Our Step-By-Step Guide to Cleaning Teak Furniture!
Here at the Garden Furniture Centre, we take great pride in supplying the best grade A teak furniture for all our customers to enjoy over many years! Recently, we took it upon ourselves to recondition our FSC Certified Malvern teak bench at yew tree farm which is 17 years old! By using our own teak cleaning products and a bit of TLC, this bench now looks just as good as it did 17 years ago. So, for this blog post we are going to take you through the stages of how we made our Malvern bench go from rags to riches in just a few easy steps!
The main question on everyone’s lips is what is the best way to treat teak outdoor furniture? Notably, it is thought that applying teak protector or oil whilst it is new will make your teak furniture shine and flourish for years to come, however this is not the case. The oil content in the teak wood is already extremely high so the products added will ruin the finish of the wood. So, for this reason, here is a breakdown of how to properly care and treat your teak furniture to make it last a lifetime!
Step 1: Jet Wash
To begin the cleaning process, it is best to get rid of any dirt and grime build up with a power jet wash which will get into all the tight and hard-to-reach places to prepare it for the next stage. As you can see, the colour of the bench has already started to transform into its original soft walnut brown hue that has been hidden for many years!
Step 2: Sanding
After the bench has dried from the jet washing, the next vital stage is to sand the wood down to restore the original colour of the wood. Here we have used a sanding machine to buff out the marks and dents on the larger areas to re-establish the delicate engraving on the top panel. Keep in mind that the sanding process is an extremely crucial part of restoring any teak furniture and must be completed with the upmost care. It is also important to follow the grain of the wood to ensure there are no additional markings made by the sandpaper or sand machine.
Step 3: Cleaner
After the sanding is complete, it is time to apply the teak cleaner to kill any mould or mildew bacteria that may have built up inside the teak over the years. It is imperative to clear off any excess sawdust that may have collected on the furniture with a damp cloth to ensure the surface is prepped and ready for the teak cleaner. You can apply our Golden Care Teak Cleaner to the bench with a dry sponge and lightly work the product into the wood to remove any excess dirt and oil. Fundamentally, the superior teak quality is very much evident in this bench as there is no appearance of rotting or splitting within the wood!
Step 4: Protector
The final stage in restoring your teak furniture is to carefully apply the teak protector which is available in either a blonde or honey brown shade to replenish the lost colour of the wood. For this restoration, we have chosen to apply our Golden Care Blonde Teak Protector with a soft bristle brush to further enhance the warm hue and detail of the grain. This ultimately seals the wood to create an extra layer of protection against water or mildew, as well as providing 100% protection against any sun damage! The difference with a water-based teak protector versus an oil is that the protector allows the wood to breath and keep its original colour whereas a teak oil will typically alter the colour of the wood into a darker brown or even orange tinge, as well as attracting moisture and mildew into the teak.
The Finished Product!
And there you have it! Our 17-year-old Malvern bench has been completely restored with just a few simple steps and some much needed love and attention! Make sure to tag us in your own teak furniture restorations so we can see your amazing transformations just like ours!
