Teak is an extremely durable wood and naturally requires little maintenance or care, making it an ideal material for outdoor patio furniture. It is typically sold in one of two conditions: finely sanded in it's natural form and treated with teak oil. If left untreated, teak will weather to a silver-gray tone which is preferable to many people. Some prefer to maintain the wood's original golden honey tone. To achieve this look, there are a few easy methods to help you treat your furniture that you can employ. Regardless of the look, teak remains a strong and high-quality material choice for outdoor furniture and accents. Use this guide to help easily maintain and care for your teak furniture. Teak wood has a natural resistance to mold and rot; however, unsightly mildew can still form on the surface of the wood if not cared for. Regular cleanings will help prevent discoloration on both treated and untreated wood. Regular cleaning of your teak will help prevent mildew build-up and potential discoloration.

A quick wash with mild soap and water and some bleach or vinegar mixed in usually does the trick. Make sure to use a soft plastic brush as metal brushes can scratch and damage the wood's surface. Some harder to clean stains can be removed with a store-bought teak cleaner. When cleaning your teak, always start with the most mild cleaning solution. If that doesn't work, try something more concentrated. 2 Easy Homemade Cleaning Solutions: Mix 1 cup each of chlorine bleach and laundry detergent with 1 gallon of warm waterMix 1 cup of vinegar with 1 gallon of warm water To begin, clear a space to clean your furniture. For most outdoor furniture this shouldn't be a problem, for indoor teak furniture make sure to use a drop cloth and clean in a well ventilated space. Apply your cleaning mixture to the teak item using a soft plastic brush and scrub into the wood as you apply. Allow the mixture to sit for about 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with clean water. This cleaning method may not work for teak furniture that has been left outside to the elements for a long period of time.

You may find that a more aggressive store bought solution is needed. Oiling teak furniture is not a method for protecting the wood but rather a way to retain and enhance the wood's natural golden color. Some people prefer this look to the natural weathering of the wood when left untreated. Oiled teak furniture is best for indoor use as the environment is more stable. If you choose to oil furniture that will be outside you will need to be more regular with the maintenance, by oiling the furniture every 2 to 3 months and keeping the furniture out of direct sunlight. Tung oil is preferred by most professionals for teak furniture but Linseed oil is also common. There are also specialized teak oils for purchase that use additives such as UV blockers and mildew retardants. Only oil teak furniture once it has been completely cleaned. Cleaning will remove any natural oils built up on the surface and applying a new coat of oil will restore the original character of the wood. When applying teak oil use a paint brush to paint the oil into the wood in even strokes.

A cloth dampened with mineral spirits should be used to wipe up any excess oil as you go. Oil that drips onto other surfaces such as painted wood or fiberglass should be wiped away immediately to avoid staining. The amount of oil required for each teak piece will differ. You should continue to paint on the oil until the wood no longer soaks it in, leaving oil pooled on the surface of the wood. best cordless stick vacuum cleaner for hardwood floorsAt this point the wood should have a matte finish without any shiny spots. best cleaner for fabric couchesOil should be reapplied every 2 to 3 months. the best way to clean microfiber furnitureWith each application the teak furniture should be washed and cleaned and fully dry before you begin.

When washing your teak furniture, start from the bottom and work your way up to to avoid leaving streak marks from any dripping water on the unwashed surfaces.DEAR TIM: I purchased a used teak outdoor table from Craigslist. It was a great deal, but it needs some tender loving care. How do I clean it? Should I just pressure wash it? After cleaning it, how should I protect it, or can I just let it weather to a natural color? I want the wood table to last as long as possible. -- Ann P., Raleigh, NC DEAR ANN: I've had great success selling things on Craigslist. Believe it or not, I used to be in a private mastermind group with the founder of that website. It's a great place to find fantastic bargains. I'm stunned at the tools, home improvement materials and furniture you can find for amazing prices. Teak outdoor furniture sets are popular where I live and I see several on the website right now. Teak is a great wood for outdoor use. Just ask any sailor about how well teak can stand up to the punishing abuse Mother Nature can dish out.

Teak is a common wood found on boats that sail the high seas both as decking and as trim lumber on boats. I sail with a friend on a 24-foot sailboat and it has teak in various places on the boat. To keep teak looking like new, you should protect it with a pigmented sealer. If you don't, it will weather to a natural gray and cracking may start to occur. Small checking cracks can allow water to penetrate deeper into the wood causing the cracks to get larger. I would avoid using a pressure washer on your teak table. Pressure washers are the easy way to clean, but the problem is they can also damage the furniture-grade teak lumber. Think what water flowing over rock can do when you look at the Grand Canyon. It doesn't take an Einstein to figure out what water at 2,400 pounds per square inch can do to wood! I prefer to use certified organic oxygen bleach to clean teak. These products are readily available online and at some stores. Oxygen bleach is not harsh like chlorine bleach. Chlorine bleach can whiten the teak wood fibers because it's such a strong oxidizer.

I don't think you want a white table, but I could be mistaken. I've had the best luck cleaning teak wood when it's dry. Try to work in the shade, if possible. Mix up a solution of oxygen bleach. One cup of powdered oxygen bleach for each gallon of hot tap water will cut through dirt, algae, mold, mildew and most of the oxidized wood stains or sealers that might be on the teak. Stir the powder in the water until it's completely dissolved. Pour the solution into a standard hand-pump garden sprayer. Adjust the nozzle so it applies a spray to the teak wood. Spray the entire table, including the underside, and keep it wet with the solution for at least 15 to 30 minutes. If the solution looks like it's soaking in, spray the teak again. You should see countless tiny white bubbles on the surface of the wood. This means the oxygen bleach is working and helping loosen the dirt, failed stain and sealer and other things from the wood. At the end of the wait period, use a hand scrub brush to clean the table.

The brushing action takes the place of the destructive force of the pressure washer. You always need to mechanically agitate the surface of anything you clean. A standard household scrub brush will do a magnificent job on teak. As you scrub, use a constant low flow of water from a garden hose to rinse away all the dirt and failed sealer and stain. You should see dramatic results as you scrub. The longer you allow the oxygen bleach solution to soak -- even up to an hour -- the less you have to scrub. If you have to scrub too hard to get great results, stop and reapply more oxygen bleach solution to the teak. In almost all cases, the teak will clean up very well. Be sure you rinse the table well as you scrub. Allow the table to dry in the shade. Once the table is dry, apply a synthetic-resin sealer or stain to the teak. Be sure it says on the label that it's approved for use on teak. You want a sealer that will soak into the teak wood and not form a film on the surface. Film-forming sealers will eventually peel and your table will be a mess.