such as steel wool. These are likely to cause scratches or micro-pitting, causing dull patches on the worktop surface. This means that while your Silestone kitchen worktops will still be useable, it won’t be as attractive.
Removing Limescale from Silestone
Many people are cautious about using limescale removers on Silestone as they know that these can damage natural stones such as marble and limestone. Silestone is made from tougher stuff, and natural limestone removers such as vinegar work a treat.
Other spills and marks
Silestone does not absorb liquid, so it’s very hard to stain the stone. However, if a spill has been missed and allowed to dry on, you may be wondering how to remove it. The short answer is with gentle cleaning products and a non-abrasive no-scratch scouring pad. However, if that won’t cut it, the official Silestone cleaning guide can be found on the Consentino website and gives information on how to use more intensive cleaning solutions without damaging the stone.
Bringing back the shine
If your Silestone kitchen or bathroom worktop starts to look dull or matte rather than shiny and lustrous it’s easy to take action. The most common cause is a build-up of grease, wax or cleaning products. If you suspect that grease is the culprit, washing up liquid is an excellent choice to cut through food grease. Where a build-up of wax or other products used to clean the surface is suspected, it’s best to use a specialist spray that’s suitable for stone worktops. This will usually cut through the build-up and let the finished stone’s sheen shine through, making it look as good as new.
Repairing damage to Silestone worktops
Consentino offers a 25 year warranty on their Silestone products, so your first port of call, if you see any damage, should be either the company who made and installed your worktop or Consentino themselves. Silestone is incredibly tough and trying to repair the damage yourself can make the problem more obvious. Cracks are very rare, so if you spot one it’s essential to have the counter assessed to make sure that there aren’t any structural problems with the installation.
