We have been restoring vintage teak furniture for over ten years now, in this time we’ve built up a wealth of experience on how to care for these unique pieces appropriately and sympathetically. Although we sell lots of different styles of furniture the majority of the wood furniture falls into the following categories, please feel free to drop us an email if your piece of furniture isn’t covered here:
Teak Furniture - care guidance
General cleaning/dusting
We recommend cleaning/dusting with a clean damp (not wet!) cloth and mild soapy water if required. Please do NOT use any harsh abrasives; solvents or silicone based cleaning products, these products can interfere with refinishing and long-term care, we advise using only natural non-chemical based cleaning products.
Oiling
Our teak furniture is oiled to protect its beauty and maintain a matte luster. Your teak furniture will resist staining and rings more easily if you keep it well oiled. As a general rule: If it looks dry, oil it. Once or twice a year will be enough to keep your teak stain-resistant and looking good. Please wear protective gloves and either take your furniture outside or apply the oil where you can open some windows for ventilation. There are a number of teak oils available, we recommend ‘Rustins Danish Oil’. Please follow the directions on the tin as some oils vary. Some tips: Be careful not to apply too much oil. Once applied the oil may feel sticky to the touch - do not place anything on your furniture until the oil has fully absorbed. We recommend allowing the final coat of oil to dry over a 24 hour period to ensure it has all been absorbed.
Cleaning Spills and Rings
Wipe up spills and rings straight away! Use a cloth and light soapy water. Rinse with a clean damp cloth and allow to dry, lightly rub with some fine wire wool (available from most hardware stores) with the grain until smooth before you re-oil using the guidance above for oiling.
Maintenance
When it comes to maintaining your beautiful teak furniture we recommend using coasters to avoid prolonged exposure to moisture from potted plants and beverages. Please dust your furniture frequently using a natural beeswax polish and try not to place your furniture in direct sunlight as this will expedite fading and drying out of the wood.
Reclaimed Wood Furniture:
Each piece of reclaimed wood is unique with different age related marks and character, it is also a natural product and due to the nature of this some movement may be expected as it adapts to a new environment (due to changes in temperature and humidity). We recommend that you do not expose your furniture to extreme temperature changes i.e. avoid placing it by an open fire, next to a radiator, directly on underfloor heating, or in a very hot/cold room (conservatory in the sunshine for example) as this can have an adverse affect on the wood.
General cleaning/dusting
We recommend cleaning/dusting with a clean damp (not wet!) cloth and mild soapy water if required. Please do NOT use any harsh abrasives; solvents or silicone based cleaning products, these products can interfere with refinishing and long-term care, we advise using only natural non-chemical based cleaning products.
Waxing
Most of our reclaimed timber furniture is treated with wax, this helps to prevent marks, and maintain depth of colour. We recommend using a natural beeswax polish or wax to maintain the finish occasionally (every six months or so). Please follow the instructions on the tin as some waxes vary. Some tips: You can apply the wax using either a piece of old t-shirt, some fine wire wool or a brush, wipe or brush the wax onto the surface, making sure you get into any dips, knocks and scratches of the wood, the wax can then be buffed off using a brush (the type you would use to buff a pair of shoes) once buffed you can polish the surface with a duster or rag.
Cleaning Spills and Rings
Wipe up spills and rings straight away with a cloth and light soapy water. Lightly rub with some fine wire wool (available from most hardware stores) then wax (following instructions on tin), buff and polish.
Maintenance
To keep your furniture looking its best we recommend the use of coasters for beverages, we also recommend heat protective place mats for hot plates. If you are placing a vase/potted plant (or similar) on the furniture please use a mat underneath to protect against prolonged exposure to moisture. A table cloth is also advised where there are increased chances of accidents/traffic/spillages.
