Tips for Cleaning and Restoring your Teak Furniture
Cleaning with a stiff bristle brush, warm soapy water & oxidizer before applying oil!
Wear protection when cleaning and oiling!
We understand some people may be busy, don’t have the time, or even desire to restore their beautiful teak pieces. That’s ok!
Harbor Teak provides Cleaning & Restoration services for your tedious tasks.
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STEP ONE: CLEAN!
And we do mean clean! This is the hardest part to do thoroughly because you have to put some real “elbow grease” into it.
1. Start off with a stiff bristle brush and a bucket of nice, warm soapy water. Try to use an “oxygenated” cleaner (like “OxyClean) but regular detergent or even dish soap will work if that is all you have.
2. Scrub hard! Get all the nooks and crannies!
3. Then, let it dry but do NOT let the piece sit in direct sunlight.
4. Apply a good quality Teak Oil. Check out Harbor Teak’s custom formulated Teak Oil specifically for this sort of work.
Harbor Teak Oil, Ideal for Teak and other Fine Hardwoods
$14.99 473mL
DIFFICULT JOBS
Teak is naturally resistant to rot, decay and insects but it is not immune. More difficult jobs require extra effort and a bit more “heavy artillery!”
The first step in that direction is to add bleach to the cleaning solution. In fact, if the piece is bad to start out, add the bleach into the mix to begin with. A popular cleaner that works well is TSP - “Trisodium Phosphate” but use extreme caution as it can be harmful to both health and the environment.
On the other hand, Oxalic acid is a natural substance found in spinach and other foods. It is an acid though so you must use gloves and eye protection. It is quite inexpensive and can be found at both local and online retailers.
In both cases, follow directions and wear protection. After initially cleaning and before drying, apply the Oxalic acid solution (or TSP if you decide to use that). I prefer to use a “bug sprayer” but you can apply with a brush also.
Let the solution sit for a while and then rinse really good and let air dry but leave out in direct sunlight!
SHOULD I EVER SAND?
Sanding should be a last resort unless there are deep gouges or cuts in the wood that will never come out with cleaning. In very difficult situations, after cleaning, it will become obvious that more needs to be done. Sand sparingly, trying as best you can to sand away as little of the wood as possible but still accomplishing your goal.
CLEANING AND RESTORING YOUR TEAK
Cleaning and restoring your Teak furniture is the most cost-effective way of renewing your precious pieces. There are many resources available to help you complete this project successfully including technology which powerfully brings you tutorials, videos and all sorts of information about the subject. Harbor Teak stands ready to assist you in any way we can.