Before you try anything: always speak to a professional before cleaning, treating or applying any product to your stone. Every slab is different, and the wrong product can cause permanent damage. Contact us or a qualified stone restorer first.
Quick answer
Quartzite does not etch from kitchen acids the way marble does. True quartzite is fused quartz and does not react with kitchen acids. Stones sold as quartzite that are really dolomite or marble, like many "soft quartzites", do etch. So a dull or cloudy mark usually has another cause: worn factory resin or sealer, mineral deposits, calcite within the stone, or a slab that is not really what it was sold as.
First, check what you are dealing with
- Dull mark that wipes away with warm soapy water: residue.
- White crust you can feel: hard-water deposit. See the hard water guide.
- Dull mark after lemon juice that does not wipe away: the stone may contain calcite or be a dolomite. Try the lemon test on an offcut.
What you need
- Warm water and dish liquid
- Microfibre cloth
- Lemon (for testing an offcut)
Step by step
Clean the area
Wash with warm soapy water and dry. Residue often looks exactly like a dull etch.
Check for deposits
Run a fingernail over the mark. A crust means minerals; see the hard water guide.
Do the lemon test
On an offcut or hidden spot, leave a few drops of lemon juice for five minutes, wipe and look at an angle. A dull mark means your stone contains calcite and can etch.
Get it assessed
A stone restorer can re-polish quartzite and draw out stains, though its hardness makes polishing slower work.
What not to use on quartzite
- Scourers, steel wool and abrasive creams on a polished surface.
- Mixing cleaning chemicals, especially bleach with anything else.
When to call a professional
A stone restorer can re-polish quartzite and draw out stains, though its hardness makes polishing slower work.
Understanding etch marks on quartzite
True quartzite is fused quartz and does not react with kitchen acids. Stones sold as quartzite that are really dolomite or marble, like many "soft quartzites", do etch.
Quartzite problems usually show as darker, stained patches in porous zones or dull spots where the factory resin treatment has worn.
A stone restorer can re-polish quartzite and draw out stains, though its hardness makes polishing slower work.
Good to know
A dull mark on "quartzite" after lemon or vinegar is the classic sign that the stone is actually dolomite or marble. Super White is the best-known example.
Stop it happening again
Whether yours is Taj Mahal, White Macaubas and Cristallo, repairing it fixes today's mark; protecting it stops the next one. Our clear Stone Protection Film sits over the surface, so liquids cannot soak in. Choose Gloss for polished quartzite or Matte/Satin for honed and matte finishes. The protection is identical. It is installed across Sydney with a 10-year written warranty.
How we protect quartzite · Fixing etch marks · Etch marks on every surface