How to clean teak wood outdoor furniture and maintain their color as well as quality at the same time? This article will show you how to do it step-by-step!
Teak wood is beautiful and can give your outdoor space a warm touch thanks to its honey-gold color.
However, you should follow certain rules and steps to clean the furniture and maintain its quality at the same time.
So, how to clean teak wood outdoor furniture?
During this article, we will show you how to clean teak wood patio furniture and treat it. Stay tuned for the information.
How to clean teak wood outdoor furniture and Patio Furniture
Teak wood is normally high-quality and mold-resistant in many cases.
However, if you do not clean it often enough, rot and mold can still form on its surface.
The cleaning steps below will help you to clean off all the mold and some other dirts.
Tools and Products You Need to Clean Teak Wood
For cleaner, you can use specific teak cleaner products or make your own homemade cleaner.
In case you like to use the ingredients available in your house, you can mix around ½ cup of dishwasher and one cup of bleach to one gallon of water.
It will be ideal for combining them in a big bucket to make it easier to use later on.
For cleaning tools, prepare a soft brush to clean the dirt off or some sandpaper.
Please do not use a metal brush on your teak wood because it is too hard for the wood and might damage its surface.
Step 1: Rinse Your Teak Wood Furniture
As we are going to clean outdoor teak furniture, you might not need to worry so much about making the whole space wet.
However, we recommend you spend some time keeping other objects away to prevent them from getting wet.
Now, wash the wood with water first. You can use a hosepipe to clean it or pour water into it. This process is to clean away the easy and new stains from the surfaces of the wood.
You can clean the surface with a cloth or a brush if you want not to use too much power in this process.
Step 2: Clean the Wood with the Cleaning Mixture
In this step, we will use the cleaning mixture we prepare early on to eliminate harder stains and dirt out of the teak wood.
Apply the cleaning mixture on the wood, then use the soft brush to clean all the mold and dirt out. You can do it more harshly in the areas that have more rot and dirt.
Step 3: Wait for Around 15 to 20 Minutes
After you brush the wood, leave the detergent there for around 15 minutes to 20 minutes before washing it again.
Step 4: Wash It Again with Water and Dry It
Now, use your hosepipe to wash all the detergent from your teak wood furniture, then use a dry clean, dry cloth to dry it.
How to Treat Teak Wood Outdoor Furniture – The Oiling Technique
Teak wood is durable, but you should treat it frequently to maintain its quality and color.
Here is the process of oiling your teak wood outdoor furniture after you are done with cleaning it.
Oiling is one of the best methods for teak wood. To do it, you need to prepare teak oil, sandpaper, and a clean cloth.
Step 1: Sanding
If your teak wood has prior treatments, you need to sand it first before oiling it.
Step 2: Oiling Your Teak Wood
Now, you can use a brush to apply a layer of teak oil on the surface of your furniture. Ensure you apply oil on the whole surface of the teak wood.
Step 3: Cleaning the Oil and Let It Dry
Use a clean cloth to wipe out the excess teak oil from the surface, then let it dry totally. In this step, you might need to wait for a few hours.
Step 4: Adding More Oil Layers
After the oil is absorbed in the wood, add more oil layers, and repeat all of the previous steps until the oil can no longer go into the wood anymore.
How Often Do We Need to Clean Teak Wood Patio Furniture?
If your teak wood is not so dirty and you are not interested in keeping the honey gold color, you can clean your teak wood patio furniture only once a week.
When the teak wood is not cleaned and treated so often, its color will turn to a silver-gray tone. While many people love this tone, others do not.
In case you want to keep the wood’s natural honey-gold color, make sure you treat it with oil once every two or three months with teak oil.
We know this process might sound a little time-consuming to do so often, but that is what you need to do to maintain its color.
You should keep in mind if you want your teak furniture to have honey color to keep it away from strong and direct sunlight.
This might not be so easy as the furniture is left outside, but you can put them under a big tree’s shade or in a shady garden, for example.
Final Opinion
Teak wood can give you a cozy feeling of the golden color or the natural feel of light gray color, but just like any other wooden furniture, it needs to be cleaned in certain ways to keep the best quality and color.
During this article, we have shown you how to clean teak wood outdoor furniture with a step-by-step guide and inform you about the methods of maintaining your patio furniture.
By following these steps and rules, you will be successful in keeping your teak wood clean and beautiful.
