Cleaning oiled interior teak prior to oiling again

[RCabakCat30]

I am starting to work on the wood in our 1984 Catalina 30 and want to clean the teak before I put more oil on it. The galley really needs a good stripping/cleaning. What is the best solvent or soap to use? We have had the boat for 3 years and I don't think its been oiled during that time.

Suggestions on oil to use appreciated. I have Watco danish oil on the boat. I believe it is what was used on it prior.

Thanks all!

[Cruiser2B]

This may not be the correct answer, but it worked for me, i used windex and it pulled all the oil and dirt before I varnished them. Here are a few pics

[coopec43]

Maybe not relevant in this case but if you use linseed oil on a rag to oil it don't leave the rag laying around as it could burst into flame because of spontaneous combustion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yq6VW-c2Ts

[RCabakCat30]

Thanks for the info Cruiser2B, what was the wood treated with before you used the windex on it?

coopec43, thanks for the caution. I always soak the rag in water and dispose of once dry in a metal container. I don't want that to be the reason my boat sank!

[MarkSF]

If you find the final varnishing results a bit too shiny, you can use rottenstone powder to tone it down. It comes in a range of grits for varying degrees of gloss.

https://smile.amazon.com/Pumice-Ston...s%2C225&sr=8-2

2F is duller, 4F a bit shinier, and so on. I do 2F followed by 4F, looks great.

[Cruiser2B]

Originally Posted by RCabakCat30

Thanks for the info Cruiser2B, what was the wood treated with before you used the windex on it?

coopec43, thanks for the caution. I always soak the rag in water and dispose of once dry in a metal container. I don't want that to be the reason my boat sank!

To be 100% honest, im not sure. Its in an old westsail 32 so i assume teak oil. The doors and all the interior wood was pretty dirty as you can see in the pic. Over the years the teak gather dirt it appears and darkened quite a bit

[Tetepare]

C30TR owner here.

Clean with Simple Green and a cotton rag. Dark oil stained areas (from hands) appear black and are a buildup of human oils. Rub with CLEAN spot on rag and simple green. Typical spots are: grab rails, half bulkhead by chart table, counter surround in front of steps, and compression post near head door handle.

If you have mold or mildew on any teak use a mold/mildew remover instead of Simple Green because it prevents recurrence much better.

Do NOT use a scrub pad or abrasives.

Oil lightly. Reapply later if you must.

Do yourself a huge favor and invest the time in preparation to prevent oiling anything other than the teak. Aging oil on Fiberglas turns gummy, brown, attracts dirt and looks awful.

Any pieces attached with screws, unscrew and take off for oiling. That includes emptying the drawers and removing the surrounds. Sounds like a lot more work, but you will be thankful later.

For teak that cannot be removed, Cut a flat edge from thin cardboard (eg 12 pack) to mask Fiberglas from oil.

Get cushions out of the boat because you will probably spill or drip.

[RCabakCat30]

Thanks Cruiser2B, BTW your after photos are beautiful!

Tetepare: Thanks, i will try simple green, the galley wood really needs a good cleaning with use, saltwater spray and neglect the past 35 years!