When wood takes on a gray tint, it is just a change in color, not a deterioration of the wood. But aesthetically speaking, it's not very attractive. And on a boat more than anywhere else, we appreciate beauty, so we might as well try to restore the wood to its original color.
The cause of this change in color can be due to two origins: weathering or grease stains.
Water + UV = grey wood
Weathering always ends up graying the wood. It is the culmination of a cycle caused by water (rain or sea water on a boat) and UV (sun exposure). Whether it's a teak deck or even a mahogany handrail, no matter what type of wood it is, if left outside unprotected it will eventually turn gray.
To solve this problem, Owatroll Deck Cleaner is used. This liquid product is applied undiluted to a previously wet surface. It is spread with a soft brush (or a wide brush). Then leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. With a harder brush, you can remove the grey that comes off the wood without having to perform a mechanical action (do not rub hard to avoid damaging the wood). To finish, we rinse with a jet of water. Once dry, the wood has regained all its shine.
For grease stains
Sometimes, the gray of the wood is due to oil encrustation in the wood. Whether it is due to diesel splashes on a deck, or traces of sun oil or the remains of chips from the aperitif, the wood of the deck or cockpit tables are often marked. In addition, the use of teak oils that nourish the wood also ends up darkening the whole. Before recovering the original color of the wood, it is necessary to remove these oils embedded in the wood.
This operation is done in 2 steps. First, apply Owatroll Oil Cleaner on a previously wet surface. We rub with a nylon brush after waiting 5 minutes for the product to act chemically. We then rinse the wood.
This first step will remove all the grease that is embedded in the wood. Then, we apply Deck Cleaner in the same way as on a greyed wood (see previous paragraph) to give it back its natural color.
