Teak Cleaning and Care CARE & MAINTENANCE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT TEAK & CLEANING
What’s the best way to maintain the Oyster Teak Finish? • The teak oil finish on the Oyster Teak products forms a thin film coating that allows the wood to breathe, enabling the oil and the primer to seep into the wood pores. For regular maintenance, use a soft cloth with mild soap and water to wash the furniture. Never use a hard brush or pressure washer as it will wash away the teak oil and the primer. • Finished teak is recommended for use in covered outdoor settings. When the furniture is not in use, furniture covers will help prolong the finish. The factory-applied finish will begin to weather after about a season of use and won’t necessarily wear away in an even fashion. Once this starts to occur, the unfinished teak will be exposed and will weather naturally, acquiring the gray patina that’s a distinguishing feature of untreated teak wood. I have black spots on my teak furniture. Is it mold? • Over time all teak products will have black spots and checking (small cracks in the wood). These are not defects but are a natural part of the teak acclimating to its new environment. Teak wood will not mildew; however, mildew can grow on dirt and other foreign substances that are not removed from the wood. This occurs more commonly in warm, humid climates. It is recommended to follow standard teak cleaning procedures as soon as black spots form; otherwise, stains may form and become difficult to remove from the wood. • Periodic cleaning of the furniture surface will remove environmental deposits that could promote mildew growth. For light cleaning, wipe down the furniture using mild soap, warm water, and a soft cloth. Rinse with a hose, using gentle pressure to remove the soap. Allow to air dry. Applying Teak Shield has also been shown to impede mildew growth. Is it okay to sand teak furniture? If you have a rough area on a natural teak product and prefer smooth teak you can use a fine grit sandpaper or a piece of standard cardboard to sand the wood to a smooth touch. Do not use power sanding as the heating may cause dark marks on the wood. Also, do not sand pieces with an Oyster Teak finish as you will sand off the finish. How often do I need to clean my teak furniture? Teak ages over time and needs to be cleaned and treated twice a year at a minimum - spring and fall.
How do I clean teak? • Periodic cleaning will help maintain your teak furniture and keep it looking good for years. For general cleaning (recommended twice a year), hose down the furniture using gentle pressure (high pressure can erode the wood surface). Scrub the wet furniture using a soft bristle brush and a solution of ²/ 3 cup laundry detergent in 1 gallon of warm water. Rinse the entire piece with fresh water to remove any remaining cleaning solution. • For more intensive cleaning, Summer Classics has several products that are specially designed to make upkeep easy. Be sure to clean all teak products on a disposable plastic or thick fabric drop cloth. This will prevent you from staining or damaging the surface under the product being cleaned. Contact with the Teak Cleaner, Protector, or Shield may affect grass, plants, and some types of flooring or pavement. Is it safe to use your products on all teak furniture? Please refer to our how-to section for detailed directions before beginning. Teak Protector, for example, can give a yellowish undertone to finished teak. Teak Cleaner should be used on natural (unfinished) teak only. Only clean finished teak— including our Oyster Teak—with a soft cloth and mild soap and water. Harsh cleaners can remove the finish from the teak. How do I apply the cleaning products? For best results, follow the directions on the bottle. A few tips to remember: Do not use a spray bottle to apply Teak Cleaner, Protector, or Shield because you may over-apply to an area and create chipping and wood bubbling. Do not clean our teak products with a pressure washer, even on the lowest setting. This will remove the finish on the painted teak or damage the weathering patina on natural teak. Is there a recommended sequence for applying the cleaning and wood treatments? To clean Natural (unfinished) Teak pieces, begin with Teak Cleaner. (Do not use Teak Cleaner on Finished Teak! It will remove the finish.) To maintain the honey-brown color of Natural Teak, follow cleaning with Teak Protector. To help repel water and prevent stains, apply Teak Shield over Teak Protector. Do not apply Teak Protector over Teak Shield as Teak Shield will prevent Teak Protector from penetrating the wood.
For more detailed information and how-to videos on teak care visit SummerClassicsHome.com/Product-Care
208 TEAK CLEANING AND CARE
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