Teak is well known as a very low maintenance wood, but it’s still important that cleaning teak furniture is done the right way. It’s no secret that teak wood is one of the best materials for the bathroom and outdoor furniture. The high quality of the wood, as well as its water resistance properties, make teak a perfect wood for shower benches and stools. However, there are still some steps that you can take to make it last even longer.
You should know that there are two approaches when it comes taking care of teak wood, depending on how you want it to look. If you want it to have that recognizable golden honey color, it will need some basic maintenance and care.
On the other hand, some people like the silver-gray patina that teak develops over time, so they leave it untreated.
Either way, cleaning teak furniture the right way will keep it healthy. That’s why I’m going to give you my best teak cleaning tips and lead you through the whole process.
What Do We Need?
The rule of thumb when cleaning teak furniture is to always start with the least aggressive solution and then move to the more serious ones. First, we will start with a couple of quick DIY solutions, going from the mildest to the strongest ones. Here is everything you are going to need:
- DIY Cleaning solution
- Mild water + soap
- 1 cup of chlorine bleach + 1 cup of laundry detergent + 1 gallon of warm water
- 1 cup of vinegar + 1 gallon of warm water
- Spray bottle, garden sprayer or hose
- A plastic bristle brush or scrubbing pad
- Rubber gloves and safety glasses
- Store-bought teak cleaner
How To Clean Teak Furniture
Before you start to clean, try to place you teak bench or stool in the shade. Mix your solution based on the condition of the teak wood and apply it, if possible, with a garden sprayer. Carefully spray the entire bench or stool and let it soak in the solution for 15 minutes at least.
Use a bristle brush or a scrubbing pad to scrub the solution into the wood. Make sure that you don’t let the teak bench dry and always scrub across the grain to avoid the risk of damaging your teak piece.
After scrubbing, rinse your teak furniture well while still brushing it to remove all the dirt. Leave the teak to dry for at least 24 hours before putting it to use or applying protective oils. However, if your teak bench is seriously stained with mold, you should try adding 2 teaspoons of trisodium phosphate to your DIY mixture and repeat the process. Finally, you can apply protective oils to keep your teak furniture look good as long as possible.
If your teak has been exposed to water and humidity for a significantly long time and left without maintenance, you’ll need to reach for store-bought solutions. There are special, readymade teak cleaners available on Amazon that will help you clean even the most stubborn stains.
Unlike DIY cleaners, you will apply store-bought cleaner to dry wood and then scrub. After that, you leave it for a couple of minutes, then scrub again and rinse with a hose. But it’s best to check the manufacturer’s instructions before using it.
By regularly clearing your teak bathroom furniture, you will prevent mold and mildew build-up and stop discoloration if you don’t want it. These tips and instructions are more than enough to learn you how to clean teak and keep it healthy and beautiful.
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