There are a couple different ways one can go about cleaning teak furniture. I hope the following tips will help you understand the best ways to clean teak furniture.
The first method to clean teak is quite easy. However it does require a power sprayer. If you have access to a power sprayer, you’re in luck! Use less than 200 psi and spray away the dirt and grime to clean your teak furniture. Take some extra time to ensure that any dark spots are removed. If you find dark spots that you can’t remove with the power sprayer, then you may have to sand it down. You will want to use “60 grit” sand paper or higher to keep a smooth finish. Be sure to wait until the wood is dry before you sand it. You now have clean teak furniture! After it is dried and sanded your teak wood if a couple years old, should be very light in color. If you are interested restoring that beautiful golden color. Check out our other blog on refinishing teak furniture!
The second method requires a little more work to clean teak furniture. You will need a little more than a power washer, but it is all fairly affordable! Here is what you will need (all available at a local hardware store or The Home Depot):
Wood/Patio Cleaner and Water
1 nylon bristle hand brush
1 smaller nylon brush
1 bucket
1 pair of rubber gloves
You are now ready to clean teak furniture, here is how! First mix the cleaning solution and water according to the manufacturer directions. It is recommended you moisten the teak wood before you start scrubbing (use a hose or wet rag). Next, dip the brush in the mixed solution and start scrubbing! You don’t have to use much force to clean teak wood. Just be sure to always go with the grain of the wood. You should notice the dirt lifting immediately. After each piece, rinse the teak wood thoroughly. There are a lot of thin slats and hard to reach corners. Use the smaller brush to reach the difficult corners.
If you have dark spots that don’t seem to go away with scrubbing, simply sand the spots as mentioned above. Now that all your teak furniture is cleaned and rinsed let it dry. You will notice that the clean teak furniture will have a nice light wood color to it. If you wish to restore teak furniture to the original golden color, then visit our blog on refinishing teak furniture
Please note, some dark spots may not be removed no matter how much cleaning and sanding is done. Not to worry, its wood furniture and it ads to the characteristic of the wood! Covering your teak furniture during storms and in the winter can reduce the dirt and grime that builds on the furniture and may reduce the time between cleaning your teak. However covering your teak furniture is not necessary as the wood is very resistant to all types of weather (and it prevents you from enjoying the beauty!).
Here are some images of teak furniture before it was cleaned as well as clean teak furniture.
Before Cleaning Teak Furniture
After Cleaning Teak Furniture
