How to clean boat teak without damaging it

Routine cleaning

Salt water is teak’s best friend: it cleans, inhibits mould and doesn’t dry out the wood. After each trip, just wet the deck and use a soft brush or soft scouring pad across the grain. Scrubbing along the grain tears out the soft fibres and leaves grooves.

Once a week in season, use a mild biodegradable teak-safe soap and rinse well.

Grey or very dirty teak

Sun turns teak silvery grey: this is normal and harmless. To restore the golden tone or deal with heavy dirt, use a two-part teak cleaner:

1. Part A (acid) cleans and lightens the wood.
2. Part B neutralises and restores colour.

Use it once or twice a year at most: it is aggressive and wears both wood and caulking.

Specific stains

• Grease or sunscreen: mild soap and an immediate rinse; for old stains, a gentle degreaser.
• Wine or coffee: soap and water as soon as possible; if it persists, part A of the cleaner.
• Black mould: salt water and a brush; for persistent cases, a dedicated mould cleaner.
• Rust from fittings: a teak-safe rust remover, only on the stain.

What never to do

• Use a pressure washer: the fastest way to age a deck.
• Stiff-bristle brushes or metal scourers.
• Undiluted bleach or chlorine products: they burn the wood and attack caulking.
• Oil deck teak: it becomes slippery and traps dirt.

After cleaning

Check caulking and plugs: it’s the perfect time to catch problems early. Everything else is in our teak maintenance guide. Prefer a professional? See our boat cleaning service or find exterior cleaning pros.