How to Maintain Wicker Furniture

Wicker furniture can last a long time when properly maintained. Sometimes, pieces will warp or crack, but these can often be repaired. If your furniture is outdoors, you may consider painting it to help protect it from the elements. When wicker furniture is kept in very dry conditions, this can sometimes contribute to pieces cracking and breaking. When it is kept in very wet or humid conditions, the wicker absorbs moisture, and this can make it warp and come out of shape.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ammonia
• Water
• Primer
• Soft cloth
• Stiff brush
• Liquid cleaner

1. Paint the furniture with an oil-based primer. If you then use paint over the primer, you may need to reapply now and then, as paint on wicker tends to crack because it is so pliable.

2. Clean your wicker furniture regularly because it has a lot of spaces for dirt, dust and debris to collect.

3. Dust the furniture often if kept indoors. A soft cloth can work well for indoor furniture, or you can use a brush attachment for your vacuum cleaner, which will loosen up the dust and suction out any debris hiding in the crevices. Outdoors, a stiff brush can be used to remove anything that has collected between the strips of wicker.

4. Keep your furniture dry when possible, rather than cleaning it with too much water or liquid cleaners, because wicker absorbs moisture. This can lead to warping, and wicker can take a long time to dry if you get it soaking wet.

5. Wipe the furniture down with a mild solution of ammonia and water if there is mold or mildew. Wipe this off with a damp cloth immediately, and then dry it with a dry cloth or sponge.

Tips & Warnings

• If an area becomes especially soiled or stained, you can use a wash rag and some dishwashing liquid to spot-clean an area. Wipe it off with a paper towel or a dry cloth afterward to keep it from getting too saturated with water.
• Sometimes, pieces of the wicker will warp. This is because wicker is rather pliable, and when it becomes wet or repeatedly is stressed in a certain direction, the pieces can move around a bit. Thankfully, this can also work to your advantage once it has become warped or misshapen: if you saturate the warped piece with some water, you can move it back into place. Taping, using a vise, or some other method of holding the warped area in place as it dries will help to ensure it dries in the proper shape. Allow it to dry completely, then remove the tape or vise. Another possible problem is that a piece of the wicker cane may break. You can buy strips of round, wicker cane at a hardware store. Remove the broken strip and replace it by soaking the new strip in water for about thirty minutes, then weave your new strip into the place left by the old strip. You will need to glue the ends down, and then hold it in place with a furniture tack.

References

• Maintain Wicker Furniture
• How to Maintain Your Wicker Furniture