Recognised for its its strength and durability, Rattan is fast becoming a very popular material for garden furniture. Maintenance takes the minimum of effort to preserve the colour and strength which is why it’s first choice for an increasing number of consumers.
Rattan, conserved well is impervious to most weather conditions yet maintain it’s integrity and beauty. Conventionally fractionally more expensive than your average garden furniture rattan are luxury items that provide a more luxurious and stylish impression. Rattan is a flexile and malleable material, little effort is required to form into attractive and desirable furniture designs. Rattan furniture is lighter than most common forms of garden furniture, thus making easy storage indoors in adverse weather conditions.
The most important measure to maintain your Rattan furniture is to protect it from moisture as it will develop moulds that can blemish.
Try and store indoors during the winter months or periods of heavy rain and if it does get caught in a downpour, don’t let the rain soak in, get it in the sun or dry it off with a towel. If your furniture is kept in a hot and humid environment, heat can discolour the fabric giving it a faded or washed out look. Changing the fabric frequently will preserve the overall appearance of the furniture.
Preventing abrasion requires you keep all pets away from the furniture as they can scratch of the coating or topple over any fragile parts of your garden furniture.
Make certain you use a natural bristle brush. They’re soft and flexible enough to reach the hidden parts of the furniture and prevent abrasions when cleaning.
It’s easy to damage the furniture if parts of the structure are abused. Ensure that those around the furniture sit on the cushions and not on the arms.
Rattan is as beautiful as it is durable, so most rattan furniture needs only basic cleaning and care to preserve its natural strength and colour.
These basic steps are easy to follow and you can keep your rattan furniture looking as appealing as the day you bought it:
Periodically cleaning of the surface. Monthly or even weekly cleaning is the preferred schedule to protect your furniture and prevent major damage. Clean with a little diluted dishwashing detergent. Scoop the soap suds off the top of the water with a soft cloth and then wipe the furniture’s surface without getting the wood too wet. Be sure to get into crevices and grooves with a toothbrush or other small soft natural bristle brush.
Keeping the furniture indoors will last long and look better. Rattan certainly likes a little humidity, however, it’s not outdoor furniture. Try to keep your rattan indoors and preferably out of direct sunlight.
Stains or other major damage should be cared for immediately. Use a damp cloth with diluted detergent to buff out stains as soon as they occur. More serious damage like cracking or splitting of the wood can be treated by using boiled linseed oil to put moisture back into the material.
For more obstinate dirt or stains you should contact a rattan or wicker expert who can care for the wood with competence.
Allow yourself time for a major cleaning once a year.
Cleaning thoroughly will remove any dirt that has built up and will also prevent future damage.
Lightly scrub the rattan with dishwashing detergent, using slightly more water than you use for the weekly cleaning.
Then, dry the wood expeditiously, use a hair dryer on low heat or place the furniture in the sun.
Once cleaned apply a coat of shellac or lacquer to seal the wood until the next clean.
Place rubber foot stoppers underneath the legs of the furniture.
A piece of rubber between the wood and the floor will prevent accidental damage and splitting of the rattan.
