Vinegar should not be used on quartz unless it has been diluted with warm water beforehand at a ratio of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. Full-strength vinegar is very acidic and can discolor and disintegrate the stone if it’s applied directly to your quartz.
While you could use it on your quartz surfaces after diluting it, a better suggestion would be to purchase a commercial quartz cleaner such as this one (Amazon).
DIY cleaners (including vinegar) should only be used if absolutely necessary or in the absence of a commercial, quartz-safe cleaner.
Why Diluted Vinegar Is A Good Option If You’ve Run Out of Commercial Cleaner
Diluted vinegar, although not recommended when you have access to a commercial quartz cleaner, can certainly be used in a pinch if necessary. For a short term solution to your cleaning stains, vinegar is perfectly suitable for use on quartz.
It should not be used long-term or exclusively, though, as it can cause damage overtime or if it’s used incorrectly.
If it’s used properly, there are a number of reasons that using vinegar is a great option for cleaning quartz.
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Won’t Damage the Surface
When applied full strength, vinegar is potent enough to damage the surface of quartz counters. When applied after being diluted, however, it’s perfectly safe to use on just about any surface — including, of course, quartz.
This is because it’s an all-natural cleaner and doesn’t contain any additives or chemicals that could ruin the appearance or quality of the stone.
Works Great for Removing Food Stains
Vinegar is an excellent cleaner wherever food stains are concerned. Despite being gentle on surfaces, it’s tough on food stains. In fact, house cleaning professionals swear by vinegar for stuck-on food stains and buildup.
Diluted vinegar can be applied to a stain, the stain can be gently scrubbed at, and then the vinegar can be washed away. After this process, the stain should be efficiently eliminated and any buildup removed.
Helps Get Rid of Odors
Vinegar has long been used for odor removal. It’s commonly used for odor reduction in fabric, carpets, and upholstery but can also be effectively used for removing odors from hard surfaces such as flooring and countertops.
It can remove the smell of animal urine, grease, strong juices and liquids such as tea and coffee, and an endless number of other common kitchen odors.
Vinegar, when applied to an area with a stubborn odor, works to neutralize the scent that’s present, leaving the surface smelling clean and fresh.
This is because the compounds inside of vinegar actively search for molecules to bind to and unpleasant odors are just the things to do the trick.
The vinegar should be washed away thoroughly after application.
Helps Disinfect the Surface
Vinegar is a disinfectant that can destroy a host of viruses and bacteria. It can be used to sanitize and disinfect surfaces, prevent the growth of food-bourne bacteria, and bring pathogen levels down to a level that is undetectable using most standard pathogenic testing.
Of course, vinegar isn’t a fool-proof disinfectant solution and it should not be expected to rid your counter of 99.9% of bacteria. However, it’s still much more powerful than simply using soap and water.
Great at Removing Grease Stains
In addition to being an ideal solution for removing food stains, vinegar is also great for removing grease stains. The acetic acid in vinegar eats through grease, leaving affected areas grease-free and ready for standard cleaning.
Gets Rid of Sticky Surfaces
Since vinegar eats grease and lifts stains, it’s easy (and correct) to assume that it also does away with stickiness with ease. Using vinegar on a sticky countertop will make the area easier to clean, as the sticky residue will become easier to lift off and wipe away.
Environmentally Friendly
One of the biggest benefits of vinegar other than the fact that it’s effective is that it’s environmentally friendly. Because vinegar is a chemical-free solution, it doesn’t harm plants, animals, humans, or the earth when it’s flushed or dumped down the drain.
It’s a naturally-occurring liquid that’s made from fermented liquid that turns into alcohol, which is then exposed to oxygen and acetic acid bacteria.
In most cases, the worst vinegar will do is kill the flowers if you happen to dump your leftover vinegar and water mixture in the garden.
Affordability
Vinegar is cost-effective. It can be purchased in large jugs and doesn’t typically spoil or “go bad”. It comes available in larger container sizes than commercial cleaners do — and for a fraction of the cost.
When considering affordability, keep in mind that for the price that you pay for vinegar, you can get more than one or two functions out of it, as well.
You can use it to clean your quartz, to disinfect your clothes, to remove stains from your carpet, and for a number of other purposes without having to buy different cleaners for each function.
