Teak wood continuously receives the highest praise as outdoor furniture material. It contains high level of natural oil which makes it resistant to extreme environment. Even, when it is raining or scorching hot outside, teak garden furniture will still stand tall and proud. Being resistant to extreme weather does not mean that this wood will not get dirty at all. In fact, dirt and grimes will accumulate around its structure after certain period of time. Homeowner must conduct regular cleaning to ensure that their furniture is comfortable to use. Luckily, it is not quite as tedious process as one might think.
How to Maintain Teak Garden Furniture Correctly?
There are several items that homeowner will need to prepare in order to clean their teak Indonesia furniture. The tool necessary for cleaning will be a brush with soft brittle as it will not upset the wood surface. Cleaning liquid that you can use to do this job is mild laundry detergent not unlike the one you use for cleaning clothes. Bleach concoction is also important to remove grimes on the furniture. Teak protector is also crucial if homeowner wants to maintain teak’s brown color.
The first cleaning step that one should do is making the cleaning solution. It is done by combining one part of detergent and one part of bleach then dilutes it in appropriate amount of water. If you do not want to make the solution on your own, many furniture manufacturers also offer teak cleaning product, albeit quite expensive. Apply the cleaning solution with brush gently but evenly on the furniture.
Once the cleaning solution has been applied, it is time to brush the furniture. This step should be done slowly to ensure that you are not missing any spot. If the furniture is a type of Indonesia furniture with complicated pattern, using small size brush or used toothbrush will help. Homeowner should not apply too much pressure on the wood during this process as it may damage the teak surface. During the brushing process, it will be helpful if there is a stream of water directed to the area that has been cleaning. It can speed up the process.
Once that has been done, homeowner needs to rinse off all foams from the cleaning solution until teak outdoor furniture has been fully rinsed. Pressure washing is advised against being used in the process because it can damage the furniture’s surface. If you have the patience, you can even use damp towel to do this step. When everything has been rinsed off, it is time to dry the furniture. The process of drying will take several days depending on the weather. It is advised to let it dry in protected environment.
The last step is about applying teak protector which is usually sold by furniture manufacturers. The protector will help maintaining the wood’s rich brown color instead of letting it turning silver. Silver colored teak is said to be easier to maintain. It depends on owner’s preference, though. Cleaning teak wood is something that can be done yearly.
