Care & Maintenance

Note: Although Valentino Stone® Quartz Surfaces are extremely durable, there is no such thing as an invulnerable countertop. It is the customer’s responsibility to abide by the below Valentino Stone® care and maintenance guidelines. If these guidelines are not followed, warranty will be void.

To avoid possible damage, please pay special attention to the following:

Valentino Stone® surfaces require very little maintenance to keep them looking like new. Polished finishes are extremely non-porous. Honed and Leathered finish slabs will require more constant attention and care.

Daily Cleaning

1. Wipe the surface in small, circular motions with a soft microfiber cloth or sponge dipped in a mixture of gentle dish soap and warm water. Basic dish soap is perfect, but you may also instead use a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water.
2. We strongly recommend that the cloth you use for cleaning your quartz surface be used for this and only this purpose. If the cloth is used for cleaning other surfaces, it may transfer oils and other contaminants to the quartz surface. You may also use non-reusable paper towels to ensure no contamination.
3. Rinse the surface with warm water and dry with another clean cloth or paper towel.

Note: Honed and leathered surfaces require more cleaning than polished surfaces. Due to the reduced protective sheen, there is more exposed surface area on non-polished surfaces. This means that oils from fingerprints and other signs of daily living will show. Spot cleaning can be handled readily by non-abrasive cleaning products such as Vim Lemon Cream Cleaner.

Disinfecting

1. Lysol wipes, disinfectant spray, and rubbing alcohol 60% or greater can be used for disinfecting your Valentino Stone® surface.

Spot Cleaning for Stubborn Stains

1. Place a small amount of Vim Cream or Bar Keepers Friend Powder onto a warm, wet cloth.
2. Gently scrub the stain and surrounding area with circular motions.
3. Rinse with warm water to remove the residue of these more abrasive cleaners and dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.
4. Repeat this process until the stain is no longer visible.
5. For more stubborn stains, allow the cleaner to sit on the surface for no more than a minute. Do not allow the cleaning solution to dry onto the surface. This is for special spot cleaning only.
6. When scrubbing, press firmly but gently. Do not give into the temptation to scrape stains off the surface with equipment such as a scouring pad.

Dry Spills

1. Apply water to the dried spill area and let sit for several minutes.
2. Do not attempt to scrape dried spills off the surface with tools such as a scouring pad.
3. Once the dried spill has been sufficiently affected by the water, use the normal cleaning methods.

Rust and Metal Marks

1. Place a small amount of Bar Keepers Friend Powder on a damp and clean cloth.
2. Wipe with a gentle and circular motion.
3. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and dry with a soft cloth or paper towel.

Things to Avoid

1. No sealer of any kind should ever be applied to your quartz surface. These sealers are designed for natural stones. As quartz surfaces are non-porous, a seal will leave a film on the surface and make it harder and harder to clean.
2. Avoid cleaning products advertised to be for natural stone such as granite and marble. Natural stones are quite porous and these cleaners often contain oils that will not penetrate the quartz surface as readily. This will create a film that will make the surface harder to clean over time.
3. Do not use products that contain trichlorethane or methylene chloride, such as paint removers.
4. Avoid all contact with aggressive cleaning agents like oven cleaners that are basic and have high pH levels. Cleaning agents with a near neutral pH may be used instead. Should the surface be accidentally exposed to any of these damaging products, we recommend you rinse it immediately with water to neutralise the chemical reaction.
5. Valentino Stone® is heat resistant, however, like all quartz stone materials; Valentino Stone® can be damaged by sudden temperature changes. A good rule of thumb is that if your hand cannot tolerate the level of heat of an item for more than a few seconds, the object is too hot to be left on the stone surface without risk of damage. Therefore we recommend placing objects like hot baking trays onto a wooden chopping board or cork mat rather than allowing them to make contact with the surface. We recommend this same practice when using electrical cooking appliances such as slow cookers that may heat over time.
6. We also recommend cutting on an appropriate cutting board and never directly on the Valentino Stone® surface to avoid blunting kitchen knives or damaging the surface of your countertop. Although Valentino Stone® quartz is scratch resistant, always use a cutting board, especially for darker colours that are more likely to show scratch marks.
7. Do not use: oven grill cleaners, floor strippers, paint removers/strippers, toilet bowl cleaners, oil soaps, tarnish removers, furniture cleaners, drain products, battery acid, dishwasher detergent, undiluted bleach and highly alkaline cleaners, acids and highly acidic cleaners. Windex is an example of an extremely alkaline cleaner. Do not use these or similar cleaners.

Safety
Quartz countertops are produced in a controlled environment that meets the most stringent safety standards. Valentino Stone quartz is nonporous, non-toxic, requires no sealants or wax, does not host bacteria, mold, or milder and is safe and hygienic for use in commercial & residential settings.

Repairing a Minor Chip
While Valentino Stone Quartz Surfaces are extremely hard and chip resistant, should you ever chip your quartz surface, we recommend seeking professional assistance from your fabricator. However, for minor chips in your quartz surface, you may use the following approach if you feel comfortable attempting the repair yourself:

Method 1:

1. Ensure the surface is clean according to the above recommendations. You may
2. Place masking tape around the area surrounding the chip so that only the chip is visible. This will prevent any mess from the process.
3. If you have a light colored quartz surface, grab a clear white superglue. If the chip is on a flat surface, use a glue with an extremely thin consistency. If the chip is on a corner, use a glue with a thicker consistency. If you have a darker colored surface, we recommend grabbing a pigmented epoxy adhesive. If you want optimal results, try mixing a dye with the adhesive that matches the color of the area of the chip. Be sure that the pigment of the glue or adhesive you use matches that of the countertop, the reason is self explanatory.
4. Use a spatula or brush to apply thin coats of the adhesive to the chip. For pigmented epoxy adhesive, keep in mind that it will contract as it dries so you can use a little extra. Don’t worry about unevenness as you can just sand it off later.
5. Fill with thin coats until the surface of the adhesive is level with the surface.
6. Leave the filled chip surrounded by masking tape for at least 24 hours to dry and cure. Remember to not apply too much as this will increase curing time.
7. Use a razor blade to level the adhesive with the surface when it is completely dry.
8. Use sandpaper to smooth the affected area. For best results if using sand paper, choose a sandpaper with a grit between 360-600. This will even out and smooth the dried adhesive.
9. Clean any shaved adhesive and remove the masking tape.