Teak furniture is so popular worldwide for many reasons: not only is it a beautiful way to bring an earthy nature to the home, but it’s also incredibly durable, resistant to rot and, compared to most wood furniture, is effortless to maintain. That being said, teak requires some care to keep it looking its best. Whether you’re caring for teak furniture indoors or out, here is the definitive way to properly maintain and care for your teak furniture.
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The Right Way to Maintain and Clean Teak
Teak furniture is exceptionally low-maintenance and requires very little when it comes to cleaning and maintenance. In fact, teak doesn’t need any type of oil or varnish —there are plenty of companies touting miracle oils and treatments but oiling the wood can actually degrade its resistance to water, create more maintenance issues in the long term and cause mildew growth! This is because when commercial oils evaporate, it takes the wood's natural oils along with it.
To clean your teak furniture, you simply need warm soapy water and a soft brush or sponge, followed by drying off any excess moisture with a dry cloth immediately afterwards; avoid harsh detergents or abrasive scrubbing pads at all costs as these can damage the wood. If you find a build-up of grime, like bird droppings or spider webs, on your outdoor teak bench, you can hose down the surface using moderate water pressure. A deep clean like this can be done once every three months, which you can increase should you see fit.
As we talk about the maintenance, it’s important to note that teak will naturally age over time; the wood will take on a stunning silvery-grey patina. It’s worth mentioning that this doesn’t affect the durability of the wood in any way. Watching it age over time is one of the many joys of owning teakwood furniture, and lends itself to the practice of wabi-sabi. While we do not advocate this, as it can easily lead to damage, if you wish to restore teak to its original colour, you could use exceedingly light sandpaper on the surface of the wood to do so. Just be sure not to remove too much of the surface.
Other than that, teakwood furniture can be left to its own devices. It doesn’t require special storage in the winter months or any special oils; with just some mild soap and a soft cloth, your exquisite teak furniture will last you many years into the future!