Recaulking/cleaning fake teak decking

[Nos4r2]

The aft deck/flybridge stairs on my mobo are done with flexiteek or similar, but it's caulked in some of the grooves. It's also looking pretty darn grubby-like a living room floor carpet when someone moves the sofa and realises the clean looking carpet isn't....well, it's got an obvious patch or 2 like that showing what colour it should be.
It's a large area so I really don't want to pay to replace it.
What are people using to clean it, and what are people using to recaulk it?

 

[Ammonite]

TDS for the caulking
Pressure wash to clean
If that doesn't work sand it with the grain which should bring it up as new

 

[Aeolus]

Pressure wash

 

[ashtead]

A deck cleaner does clean it -the Flexiteak people don’t endorse this approach though. We clean ours annually with deck cleaner and use a rotating head on the pressure cleaner. You might just try patio magic as a starter and leave to work for a couple of weeks if you have dry weather ever in Wiltshire. As said gentle sandpaper our Flexiteak deck dates from 2015 but maybe your steps are older

 

[TSB240]

I wouldn't let anyone near a teak deck with a pressure washer.
The dirt in teak collects mainly in the softer wood of your teak. If you use a pressure washer to remove this dirt you will most likely remove significant amounts of softer teak. This leaves a horrible ridged deck and promotes protruding caulking and the ugliest teak deck in existence.
The way I clean neglected teak is with a decent biocide cleaner with minimal amounts of soap. Brands such as Patio Magic or Doff can be sprayed on neat and left to work into the teak for a day or two. Gentle rinsing off with a gentle flow from a hosepipe and massaging with a soft yard brush will remove most ingrained dirt. The only other chemical treatment I have ever used is limited to oxalic or phosphoric acid on small rust and wine stains and acetone on oil.

 

[Tranona]

I wouldn't let anyone near a teak deck with a pressure washer.
The dirt in teak collects mainly in the softer wood of your teak. If you use a pressure washer to remove this dirt you will most likely remove significant amounts of softer teak. This leaves a horrible ridged deck and promotes protruding caulking and the ugliest teak deck in existence.
The way I clean neglected teak is with a decent biocide cleaner with minimal amounts of soap. Brands such as Patio Magic or Doff can be sprayed on neat and left to work into the teak for a day or two. Gentle rinsing off with a gentle flow from a hosepipe and massaging with a soft yard brush will remove most ingrained dirt. The only other chemical treatment I have ever used is limited to oxalic or phosphoric acid on small rust and wine stains and acetone on oil.

The OP is asking about plastic "teak", not the real thing!

 

[Nos4r2]

Thanks all. sorry for late reply,
I'm a little worried about pressure washing before recaulking. Anyone had any issues with it lifting?I'll guess that it can be mitigated by washing lengthways along the caulked areas. I'd far rather for operational purposes get the job done in a day, unless anyone can suggest a safe way to get a 36kg dog aboard a boat thats deck is 10' up for the night?

 

[Elessar]

Thanks all. sorry for late reply,
I'm a little worried about pressure washing before recaulking. Anyone had any issues with it lifting?I'll guess that it can be mitigated by washing lengthways along the caulked areas. I'd far rather for operational purposes get the job done in a day, unless anyone can suggest a safe way to get a 36kg dog aboard a boat thats deck is 10' up for the night?

I used the 3 phase yard jet wash on mine once a year. Avoid the edges not because of lifting but because it’s so powerful it can blow holes in your gel coat.
It will strip out any flakey caulking but the main panels should be fine. If they lift, they’re not stuck properly anyway. Get some thin epoxy under there.
Leave the dog at home rather than rush the job.
Wish I had it now rather than real teak.

 

[ashtead]

You might need a long folding dog ramp or a set of yard steps for canine access - if you attach a rotating brush to the marcher type device might be safest initial approach -you can buy hand sized version which is what we use on the Flexiteak. Alternatively try some deck cleaner from force 4 chandlery for this type of deck.

 

[Elessar]

You might need a long folding dog ramp or a set of yard steps for canine access - if you attach a rotating brush to the marcher type device might be safest initial approach -you can buy hand sized version which is what we use on the Flexiteak. Alternatively try some deck cleaner from force 4 chandlery for this type of deck.

You don’t need “safe” on flexiteek and the like. The most powerful/brutal jet wash you can find gets the dirt out of the “grain”.

 

[ashtead]

Maybe I was taught to be cautious with my Flexiteak given the price . We have survived since 2015 using modest pressure and usual deck cleaner from force 4 .

 

[Elessar]

Maybe I was taught to be cautious with my Flexiteak given the price . We have survived since 2015 using modest pressure and usual deck cleaner from force 4 .

Totally agree with the deck cleaner for regular cleaning.
But once a year give it a real what for and you’ll be surprised how much nicer it looks.
Try a hidden bit if you don’t believe me!