How to Clean Teak Shower Bench in 5 Easy Steps: The Definitive Guide
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Are you looking for a teak shower bench to add comfort to your shower room?
In addition to comfort, such a shower bench gives the bathing area a modern touch. Moreover, for older adults, as well as for kids, bathing becomes safe and comfortable with a shower bench. It reduces the chance of slipping on the tiles.
However, the maintenance of your wood shower bench requires a little effort. Plus, you cannot use whatever material you come across to clean it. But do not worry, you are going to find all the tips and tricks to clean your shower teak below.
Here are five simple tricks that will keep your teak shower bench clean and maintain the originality of the durable timber.
Best Way to Clean Teak Shower Bench Correctly.
To make sure you retain the beauty of your teak bench, here are some tips to keep in mind:
1. Use Teak Oil
Teak oils are the best way to bring back the lost luster of your bench. They are not at all costly and readily available in nearby stores. It is best to get teak oil with UV because it is an amalgam of high-quality linseed and tung oil. Such a variant of the oil helps protect, nourish, and enhance the natural beauty of the timber. On the whole, it is ideal for cleaning teak shower benches.
2. Applying Dish-Washing Liquid
Dish-washing soaps and liquids also do wonders. Yes, they are safe to use on shower benches. Just mix a little amount of soap in water, and with the help of a light application, clean your bench. You can also use a soft-bristle brush to reach every corner and get better results.
3. Daily Maintenance
Generally, teak wood is known for its durability. It does not need high maintenance and frequent polishing like other woods; however, some regular maintenance is necessary. Continual care guarantees a prolonged life of the furniture; cleaning and drying it after every shower preserves its original finish.
4. Vinegar Solution
Another simple tip to avoid teak wood from rotting is using a vinegar solution. This is pretty simple. Things you will need to prepare the solution include lukewarm water, a spray bottle, and white distilled vinegar.
Mix vinegar with warm water and pour the solution into the spray bottle. The next step is spraying the mixture all over the bench. Leave it for 2 minutes, then clean it with foam or a towel. Let it dry. You’ll find the teak bench shining once again!
5. Using Baking Soda
How about trying baking soda? Apart from cooking, baking soda works best for cleaning purposes. Mixing baking soda with a few tablespoons of water will make a paste. This paste can be applied to remove mold or mildew on teak shower benches. This method is quite cheap, yet useful.
4. Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning Teak Shower Chairs and Benches.
Apart from listing steps to clean the shower teak, it is important to know common mistakes that you are most likely to make when cleaning the furniture.
Do Not Use Household Bleach
It is advised not to use any bleach to clean the furniture. Although it quickly makes stains and spots fade away, it harms your furniture. It not only affects wood’s natural color but is also likely to leave cracks on the wood.
A Big NO to Power Washers
Power washers work at very high pressure. However, your teak shower bench demands gentle cleaning. Using a power washer for cleaning your teak shower bench is not a wise idea at all. It can cause cracks, which will ultimately make the bench useless. When water seeps into those cracks, the wood starts rotting. Thus, the bench that is supposed to provide comfort for years won’t last for more than a few months.
Regular Scrubbing
What spoils furniture is excessive rubbing and scrubbing. To keep it in its original form, you must avoid daily cleaning. Scrubbing will not clean the wood; as a matter of fact, it only damages the polish of the surface. Use foam, towel, or any soft material to clean the bench to be on the safe side.
Similarly, rough materials such as scouring pads, sandpaper, and steel wool will also scratch the smooth finishing.
Do not polish the surface repeatedly.
Polish will stop showing results if the furniture is not properly cleaned. If the moisture on the teak is left for an extended period, it forms a layer of mold. Polishing on that layer does not give a satisfying result. It will only create a layer after layer, losing shine and smoothness. Therefore, make sure you clean the surface properly before applying polish or CFC sprays.
Important to note
Cleaning and maintaining a teak shower bench is not at all a difficult task. It does not require effort if you have efficient materials for cleaning. But the point is that it should be cleansed, washed, and dried daily.
Just remember a few essential things that you need to avoid in the process of cleaning the teak. Though timber is durable, it can’t bear the use of rough substances like sandpaper, and scouring pads. Even oxalic acid, which is a bleach, is not suitable for cleaning.
Other aggressive substances include Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) that yield nothing except the loss of wood. However, nowadays, there are many kinds of teak oils and soapy substances available in the markets that you do not need to try any potent cleaning agent.
Conclusion
Cleaning your bath area is essential. If not maintained regularly, the unhygienic atmosphere increases discomfort and disturbs the joy of showering. We hope that the tips for cleaning mentioned above work efficiently, enhance the beauty, and bring back the natural shine of your teak shower bench.
