Teak Cleaner: 11 Best Cleaning Solutions For Teak And Hard Woods

Whether you have teak furniture or teak on your boat you probably already know that you need to pay a lot of attention to its maintenance and use a good teak cleaner.

A good look needs a good product. If you want to keep your teak furniture clean, free of slime, mildew, bacteria, and mold you’ll have a lot to work on.

But, if you continue reading this article you will find out how to maintain teak products much easier. You will learn about top-rated teak cleaners on the market. Also, you will be able to see the pros and cons of each product on the list.

After reading the detailed specifications, you’ll be able to choose the right product for you. It will be much easier for you to decide which one suits your needs and wishes.

Also, you’ll find out which product features matter the most and what you need to have on your mind if you don’t want to make a bad choice.

What can you clean with a teak cleaner?

A teak cleaner is a multipurpose product and it’s usable for cleaning many surfaces. You can use it on the bathroom and outdoor teak furniture. Also, they are good for the maintenance of marine teak wood (for boat decks for example), teak countertop, or any other product made of teak wood.

It’s mainly used as the first step in the restoration of gray, weathered teak. After you use it on teak surfaces you’re going to eliminate the need to sand it. Also, you will be able to remove stains and gray weathering.

Although they are designed to clean teak, you can also use them to clean other hardwoods too. So by using it you’ll be able to extend the lifespan of any wood surface, especially those made of teak.

Best teak cleaner on the market

During the years I had a chance to test a lot of different hardwood cleaners. That experience helped me to make a list of the best teak cleaners on the market. I’ll share my experience with you and help you to choose the best one for you.

While selecting, I’ve paid the most attention to how easy it is to apply, how easy is to work with, how much wood you can clean with, and is it eco-friendly. Of course, special attention is paid to the price of products.

1. Star bright teak cleaner

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Star bright teak cleaner is produced in the USA and it’s very respectable on the market. I could say it’s the best I’ve used so far.

This product is famous for being an efficient initial phase when bringing back heavily weathered and gray teak wood to life. It’s safe and easy to use.

It is not formulated with acidic components so it’s a risk-free solution. With this cleaner, there is no need to worry about handling the task.

Using this cleaner you’re able to renew and refresh old gray teak furniture. Also, you can use it on other fine woods, as well as wood furniture.

I also like this product because I can get a big bottle of 128 Oz. (4 liters pack). But if you want a smaller bottle, 16 Oz. (1/2 liter) and 32 Oz. (1 liter) bottles are also available.

To make a long story short, this is a very efficient cleaner and it will do an amazing job on your teak surfaces. You’re going to get rid of stains and old oils without the need to do the sanding.

A big plus for this product is that it’s not containing any hazardous acids so it’s safe for use.

2. Bayes High-Performance Teak Wood Cleaner & Restorer

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Bayes Teak Cleaner & Restorer is made in the USA. This teak wood cleaner solution protects the wood from getting dry, cracked, stained, spotty, or gray. It also deeply penetrates and nourishes wood for a beautiful appearance.

The product is based on an oil formula and it’s using non-toxic ingredients so it’s safe for use. It’s reached with lemon and essential oils as well. With this cleaner, you’ll be able to clean, shine and protect teak and wood furniture.

This cleaner will help you to protect and seal the surface against moisture, UV light, sun, rain, and environmental elements. Especially is useful on boats and yachts.

Even old and neglected teak with a teak wood cleaner like this can be beautifully restored, back to a beautiful form, and protected from further environmental damage.

In a nutshell, with Bayes wood cleaner cleaning and maintaining your teak boat or outdoor furniture will no longer be hard to handle.

3. Star Brite Teak Cleaner And Brightener

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Star Brite teak cleaner and brightener is manufactured by USA Star Brite Company.

This product is one of the most top-rated products in this area that is quite beneficial in terms of cleaning and restoring the natural color of teak and other kinds of fine woods.

With this cleaner and brightener, you’ll be able to save more time and effort in handling the cleaning and brightening task before oiling because this could be accomplished in only one step.

The product doesn’t contain dangerous acids. Also, it’s phosphate-free and has biodegradable formula so it’s completely safe for use on your teak furniture or boat.

Finally, this one-step cleaner and brightener is unbeaten on the field of cleaning and brightening old teak wood. It makes it look brand new.

4. Golden Care Teak Cleaner

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Golden care teak cleaner will clear away dust and other sorts of hideous mess trapped on teak wood. With this product, you’ll be able to clean and restore discolored, dark grey teak and hardwood.

A golden cleaning agent contains brightener ingredients, which bring back the original color of teak or hardwood.

Unlike most of the other cleaners, this one is classified as non-hazardous and it’s water-based. Most of the competitive brands require a 2-step-process: a separate cleaner and brightener. This creates twice as much work for the consumer.

To sum up, this product will perform beautifully and each piece of furniture will look like new again. First, you’ll need to sand each piece with a power sander, then clean with the Golden Care Teak Cleaner and the results will be fantastic.

5. Iosso Teak Cleaner

If you are interested in a cleaner that safely cleans wood without damaging or drying out wood fibers and is safe around fabric, carpet, metal, or fiberglass then you’ll be happy with this Losso product.

An important feature is that this cleaning agent is a biodegradable wood cleaner with no chlorine or bleach.

This product cleans and brightens wood in one easy step. Also, you will be able to remove dirt, mildew stains, black algae, and oil stains and restore a bright natural look to weathered teak.

Iosso Teak Cleaner you can use not only on teak but on pressure-treated pine, cedar, and other woods as well.

It has great customer ratings. Most customers describe it as excellent in removing the black dirt, old varnish, and mold.

6. Aqua Teak Cleaner & Brightener

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Are you looking for a good eco-friendly cleaning solution with biodegradable formula? If your answer is yes, Aqua Teak Cleaner & Brightener is the right choice for you.

This product is specifically designed to clean your teak wood and other fine woods and prepare the surface for an oil coat.

For best results allow the product to remain on the surface for approximately two to three minutes before scrubbing in the direction of the wood grain.

Finish with a protective layer of teak oil to make your teak furniture look brand new.

If you want to spread the product evenly my advice is for regular teak furniture care to use a stiff bristle cleaning brush.

Aqua Teak Cleaner & Brightener is practical to utilize for all teak and other fine wood surfaces. Using it will bring your teak wood back to life and restore natural beauty.

After all, this teak cleaning solution can revive even seriously hopeless-looking teak boats and outdoor furniture that had not been properly cleaned for ages.

7. Semco Teak Cleaner

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If you are looking for an effective and reliable boat teak cleaner product that could help brighten old gray teak wood Semco Two-Part Cleaner will give you the expected results.

This is a two-part cleaning product that deeply cleans teak without harsh scrubbing to remove graying, fish blood, fuel stains, and teak oils.

Part 1 cleaning is meant for dissolving filth and age-old sealers and part 2 cleaning is intended for neutralizing and brightening the teak wood.

Satisfied customers told this product performs better than advertised. Also, they described it as easy to use and as a miracle product that renewed their boat decks and wood furniture.

After all, using Semco Two-Part Cleaner will finally solve your teak cleaning and brightening. Even though it’s a time-consuming job you will be satisfied with the final result.

8. TotalBoat Teak Cleaner Kit

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If you want to buy a teak cleaning agent that cleans and brightens teak wood on boats and outdoor furniture you should choose TotalBoat Teak Cleaner Kit.

This two-part cleaner product gives a new life to old and weathered teak wood. Part 1 cleans to remove dirt, salt, worn finishes and oils, stains, graying, mildew, and weathering. Part 2 neutralizes part 1, brightening the wood to restore the teak’s beautiful natural golden color.

TotalBoat Cleaner Kit is not ideal just for teak decks, rails, and trim on boats, but for outdoor teak furniture like shower stools, tables and ottomans as well.

This is a complete teak cleaning solution for your boat’s teak, your teak outdoor furniture, and just about anything made of teak wood. It’s formulated to provide maximum cleaning and restoration for any teak wood surface.

9. Better Boat Marine Teak Cleaner

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Are you looking for a product that removes stains, grease, and grime without sanding? If you do Better Boat Teak Cleaner is the one for you.

Even though it is marketed mostly to boat owners, you can use it to clean any teak or fine wood products, including furniture.

This outdoor cleaner works fast and is easy to use as a boat and outdoor wood furniture cleaner. Simply apply, scrub lightly and rinse!

The product effectively cleans without harsh acids making it safe for use for fine woods, and won’t harm fiberglass or painted surfaces.

Better Boat Teak Cleaner works great on its own or with a teak scrubber brush or a teak brush. The manufacturer is so sure of its quality that guarantees money back if you are not satisfied. You have nothing to lose if you want to try it.

The American company which produces this cleaner is 100% sure of the quality of their product, so if you don’t like their product simply let them know and receive a full, no-questions-asked refund.

10. West Marine Teak Cleaner

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One more two-part teak cleaning product on the market is West Marine teak cleaner. But don’t worry, it’s easy to use.

Part one removes old oil, grime, dirt and chemically attacks the stain. Part two neutralizes step one and enhances the grain and beauty of the teak.

This product is much stronger than so many one-part cleaners for cleaning and brightening teak.

West Marine cleaner chemically cleans away black mildew stains from teak and also restores teak to its natural golden hue.

The customer that used this cleaner for the first time was amazed. They were satisfied with the result they achieved using this product.

11. Nautical Ease Cleaner

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When you buy marine teak cleaner you are getting a two-step system formulated to clean and brighten teak. Kit contains two bottles of cleaner and brightener. Each bottle contains 1 US pint of liquid.

This cleaner is meant mostly for cleaning marine teak but also it can be used for cleaning and brightening outdoor furniture or any other teak surface.

Very important is that you’re going to need to protect your hands and the rest of the skin because this liquid can sting if you are having sensitive skin. Also, eye protection is a good precaution.

If you are thinking about this product valuable to know is that this Product has a great customer satisfaction rating.

What are the main benefits of teak wood cleaner?

They are safe and easy to use. They make our job easier because we don’t need to sand and also we can avoid hard rubbing.

Most people will use this kind of product in the first phase in restoring weathered and gray teak. Also, they are efficient in removing dirt, dust, grime, mold, bacteria, or mildew on the wood. Satisfying thing is that we can almost instantly see how it works.

There are many types of teak cleaners on the market these days. Customers can choose formulas with non-toxic components and eco-friendly products.

I like the fact that you don’t need to be professional to apply it. Quality cleaner won’t damage painted surfaces, fiberglass, or fabrics.

You should use it before oiling or sealing. That step can make a huge difference in process of upkeeping boats or teak furniture. If you are not using the quality product for maintaining teak surfaces it could cause more damage than benefit. So choose wisely.

How often to clean teak furniture?

Unless you are having some special reason, something spills on it, or whether condition damages it, you don’t need to clean your teak furniture too often. Once a year is more than enough.

First, you need to decide do you want the original honey color or you are more into a natural silver-gray color. In the first case, you’re going to need more than a yearly cleaning.

Best way to clean teak

Due to its natural resistance, teak cleaning is pretty much simple. You can use one of the above-mentioned cleaners, all of them will do the work.

The first step is to apply cleaner on all surfaces and leave it for a couple of minutes. It’s necessary to ensure that the cleaner will do its chemical process.

The next step is to use a soft brush and gently scrub all the surfaces. Scrub it until you see the water stains and soap scum start to disappear. Just, please, don’t forget to use a soft brush.

The hard brush will strip away the applied coat of varnish, sealer, or any other protective substance. Many people do this mistake. So, don’t be one of them.

After you brush all the surfaces, just rinse them and leave them to dry. UV or natural sunlight will speed up the drying process.

Make cleaning easier

The cleaning process is more or less simple. Many people use any type of soft brush they can find in the house. It’s okay, but if you want to make your cleaning easier, I recommend you to use this Star Brite scrub kit.

This kit is designed especially for teak cleaning and it will make cleaning much easier. You can buy it online at a decent price. It comes with 3 different textured pads and one interchangeable handle for simple, easy cleanup, no matter the job.

The fine white pad will go great work with hard or soft vinyl, plastic, and upholstery. A medium red pad is excellent for general cleaning, teak, and wood clean-up. Coarse black pad is for heavy-duty cleaning – concrete, bare metal, and boat bottom deposits.

Handle grips onto each pad, works with other scouring pads too.

What is a teak cleaner made of

Although every company has its secret formula, all of them use similar ingredients. Usually, they use biodegradable ingredients, such as paraffin, mineral oils, fragrances, ethoxylated alcohol, and oxalic acid.

Please, before you start the cleaning process, read the manual carefully. Most of these ingredients are toxic and may cause health issues. If it gets in contact with your eyes it may cause irritation and pain.

If your skin is too long exposed to these chemicals, it may get skin irritated and dry and if it’s swallowed, it may cause serious injuries or even death.

Frequently asked questions

I’m sure you have some questions to ask, so I made for you the list of the most frequently asked questions.

Q: Can you use a teak cleaner on ipe?

A: Of course! Just like any other type of hardwood, the cleaner will extend the lifespan of your ipe furniture. Besides, if you want to maintain the natural color of your hardwood furniture, you can use teak oil, linseed oil, or any other hardwood protective oil.

Q: What is the best way to apply it?

A: Spray bottle, no doubt. It’s the easiest way to apply it equally to the surface.

Q: Will it remove mildew?

A: Yes, it will remove mildew. Just use a soft brush and brush it and clean, dry mop to dry it. Still, if you want to keep your furniture like new, clean your teak furniture frequently.

Q: How much teak cleaner do I need?

A: It depends on the condition of your furniture. On average, one 16 Oz. (1/2 liter) the pack will be enough for 4 chairs and an average size table. However, if there’s too much oil grime accumulated on the furniture, maybe you’ll need a bit more.

Q: Will cleaner damage any other materials?

A: Usually, most products are gentle enough not to damage metal, marble, fiberglass, or gel coat. But, pay attention and not get it on textiles or pillows. Just like any other acid, it can damage the textile.

Q: Can I use a pressure washer to clean teak furniture?

A: If you don’t have to, don’t do it. A pressure washer is an effective cleaner, but it also can easily damage your furniture. Water under pressure cuts micro-cracks in the tree and it may cause decay. Also, a pressure washer can easily peel off protective layers from your furniture.

Q: Can I make a homemade cleaner?

A:  Yes, you can easily do that. Maybe it will not be effective as the one from the list above, but it will still do the work. You can easily find the recipe online.

Conclusion

Let’s summarize it. I have shown you my top picks for teak cleaners I’ve tried. You can see how to use them, where to use them, their features, and their pros and cons.

I’m positive that you can find a product on this list that will make you completely satisfied. If you choose some of those eleven favorites, I’m sure you’ll make no mistake.

I hope this article was helpful to you. Feel free to ask questions. I’m always willing to help you.