"lightening" old teak

[erice]

i've got a 21 year sabreline, and some of the teak in the interior is quite dark (specifically the steps and the trim around the salon floor. do you think using a very fine bronze wool with a cleaner or perhaps turpentine would help? thanks.

[jleonard]

I would try just the wool. I always use sandpaper, something like 120 or 150 to lighten teak. All you need to do is remove the "dirt".
Then finish or leave. I finish interior teak in satin polyeurethene.

[jcollins]

My wife is a antique dealer. She uses "Goop" or "GoJo" (mechanics hand cleaner) and 0000 steel wool. Very good for fine wood.

John

[Despacio]

Assuming this is raw teak, get a gallon of "Sudsy Ammonia" from the 99 cent store. Put some in a spray bottle, spray it on, maybe scrub a little with a sponge. Rinse with water. It will get the dirt out of the wood.

I clean all my raw teak that way. It works far better than the stuff that's expensive and caustic.

[Boatmon]

Much more labor intensive but we strip sanded the entire main salon floor and refinished it. looks great now, not new but that classic aged look.

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