# Cleaning wooden garden furniture



## Taxboy (Aug 23, 2006)

We've just acquired a hardwood bench which has not been cleaned for quite a while and is covered in green algae. Just wondered the best way to go about cleaning it please

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## Steveom2 (Jul 29, 2018)

Taxboy said:


> We've just acquired a hardwood bench which has not been cleaned for quite a while and is covered in green algae. Just wondered the best way to go about cleaning it please
> 
> Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk


I just jet wash mine


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## Caledoniandream (Oct 9, 2009)

I jet wash ours and treat it with teak oil.
The bench is treated with danish oil as it is 7 month a year outside (teak wood) 
Use to have a Meranti and merbau bench, left it outside for 23 years, only washed it of in spring, people who live in our old house still use it.


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## nogrille (Oct 27, 2005)

Osmo do a wood cleaner that is very good, but follow the instructions carefully!


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## Taxboy (Aug 23, 2006)

nogrille said:


> Osmo do a wood cleaner that is very good, but follow the instructions carefully!


What could go wrong - I'm intrigued 

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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

I use a bleach and water mix or patio magic and leaves natural wood without a trace of green. Would recommend a little test area.


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## Chrisxtype (Aug 13, 2019)

Normally use a jet washer then two coats of teak oil , allowing two days between coats, Danish oil is also very good ,


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## nogrille (Oct 27, 2005)

Taxboy said:


> What could go wrong - I'm intrigued


If you don't wet the wood first or leave it on too long, it bleaches the wood. I know from experience...


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## hopeful (Jul 29, 2019)

I've read that you shouldn't pressure wash as it can raise the grain. Also, that teak doesn't require any teak or Danish oil as it has its own. As soon as you start using them, you have to keep on doing it, probably twice a year.
I'm going to let my new bench weather naturally I think.


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## Tykebike (Mar 27, 2016)

hopeful said:


> Also, that teak doesn't require any teak or Danish oil as it has its own.
> I'm going to let my new bench weather naturally I think.


It all depends on whether you want to keep that dark golden look, if you do then you need to clean it and apply an oil (teak, Danish, pure tung oil) or a varnish like Tonkinoise or a water based preservative. Otherwise you can leave it to go 50 shades of grey in the sunshine/UV.
For years I used pure tung oil and the finish and water repellency were superb but I found black spots appearing which apparently are one of the downsides of oil. I now use a water based preservative but the beading is not as good.
Having seen Tonkinoise varnish at the Northern Woodworking Show I was impressed with the finish but as I had only just forked out for the water based preservative I didn't want to spend more money on that as it isn't cheap - maybe I will when the other runs out.


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## Walesy. (Oct 1, 2009)

I've used white vinegar and a selection of brushes to clean outdoor wood before. 

Came up well tbh, but you want Fish n chips afterwards.


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