Pure white quartz work top - stains and marks?

[Stringervest]

The kitchen fitter has warned us off it. He says he'll happily fit it but that it marks easily (kettle cords mark it, for example), and although fairly easily cleaned can have a tendency to get scruffy. He says that flecked worktops are more practical, but we were keen on pure white. Does anyone have experience of this?

I'd listen to his good advice, personally!

My husband's a builder and has told clients what a pain in the arse stainless steel cupboard doors are.
Sometimes they listen and sometimes they don't.

But they are, unequivocally, a pain in the arse.

We've got white quartz worktops, they're now about 5 years old. No problem to keep clean, get a few marks that come off easily with a magic eraser.

If you spray and polish them with Mr Sheen or the worktop stuff from Lakeland that helps prevent marks too (well it does on Silestone). Any marks we do get I use Bar Keepers friend. The only problem is brownish water marks near the sink. Not too bad and fade with scrubbing but I suspect you need to be a more diligent housekeeper than I am to never get them!

We had white quartz worktops, they were totally fine, and we weren’t careful at all (think spilled red wine not cleared up until morning). Barkeepers friend sorts out all stains.

We inherited a pure white worktop in this house (lived here a year). I think I would have been too nervous to get one if I got a new kitchen but I love it and we get lots of compliments. We use a topps tiles stone cleaner if I’d get stained. The only marks we have are scratches rather than stains from a colander being dragged across it (thanks dh..) but they are fading over time. I think it’s fairly low maintenance and makes the kitchen feel v clean compared to previous counters!

These points of view are all really interesting. Your kitchen looks amazing, @CLB1234.

We want warm neutral cupboards so I feel that the contrast with a white worktop would be nice.

We chose wooden worktops for our kitchen in our last house and they looked great but oh my goodness, the maintenance was not worth it. I don't want to make a similar mistake.

We have white quartz worktops (Silestone), which we inherited from the previous owner.

I wouldn't have chosen them because I thought they would stain - but they don't. We have been here 7 years and the worktops are 9 years old and look good as new, no stains or scratches.

I am not particularly careful and don't do anything special to keep them clean, I usually just wipe them over with a damp e-cloth. I can't fault them, I'd have them in my next kitchen.

I love my quartz worktop. It’s light grey though, not white. No problems with spillage marks and, being quartz, it’s so hard wearing.

Had white quartz worktops fitted 6 years ago and they look brand new still. Stone fitters recommended CIF so that is what I used.

I had white quartz counter/island tops fitted in my new kitchen a year ago.. the kitchen fitter recommended using astonish with bleach spray to clean it.. which I do and it’s perfect

I have pure white countertops but they’re corian. Is that an option for you, or are you decided on quartz? All marks come off the corian with a spot of Barkeepers Friend and they look as good as they did when we had them fitted a few years ago,

This is reassuring to hear. I have told DH what you have said and he is very happy.

I will ask the kitchen fitter about this. He seemed so clear that he rarely fits it and when he does people generally regret it. He has offered to drop off a large sample for us to use in our kitchen so we can get an idea for it. That will be interesting to try out.

We've got Caesarstone Vivid White that we installed last year, and we are very happy with it. Any marks come off with a cream cleanser, and it really brightens the space. No regrets.

Hmm, mine are calacatta gold but have a lot of pure white space. They have only been in a few months. They do indeed mark very easily. It seems to be mainly dark grey/blue marks and they will appear if metal is placed on them. So for example car keys.

I would have a more patterned worktop if making the decision again

@User76745333 do the marks come off easily?

DH is obsessed with the kitchen looking pristine (he cleans it himself before anyone asks). I suppose he needs to decide whether he can be bothered with the upkeep.

I have a white kitchen island (in rented so no choice) and most marks come off easily.

A turmeric stain from a takeaway always scares me but comes out with a bit of mildew remover.

And it really does look lovely when it's clean and shiny.

Just don't. The house we bought has them, everything stains - turmeric is the worst. Counting the weeks until we replace the kitchen with more units too

@SeasonFinale

Had white quartz worktops fitted 6 years ago and they look brand new still. Stone fitters recommended CIF so that is what I used.

Our fitters also recommended Cif, but I daren”t use it! I use granite spray which works fine.

Ours is pure white and it gets a few marks on but they always fade. Certainly the kettle cord has no effect. Ours is white on white similar to the pp’s photo and I really love it

Mine don’t fade particularly easily. The light ones will come off with a lot of scrubbing with bar keepers friend and a magic eraser but the darker spots seem to stay

They’re only tiny but they annoy me. I’m quite particular about things though

Bar keepers friend will sort you out.
We also placed mats under certain items, eg the oils and vinegars. And spices are buggers- wouldn't suggest if you are a big curry fan.
After 4 years the draining board area is duller so I would get a metal draining board, but otherwise go for it.

We have white quartz and no issues so far.

The stonemason we got it from told us that staining tends to be more of an issue on the cheaper kinds as they contain more resin. If you get the Italian stuff it's better.

We got ours as off cuts from a larger corporate job they'd done. We'd never have been able to afford the posh Italian stuff otherwise.

We installed white quartz worktops last year and love them. No stains, super easy to wipe down and makes the kitchen feel bright and fresh.

I LOVE mine.
Turmeric and red wine can mark it but comes out easily with cream cleaner. When I'm dishing up a takeaway curry I'll put a chopping board out first, and wipe up red wine immediately. But they used to stain my wooden tops anyway.

You can buy a sealant polish to use with it too. Your builder should apply some when he finishes the job (smells v strong!)

Quartz is very heavy and difficult to cut down - I'm wondering if he just cba ? I'd go to a proper stonemason instead.