Care And Maintenance Tips For Wicker Rattan Furniture
Traditional or contemporary wicker rattan furniture is one of the finest styles of furniture you can use in your garden especially under garden lights on long hot summer evenings. You want it’s timeless style to last as long as possible, so what can you do to care for and look after your furniture?
Natural Wicker
Natural wicker weave rattan garden furniture can often be damaged by moisture as molds often develop given long exposure to moisture, sunlight can fade natural materials over time and as a result this style of furniture will most likely be lacquered for durability. The lacquer will keep moisture out of the organic material and may provide some protection from UV in sunlight.
Maintaining this furniture is quite simple, at regular intervals you need to use a relatively stiff brush to remove dirt and dust from the framing and rattan cladding. Don’t be afraid to rub down the furniture with a damp cloth and some warm water but try to avoid soaking the framing and cladding. If you are not using the furniture all year round, try to store the furniture in a dry, moisture free environment out of sunlight. Ideally you want to store natural wicker furniture in a garden outbuilding and use covers, but rattan is tough stuff and so long as it is out of wet conditions it should be okay. If you do get mold developing on the weave use a 50:50 bleach water mix to gently rub away the mold, leave for 5 minutes then rinse off with water, for tough black spots use 100% bleach sparingly and wash away with clean water after 5 mins.
Synthetic Rattan Sets
Synthetic rattan garden furniture is a slightly different matter. When it comes to these pvc or plastic copy cats, the man made materials endere the furniture to all sorts of environments that might damage the natural rattan. With aluminium framing and polyester weave cladding, pvc rattan effect furniture can put up with the harshest conditions for long periods. The framing is unlikely to corrode over time and even cladding won’t fade or decay so storing this furniture outside shouldn’t be a concern. When it comes to cleaning you can practically jet wash the furniture without concern such is the strength of the materials involved in its construction. However, it’s best to use only necessary force…so a brush down on a regular basis should do the trick.
Soft Furnishings
Wicker furniture is likely to come with covers or cushions. These should, in most instances, be detachable and machine washable. So long as these are washed at regular intervals they should keep your furniture looking fresh and stylish.