A teak floor is a beautiful option for flooring, both indoors and out. The straight lines in the grain and the variety of colors are striking. Although teak is very durable and low maintenance, you will need to give it some attention to keep it looking as beautiful as the day it was installed.
What You'll Need:
- Vacuum
- Bucket with warm water
- Ammonia
- Sponge mop
- Cleaner for hardwood floors
- Teak oil
- Rags
1 - Picking Up The Dirt
As with any hardwood floors, you will need to vacuum regularly to keep the dirt and debris from shoes from being ground into the wood grain and dulling the sheen. To get the ground-in dirt out of the joints and wood grain, use your vacuum's brush attachment to loosen it.
2 - Thorough Cleaning
To wash all of the stuck-on dirt and debris, mix one cup of ammonia into a warm bucket of water. Use a sponge mop that has been squeezed to remove most of the water to mop the floor. A sponge mop is best for this step because you do not want to get your teak floors overly wet because it can cause water spots.
The ammonia will help to remove water spots if you have any from a prior spill.
3 - Bring Out The Luster
After cleaning thoroughly to remove stuck-on dirt, allow the floor to dry completely. Next, use a floor cleaner made especially for hardwood floors, again using your sponge mop. This will bring back the sheen of the teak wood, as well as bring out the grain in the wood.
4 - Teak Oil
Teak has natural oils that keep down mold, as well as act as a natural insect repellent that deter termites and other pests. Over time, your teak will lose its oils and this will need to be reapplied. Depending on the traffic that your teak floor gets will determine how often this will need to be reapplied.
In high-traffic areas, you will apply teak oil twice a year. If it is in an area that is free from traffic, or barely used, once a year will be fine.
Apply the teak oil with clean, old rags. Follow the wood grain in the application and rub in well. If you notice that the oil is pulling up old soil within the wood, get a clean rag so you are not rubbing the dirt back in. Allow the oil to sink into the wood before placing the furniture back on it so you don't get spots.
5 - Maintenance
Since teak is very durable, other than regular cleaning and the occasional application of teak oil being reapplied, there are just a few things to keep in mind in maintaining your floor. You will need to rearrange rugs so that the sunlight does not make spots where the rest of the floor is exposed to UV rays.
Also, do not let damp rugs sit for long. If you have a spill, clean it up as soon as possible to avoid spots. If you do get a spot, use a damp cloth with a little ammonia to rub it away.
Source: www.DoItYourself.com
