How to Safely Remove Water Spots from Quartz Countertops
How to Remove Hard Water Spots from Quartz Countertops (2025–2026)
68 % of 2025 countertops are polished white quartz — and every single one gets water spots. Here’s the only safe, proven method that actually works without etching or dulling the finish.
What Water Spots Actually Are
Hard water spots = calcium + magnesium + soap scum baked onto the surface after water evaporates. They look identical to etch marks but are removable if you use the right technique.
Why pH-Neutral Cleaners Fail To Clean Water Spots
Every quartz manufacturer demands pH-neutral cleaners. That’s great for daily use — terrible for mineral deposits. Vinegar, CLR, Bar Keepers Friend, and lemon juice all etch the resin in under 30 seconds. You’ve been warned.
THE ONLY QUARTZ-SAFE REMOVAL METHOD (2025)
DO THIS — WORKS 100 % OF THE TIME
- Grade #0000 super-fine steel wool (nothing coarser) — light circular motion, 30–60 seconds per spot.
- New straight razor blade held at 30° angle for heavy crust — one slow pass only.
- Immediately wipe with Supreme Surface® Daily Stone Cleaner (pH-neutral + ioSeal® protectants) to restore shine.
NEVER DO THIS — PERMANENT DAMAGE
- Vinegar, lemon, CLR, Bar Keepers Friend → instant etch
- Scotch-Brite pads or #00 steel wool → micro-scratches
- Magic Eraser → removes sealer + polish
- Leave soap/water sitting → creates new spots + soap scum haze
Grade #0000 steel wool — the only abrasive safe for polished quartz
PREVENT WATER SPOTS FOREVER (ONE PRODUCT)
Use Supreme Surface® Granite Quartz & Marble Treatment with ioSeal® every 6 months. It fills the resin pores at the ionic level → water beads and wipes off clean → zero mineral adhesion.
1,000+ white quartz slabs protected since 2008. Zero warranty claims. Lasts 5–10 years.
Still See Spots After Cleaning?
If the mark stays after #0000 steel wool → it’s an etch, not a water spot. Etches require professional resurfacing — see our 3-step composite restoration guide (same process works on quartz).
2025–2026 Quartz Care Quick Links:
Tom Munro — 35-year stone veteran & founder of Supreme Surface®
7 comments
Hi Connie,
From the information you have given, we are unable to give a definite diagnosis for the issue. There is more information we would need to know, such as when the circled appeared, if you used the product before or after, which exact products you haves used on the sink, etc. It is possible that the circles could be a result from heat damage such as hot cups; however, the most common cause of this issue is damage from abrasive products (windex, CLR, oven cleaners, vinegar, lemon, etc.).
If the circles are a surface-stain or residue issue, follow our recommendations and try to remove them from the surface with grade #0000 ultra-fine steel wool. If this does not work, then the issue is due to heat damage, chemical etching, or something similar. Our product, the CTP Multi-Surface Treatment, is an excellent treatment for preventing and defending your quartz countertop from hard water stains and mineral deposits; however, it is not able to remove mineral deposits/hard water stains or reverse etching/heat damage.
New white quartz. Cloudy circles 4 as if hot cup was set there. Had to have men who installed. They will not take responsibility. Read all cleaning recommendations & use Weissman to clean. Any way to remove, return original shine? Your product?