How to Clean Your Teak Furniture: Step-by-Step Guide
Teak furniture is prized for its durability and the beautiful silver-gray patina it develops over time. To keep it looking its best, regular cleaning is essential. Knowing how to clean teak furniture properly helps prevent dirt buildup, mould, and weathering. Follow our guide below to get the most out of this wonderful material.
How to Clean Teak Furniture
Below, we recommend several steps to restore your teak furniture, but some may wish to retain the patina. In that case, avoid any harsh chemicals and skip the step below that discusses removing the patina. Ultimately, it depends on whether your aesthetic calls for a deep brown hue or neutral silver.
- To start, grab a bucket about 1.5 gallons or larger and fill it with. Then add:
- 2/3 cup of any household detergent
- ¼ cup of bleach
- 1 gallon of warm water
- Rinse the furniture with fresh water from the hose or kitchen sink.
- Use a soft-bristled brush and scrub the wet wood with the cleaning mixture in the direction of the wood grain. This will remove all the dust, pollen and water stains to keep the surface rich and colourful.
- Rinse the surfaces again so the cleaner is completely removed, and allow the teak furniture to air dry.
- If you’ve left your cleaning a bit long and some stains have become more engrained, we recommend using some Kingsley-Bate Teak Cleaner (you can pick it up at our storefront or order online). To remove any silver-grey patina that appears and restore your furniture to a golden brown colour, there’s no better product on the market.
Distinguished With Age
Once your teak furniture has been allowed to age, we recommend cleaning it once a year, in the spring, to remove any accumulating dirt. Never use a pressure washer, as it could force water into the wood grain, cause the wood to expand beyond its natural limits and ruin your furniture.
Regular Care For Teak
Teak is naturally resistant to the elements, and requires only a little care to stay beautiful. When left outdoors untreated, natural teak will gradually weather to an elegant silver-grey. New teak furniture appears polished because the natural oils in the wood seep to the surface following the manufacturing process. Then oils then evaporate under the sun and wash away with the rain.
Natural imperfections, one of the reasons many buyers choose wood over forged materials, emerge over time to enhance the beauty and uniqueness of each piece. In humid or wet climates, or after rains, the wood may naturally expand and contract, causing the grain to rise. Small cracks can also develop periodically in the wood.
You might notice water spots or other discolourations during the weathering process.  Don’t worry – it’s natural and the spots will disappear over time, and these natural imperfections will not affect the strength or the life expectancy of your furniture.
Teak oil is strictly a cosmetic product, and doesn’t extend the life of your furniture in any way. If you like the look of oiled teak, it’s a great product. If you like the natural look of weathered teak, leave the oil on the shelf.
How to Store Teak Furniture
The short answer is: Don’t!
Teak can stand up to the winter cold and pounding snow. As long as you watch for heavy show loads accumulating and knock them off, your teak furniture will enjoy its winter days.
However, if you prefer to let it age entirely under the summer sun, you should store it in an unheated shed or garage. Moving indoors to a heated environment may cause breakage, and wrapping it in any sort of unbreathable materials (plastic packing wrap or tarps for example) will cause mold and mildew to form.
First Use: Setting Up Your New Teak Furniture
As with most things, a good cleaning before your first use is recommended. You won’t need anything more than a damp cloth to remove any dust still lingering from the manufacturing process.
Make sure every screw you can see is properly tightened. Place your teak furniture somewhere you can see it from the house, and marvel at your stunning new outdoor furniture.
Oakville Home Leisure Has the Teak Products You Need
Visit our showroom today and see your stunning new teak furniture for the first time.
OUTDOOR LIVING REDEFINED.