Our teak furniture, with its natural finish, never needs sealing or protecting, although it does require some maintenance. When left outdoors and exposed to the sun, teak weathers to a beautiful silver color. Although a teak sealer or wax is not necessary to extend the life of the furniture, it may be applied to achieve a distinctive brownish, un-weathered color. We do not suggest the use of teak oil on our high quality teak wood. Although you may have heard that teak oil is good for your furniture, it will not make your furniture last any longer.
To clean your teak furniture start with dry brushing as that might be all you need. Teak furniture can be washed and cleaned by using a mixture of “Simple Green” (Environmentally friendly cleanser available at Home Depot, Lowe’s etc.), bleach and water. In a one gallon bucket combine 1 part “Simple Green” to 2 parts water and 1 cup of bleach. Using a medium bristle brush (no wire bristles), apply pressure to the wood and the same way you would if you were washing a luxury car. If there are darker stains or rings, these areas may need to be lightly sanded (Scotch Brite Pads also work well) to diminish their appearance. Once you have scrubbed the wood with the solution, rinse the furniture with water. Warning, do not power wash your furniture… a simple garden hose rinsing is best.
We recommend the application of Teak Shield especially on table top surfaces. Once the table surface has been cleaned, let the table sit outside for one week. Or, if you have recently purchased a table from Munder-Skiles, we recommend that you let your table sit outside for one week. After a week outside, clean off any dust or dirt residue and according to the labeled directions, apply Teak Shield to the wood. According to the Golden Care’s website information Teak Shield is ‘designed to provide an almost invisible layer of protection on the surface of the wood that helps to prevent food stains such as coffee, ketchup, red wine and olive oil from penetrating into the wood’. It also protects teak against moisture and adhesion of dirt and mildew growth. You must also keep in mind that whatever stains are on the table prior to using a “sealer” will remain underneath the finish that is applied. According to the manufacturer you should apply Teak Shield on a regular basis. This layer of protection will not stop the wood from turning a silver, weathered color.
Our metal furniture is made from the highest quality metal alloy and paint. Our craftsmen work hard to create furniture that is both comfortable and unique.
Our metal furniture is intended to remain as trouble free as possible, and in most circumstances, it can remain outdoors year round. We recommend keeping the pieces in a covered area as much as possible, especially when nature is dealing her harshest blows. For those without space, we
recommend our waterproof covers that easily slip on when the weather dictates. We like to think of covers as insurance that protects your investment over the long-term. In addition, the covers are also handy for keeping your chairs clean from weekend to weekend during the warmer months.
Though it does not react to the environment in the same way as some woods, you should expect some reaction as metal is exposed to wind, sun, rain, snow, heat and cold. Metal, unlike wood, conducts both heat and cold, so be aware of its placement, and yours!
To maintain your metal furniture we recommend wiping with a damp cloth to remove surface buildup. This will prolong the life and look of the painted finish. Do not use any stuff or wire brushes as this will compromise the paint.
Initially new wood garden furniture, either mahogany or teak, releases a reddish-brown liquid called tannin as the wood turns to a weathered silver gray. If that liquid (tannin) percolates to the surface of wet or damp wood it can possibly stain your cushions. This is especially true for white or light colored cushions. This is not color fasting and usually can be washed off with diluted bleach or Simple Green with cold water.
We encourage you try to keep an eye out before or after rain or the water fight by the pool. After about 4-6 months, your furniture will have turned a beautiful silver gray and it will no longer pose a problem to your cushions.
All outdoor cushions should be brushed off or hosed down regularly before loose dirt and soil accumulate on or become embedded in the fabric. If further cleaning is necessary, we recommend using a mild natural soap in lukewarm water no more than 100 degree Fahrenheit. Ivory liquid soap and other mild cleansers are suitable. Rinse thoroughly to remove soap. While cleaning cushions there is no need to remove the foam interior. You can use diluted bleach and also diluted eucalyptus oil to further summon out stains. Simply allow cushions to air dry when they are wet.
When washing or cleaning do not expose fabric to excessive heat. Do not use hot water. Do not dry clean, steam press or dry fabric in electric or gas dryers as the fabric will shrink. If the fabric has become mildewed (black spots) use a mild solution of bleach and lukewarm water to clean. Our clients use fabrics from different companies, so these washing instructions are a synthesis of the manufacturers’ recommendations. Therefore, it is always good to read the cleaning recommendations provided directly from the fabric company.