Care and Cleaning of Wicker Rattan Furniture

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	Proper care and cleaning of wicker furniture will keep it in good condition for several lifetimes. Rattan, Wicker and Cane can all withstand moisture to a certain extent, but will become limp, loose and saggy with too much water. The nice part about it is that wicker will resume its size and shape when it dries, but it's very important to not disturb the strands of wicker reed when they are damp or they will dry in the new position they've been changed to. Many times a good dry brushing with a medium bristle brush, such as a vegetable brush, will remove dirt buildup from between the wicker reed strands and will leave your wicker furniture looking a lot better Any mild soap or detergent are good to clean wicker or better yet a furniture cleaner, such as Prelude Furniture Cleaner will do a very good job. (More below)

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Care and Cleaning of Wicker Furniture

Also see Furniture Restoration Procedure.
and Furniture Cleaner

Wicker Cleaning Tools

Some real handy tools to use for care and cleaning wicker furniture are a tooth brush, a paint brush with its bristles cut to about half the length, a medium bristle small brush, like a fingernail brush or vegetable brush and a piece of dowel about the size of a pencil and sharpened in a pencil sharpener. The reason for cutting the paint brush bristles is to make them stiff enough to have some muscle, yet soft enough to work into the weave of the wicker.

Let Water Run Off

The wicker furniture should be tilted when you're cleaning it, the same as when stripping, with the tighter weave to the top so that excess moisture will run down to the looser weave where it can be wiped up.

Keep the Weave Straight

It's very important to not disrupt the weave pattern or spacing of the weave on your wicker furniture when it's wet, because it will shrink its length to its original shape wherever it is, so if the strands have been separated, it will dry with a gap in it. If the strands are too far out of position, they'll put stress on the joints of the wicker furniture and pull the piece askew.

Keep Water to a Minimum

Water should be dipped out of a pan or bowl during the cleaning part, to have a minimum of water at any particular place at a time. For a final rinse, a quick squirt with a garden hose and drying with paper towels or cloth works well. Be sure to let the wicker furniture or accessory dry for 24 to 48 hours before you do anything else to it.

With proper care and cleaning your wicker furniture will be in fine shape to pass on to your children or grandchildren.

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