How to use Semco Teak Cleaner
To clean weathered teak, SEMCO offers a Two Part Teak Cleaner. This product is easy to use and will produce dramatic results. SEMCO teak cleaner will not hurt the lawn or fiberglass but it may damage painted surfaces or stain a patio, always wear rubber gloves and goggles when using this cleaner.
Application
1. Using a hose, wet the wood thoroughly and be sure to allow plenty of water to flow where the rinse water will run.
2. Using the Red Part 1 Cleaner, squirt onto a small area. It is best to work on a small area at a time. Overlap each area and work from top to bottom. Do not allowing the cleaner to dry on the wood.
3. Scrub the Part 1 with a Scotch Brite pad or a soft bristle brush, the wood will turn a deep brown color.
4. Rinse thoroughly. The runoff will be deep a brown/green colour. Continue to rinse until the water is mostly clear.
5. Apply the Green Part 2 to the same area and scrub in the same fashion. The wood will then turn much lighter.
6. Rinse the area thoroughly with water. The teak should appear obviously lighter and cleaner. The wood will lighten further as it dries.
7. If any stains remain repeat the process.
SEMCO Two Part Teak Cleaner will remove teak oils, food stains, the residue of varnish, and SEMCO Teak Sealer. Any solid surface coating like varnish must be removed before using Two Part Cleaner.
Never use:
- Brass brush
- Pressure washer;
- Steel wool (Brass wool is acceptable)
as these methods will scour the soft grain of the wood causing a rough and splintery surface.
If the teak is already finished with SEMCO Teak Sealer this type of cleaning is not necessary unless you want to remove the SEMCO and start again. For new teak cleaning with two part cleaner is not necessary, however the "waxy" feeling of newly milled wood must be gone before finishing. To prepare new wood for finishing one of two methods may be employed. Either the new teak can be allowed to weather for a few weeks, just until it begins to lose its colour, or the process can be accelerated by washing the wood with a strong detergent such as Tide, Wisk or Simple Green. When the grain of the wood is open and the waxy feeling gone, the wood is ready to be finished with SEMCO Teak Sealer.