How To Clean And Care For Teak Furniture

Out of the many hardwoods, teak has always been a top choice of material for outdoor furniture. Prized not only for its yellow-gold color that goes well with any design, but it's also for its known durability. Teak has a naturally high oil content that makes it resistant to termites and pests as well as rot due to moisture. It's the same qualities that have made it the material used for boat building dating back to 2,000 years, which is proof of its durability.

If you're new to using teak furniture, here are some things to know about this durable wood and how to clean and care for it should you decide to buy teak outdoor furniture.

Teak Isn't Cheap

The qualities of teak that make it costs are the same qualities that hike up the price of this beautiful wood. Aside from being durable, teak furniture is a timeless piece that can endure several years of usage. It's such a classic addition to a home that it's often passed down for generations. This is one hand-me-down that only gets better with age.

Old-growth Teak Are Diminishing

The high demand for teak has caused deforestation in many parts of South and Southeast Asia, so most teak furniture manufacturers have resulted in getting their timber from teak plantations. Teak's popularity has led to growth in sustainable farms. Although there is a belief that wood from older teak trees is better in terms of quality, plantation-grown teak is just as best.

To ensure that you are purchasing a sustainable teak wood furniture or other environmentally-friendly furniture, look for an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Certification. This certification ensures that the furniture you bought follows a set of guidelines that ensure forests are responsibly managed, and indigenous people who benefit from these sources, are respected.

Finishes

Teak comes in three types of finishes: natural, sealed, and pre-weathered. Natural is the most common finish of teak that highlights is buttery gold characteristic. Sealed is a kind of teak finish where sealants or linseed oil is used to treat the wood to prevent weathering.

Pre-weathered is what natural teak turns to overtime that transforms its natural color into a silvery gray. One advantage of buying pre-weathered teak is that you don't have to change fabric and accents to match the teak's changing colors.

Caring For Teak Furniture

Preserving color. Teak oil, or popularly known as linseed oil, is often used to make its yellow-gold color last longer. Most teak furniture manufacturers do not recommend this because teak is very well known for producing large amounts of its natural oil.

While this adds a beautiful sheen and glow, it does not last long and needs to be reapplied often to prevent the wood from turning gray. The oil also tends to encourage the production of fungus as the solvents in it tend to break down the teak's natural oils that are responsible for protecting the wood from mold, mildew, and pests.

Teak sealer is better and preferred if you want to slow down the graying process and protect it from mildew. Choose an oil-based sealer over a water-based one to replenish the wood's natural oils. Clean your teak furniture before applying the sealer and apply the sealer with a sponge or a pressure sprayer.

Let it dry and apply a second coat and let it dry again before using it. Contrary to oil that needs to be applied often, a teak sealer only needs to be done once or twice a year.

Cleaning teak furniture. Teak furniture doesn't need a thorough cleaning and only requires a simple cloth for wiping dirt. Clean your furniture on a warm day so that it dries up quickly. You can opt for a specialized teak cleaner or soapy water with a mild soap that can also make a good substitute.

Use either a sponge or soft brush and gently clean along the grains. Never use a pressure cleaner and only use a hose to wash off the soap from the furniture. Pat dry with a towel or rag and let it air dry.

Removing stains. There are two types of water stains: surface and deep stains. Surface stains are lighter and are just dried moisture. Laying a towel on the surface and gently ironing the towel can remove the stain on your outdoor chair or swing benches.

Similarly, you can also use a dryer in a low heat setting to remove the moisture at the surface of the teak. Some even suggest rubbing it with salt and rinse with lemon juice or vinegar and wiping it clean after leaving the solution on the watermark for a minute or two.

Other manufacturers will recommend using an oxalic-acid cleaner for dark stains. This is a household chemical cleaner. Dilute it with water (use either a ceramic or glass bowl as metal containers will be discolored by the cleaner) to form a thick paste.

Use a disposable paintbrush and apply it to the stain and allow it to dry. You'll notice the stain getting lighter as the solution dries. You may need to repeat a few more times until the stain disappears.

For really severe stains, you may need to sand the surface gently with a fine to medium sandpaper. This may require polishing and sealing after sanding. Always ask your local manufacturer on what easy to find cleaning solutions they can recommend to maintain their teak furniture.

Other Tips

Cover it with weatherproof furniture covers if you plan on leaving it outside during summer or winter.

Although it's water-resistant, try not to use teak furniture around or near your pool. This may cause some severe water stains that are difficult to remove.

Ask your manufacturer what other ways you can protect your teak furniture. Consider investing in products that are customized for maintaining teak furniture.

The high price of teak furniture should be enough to consider it as an investment. Make it go further and let it age and weather gracefully by doing the proper steps in taking care of it so that you can also pass it down to your kids and grandkids.