Spring is just around the corner

We are officially less than a month from March, and if you live in Atlanta, Georgia that means that Spring and warmer weather is nearing.

Before you begin to get back outside and start entertaining, you’ll most likely want to spruce up that outdoor teak furniture. Your neighbors might tell you to slap some teak oil on it, or just blast it with a power washer. If you listen to your neighbor, not only will you create a lot of unnecessary work for yourself, but you’ll risk damaging your teak furniture.

Teak is naturally very resistant against mildew, even in the humid environments of the Southeast United States. However, as soon as you coat your furniture with teak oil, you have created an environment in which mildew can grow (and sometimes flourish). After a short period of time, you will start to notice black spots developing on the wood – this is caused by the way the oil reacts to the sunlight it receives outside.

Pressure washing is another “quick fix” solution that many people erroneously prescribe for teak furniture. The problem with pressure washing the furniture is that the force of the water tends to damage the grain of the wood, making it course. One of the many wonderful qualities of outdoor teak furniture is that it is inherently smooth for the life of the product do to its natural density and fine sanding. Why would anybody want to ruin that aspect of their furniture?

The truth is, it is very, very easy to clean your teak furniture. If you mix a small amount of liquid laundry detergent with some warm water, you will have a mixture that is more than ready to do the job. Using the soapy water and a firm brush, you can give your furniture a “once over” and it will remove all of the dirt, grime and grit that can collect over the course of a season. You will even notice that a lot of the “silver” appearance will disappear as well, leaving the wood with more a natural honey color.

I realize it sounds simple, but at Atlanta Teak, we think simple is best.

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