Best system for Cleaning/staining teak

[workinpr0gress]

I have always used sudsy ammonia, scrubbed it with the grain with a white scotchbrite. Then mist it with the hose to keep it wet, the longer it stays wet the cleaner the wood gets. Then hose it off a few times. If it's real bad then sometimes I use TSP first and rinse well. Be careful with both, TSP is a dry commercial grade detergent that you dilute yourself. I believe ammonia displaces oxygen so don't go sticking your head in a bucket of it. Both are cheap and give great results

Then just pick if ya want a epoxy based finish, a sealer finish...natural finish...urethane varnish...spar varnish..... oiled finish.

It's a preference thing for the most part and all have their pros and cons. One thing I personaly have never understood is when people put a finish on the walking suraces that are teak. Not so much a smaller boat problem. Teak is an amazing natural nonskid and works best natural imo, if it's to be walked on .

[abl1111]

I use the sudsy ammonmia w/ TSP too... I could not find ANY sudsy amnmonia recently so I made some:

8 parts ammonia : 1 part water : (2) spoonfuls of detergent (DAWN)

One difference is that I scrub against the grain... This prevents scrubbing out the soft parts of the wood ( thus creating even more surface area for dirt etc ). I have never seen a negative to this...

I too leave it 'au natural, and during the season, I'll scrub it lightly with salt water ( and leave the salt water on in the sun for a few hours ). It always has a clean-looking, light silvery-grey color. Looks good.

BTW: this is the way many of the Montauk fishing boats take care of their teak ( got this from an Old-Salt out there )

IMHO - oiling teak is like washing a un-garaged, black car - nothing looks better at first - but it's too short lived