Quartzite countertops yellowing is one of the most encountered issues that you could experience if you’re using quartzite for your kitchen countertop. The causes of quartzite getting yellow are various, It could be a misuse of your quartzite countertop, or It can be simply the nature of the quartzite and it’s mineralogical composition that you didn’t pay attention to in the first place.
In this article, we’ll go through different answers and tips, to prevent your quartzite countertop from yellowing, and maintain it in it’s shape and shiny as the first time.
Check this article about quartzite countertops cleaning and how to keep them shiny
Does Quartzite Turn Yellow?
Yes! quartzite can get yellow, and the reasons are many. Actually, a lot of light-colored stones and materials used on countertops can get yellow, and quartzite is not an exception. The discoloration can be a surface discoloration as it can be an internal discoloration.
The quartzite surface discoloration happens when something is spilled on your quartzite countertops, and not get cleaned right away. So what happens is that the liquid get evaporated and the residue remain behind and sometimes it’s very difficult to clean.
The internal discoloration happens because of the nature of quartzite. Quartzite as a rock, contains pores between the minerals that forms it. These pores can absorb different liquids and solutions which can cause a reaction with the minerals inside your quartzite, causing you quartzite countertop yellowing.
What Causes Quartzite To Discolor?
As mentioned above, the yellowing can be a surface yellowing or an internal yellowing. And each one has it’s causes.
The quartzite yellowing can be caused in the first place by neglecting spilled liquids and solutions on the surface of your quartzite countertop. After evaporation, these liquids leaves a residue that can be very hard sometimes to clean. So you need to apply a regular cleaning, and avoid leaving spills for long time as you may regret it.
Top 5 Best Quartz Countertops Cleaners
Quartzite yellowing can be caused as will by putting very hot items directly on your countertop. The very high temperature can cause changes and reactions on the different minerals in your quartzite. Some minerals are very sensitive to high temperature, and might change its color because of that, which will leave you with a yellow spot on you quartzite countertop.
Another cause of quartzite countertop yellowing is the porous character of quartzite and all natural stones. Inside your quartzite, there is a huge network of pores. These pores can infiltrate any kind of liquids, these latter can react with the different minerals inside the quartzite causing a change in color of your countertop.
The resins used during the manufacturing of your quartzite countertop can get yellow over time as well. This is due to the reaction with salts that can be in the air. So the carelessness can cause the yellowing of your quartzite countertop over time.
Finally, the mineralogical composition of your quartzite countertop plays a very important role in the sensitivity and the yellowing of it. Technically speaking, quartzite is a metamorphic rock made by the transformation of sandstone under high temperature and pressure. The main component of quartzite rock is a mineral called quartz, but it is the main not the only! Quartz is a very hard and stain-proof mineral, but the other minerals that can be found in your quartzite such as Mica and Feldspar are very sensitive to acid and moisture. The main reaction of these side-minerals is changing color, so you can imagine if your quartzite is 100% quartz, would be discolored ?
How Do I Get The Yellow Off My Quartzite Countertop?
The first thing that can help preventing the yellowing of your quartzite countertop is quick clean up. The quick and periodic cleaning will prevent spills from leaving residues and will keep you quartzite countertop clean and shiny with non yellowing.
Maintain the application of an impregnating sealer, and always clean your quartzite countertop with a pH neutral cleaner regularly, to maintain the functionality of the sealer.
How to know if my quartzite countertop is properly sealed ?
Avoid putting very hot pots and items directly on your quartzite countertop. The high temperature will influence the resins and also some sensitive minerals in your quartzite causing it to yellowing.
Make sure that the quartzite that you’re using is dominated by quartz, with no other minerals that can be very sensitive to liquids.
Conclusion
Quartzite countertops yellowing can have different causes, but it can be easily avoided by regular care and cleaning. Although, quartzite is a very functional stone as a countertop, considering that all natural rocks such as granite and marble will suffer from the same problem which is yellowing.
On The other hand, if you want to deal only with surface yellowing, an engineered quartz countertop should be the choice that suits you. Quartz countertops don’t contain pores (or at least very few). So you will be dealing only with spills that needs to be cleaned right away.
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