Quartz countertops can smell for a variety of reasons, such as the materials under the surface being heated, using dirty cloths to clean, or low-quality materials. Quartz itself is odourless, but other factors can mean your quartz countertop smells.
We go into the reasons and the fixes below.
Quartz countertops are made of a mixture of quartz, which is a natural stone, resin, and binders. The quartz itself does not have an odour to it. The resin and binders and other minute materials included in the production process of quartz countertops are heat-treated and should not emit any smells.
So, now we know why counters should not smell, it’s time to talk about how then it may be the case in some cases why your quartz countertop smells.
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The smell may be caused by a cleaner or cleaning cloth.
A common culprit for quartz countertops that smell is because of a cleaning agent or old cleaning cloths. Reusing old cleaning cloths to clean your quartz countertops can cause smells from grime, dirt, and bacteria to accumulate, spreading it over the surface.
A common cause of quartz countertops that smell is, ironically, due to cleaning. More specifically, using a cleaner that may not be designed for quartz or may be too harsh or using old cleaning cloths that have not been washed.
If you’re cleaning your kitchen countertops regularly and using the same clothes, make sure they’re washed regularly. Dirt and grime and bacteria will sit on the surface of the cloths which can cause bad odours and you may be wiping them back onto your quartz slabs.
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The smell may be caused by heat.
Quartz is heatproof, but the resin and binders manufacturers use to build quartz countertops are not resistant to heat. Hot items such as frying pans and saucepans and oven gloves that get left on quartz countertops can, over time, heat up and damage these materials, causing smells.
While quartz is in itself heatproof, the resin and binders manufacturers use to build quartz worktops are not. If you’re using quartz countertops in the kitchen, it may be the smell is caused by the surface being heated and these materials being heated. As a consequence, they may emit a smell.
This is particularly true if the smell is sulphur-like. Be mindful of what you’re playing on the surface. It may be a hot frying pan or a hot oven glove you quickly throw on the worktop that is causing the materials to heat up and cause the smell.
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It might be because of low-quality or fake materials.
In some rare circumstances, the smells may be coming from quartz countertops made of low-quality materials or fake materials. Quartz is naturally odour free, but other agents used in manufacturing aren’t. Low quality or fake quartz countertops have low percentage quartz or none at all.
Unfortunately, it’s sometimes the case that smells from quartz counters come from low-quality or fake materials. It may be that the percentage of quartz, which is naturally odourless, is particularly low, which means more of the materials that can smell. It may also be, in rare cases, the countertops are fake.
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Try cleaning the surface with an acetone or alcohol wash.
You can try an acetone or alcohol wash to erase stubborn smells from your quartz countertops. An acetone wash can be used on a towel and scrubbed onto the surface and a rubbing alcohol mix can be wiped on the surface to kill odours. These are strong and effective and safe cleaning methods.
You can try to erase the smells from your counters by trying an acetone or alcohol wash to clean the surface and kill odours. To use an acetone wash, splash some on a paper towel and scrub your countertops. Be careful, as acetone is flammable.
To use an alcohol wash, simply make a mix of 90% rubbing alcohol and 10% water in a spray bottle and spritz the countertops, wiping down gently with a damp cloth.
If the smells persist, you may be able to send back the quartz countertops.
If the smells persist, check your manufacturers’ warranty, because you may be able to send it back. Most quality quartz countertops come with a very long warranty. If applicable, you can send it back and get a replacement.
If after trying what we have recommended the smell persists, you should check your manufacturers’ warranty to see if you can send back the quartz. Quartz counters often come with a very long warranty, some even being a lifetime. If it is included in the warranty, you should be able to return the quartz countertop and or have it replaced.
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