Cleaning Teak Furniture
Cleaning teak furniture is a breeze when you use natural cleaners. There are commercial teak cleaners and protectors on the market, but they can be expensive and hazardous to the environment and your family. Commercial teak cleaners have been known to cause severe skin irritation, headaches, and dizziness. Fortunately, teak is almost as low-maintenance as it is beautiful, and the toxic chemicals aren’t necessary.
All you need to start cleaning teak furniture naturally is water, a mild soap, a few old rags, and some linseed oil. There a few things you should know before you begin cleaning, however. Teak that is left to its own devices will, in time, acquire a silvery finish. This does not affect the durability of the wood, but if you want to avoid the weathering process your maintenance plan will be slightly different. If you don’t mind your furniture eventually losing its original color, your job is even easier.
When a good cleaning is in order, simply apply a mixture of water and a mild soap to the wood, and lightly scrub with a clean rag. Castile soap would work well in this case, and exact measurements aren’t necessary; just add a dash of soap to a small bucket of water before you start. After the wood has dried, use a clean cloth to gently rub a small amount of linseed oil over the entire piece. This need not be done every time you clean, only every now and then to keep the teak looking its best.
If you want your furniture to maintain its original honey-brown color, you’ll have to work a little harder. In order to avoid weathering, the wood should be treated with a linseed oil rub about once a month and sealed with a teak sealer each year. Most commercial teak sealers contain toxic solvents and are highly flammable, but there are a few natural, water-based sealers on the market. Teak sealer will prevent the wood from aging, even if it’s exposed to the elements year-round. The extra work is worth it for those who love teak’s natural color.
Well, that’s all you need to know for cleaning teak furniture and keeping it conditioned. Thank you for visiting and happy cleaning!