Wicker Garden Furniture Care Guide
Wicker garden furniture is a popular option among homeowners looking for a timeless addition to their garden’s design. Not only is wicker furniture built for endurance, but with a natural appeal and authentic aesthetic, wicker furniture is an excellent choice for establishing a cosy corner or populating a larger gathering area.
KETTLER wicker garden furniture is made of a synthetic rattan material. This material lasts much longer than natural rattan, due to some additional protective qualities introduced at the point of manufacture. Synthetic rattan is therefore much easier to clean and maintain.
After settling on your wicker garden furniture, you’ll want to make it thrive and last as long as possible. The best way of doing this is to keep it clean. If you’re wondering how to clean wicker furniture and make it last, this guide is for you. Throughout, we’ll cover the tools needed for wicker furniture maintenance and care, along with a step-by-step cleaning guide.
Things You’ll Need:
Wicker garden furniture is easily maintained, requiring some simple household items for it to be done correctly. In total, you’ll need:
- A soft-bristled brush (old toothbrushes work great)
- Vacuum
- Warm soapy water
- Dry cloth
- Cold water for rinsing
If you’re struggling to find such things, we sell a complete wicker and rattan furniture care kit that includes a specialised cleaner/protector, 2 scrubbing pads and 3 dry cloths. Not only does this kit make cleaning a doddle, it’s 100% water-based and utilises nanotechnology to provide further protection against accidental spills.
How to Clean Wicker Garden Furniture
Pictured LaMode Comfort Chair
With your equipment prepared, use these steps to clean your wicker furniture from top to bottom:
- 1. Preparation: Using a combination of your brush and vacuum, you first need to remove any loose debris such as dust and dry dirt. Failing to do this may result in rubbing these back into the furniture, causing more problems down the road. Due to the tightly woven nature of wicker, a small brush can really help you get into the cracks for a deeper clean. Be sure to also remove all cushions from your furniture before cleaning.
- Mixing your cleaning solution: Next, you should prepare your cleaning solution. Our care kits have this solution already prepared, but you can also use a drop of washing up liquid with warm water in a pinch.
- Scrub the material: With your solution ready, use a small amount to clean the brush you used previously, before applying it directly to the wicker furniture. Depending on how tough the bristles are on your brush, you may need to apply less pressure to avoid damaging the delicate wicker material. We advise that you work from the top downwards, as this will ensure you cover every exposed element.
- Rinse: After your first pass with a brush, take a clean cloth and dip it into some clean cold water. After ringing the cloth until it’s damp, wipe down any dirt you left behind.
- Let it dry: Once you’re satisfied with how clean your wicker furniture is, it’s time to leave it completely dry. You can speed this process up slightly by running over any wet surfaces with a dry cloth.
- Protect: This final step is optional, but we highly recommend it. If using our wicker and rattan care kit, make sure you apply the water repellent protector after your furniture is dry. This solution will improve your furniture’s resistance to accidental spills, prolonging its life.
Wicker Furniture Maintenance Tips
Pictured Charlbury Corner Set
In addition to the above cleaning steps, there are a few additional measures you can take in between deep cleans to prolong the life of your wicker garden furniture:
Avoid Excess Moisture
Exposing wicker garden furniture to excessive moisture can cause the material to expand and deform. Therefore, it’s recommended to not leave it out in the rain or particularly damp environments for extended periods. If possible, move your wicker garden furniture in doors, or shield it with a protective cover.
Clean Up Spills Promptly
Knowing that wicker furniture doesn’t fare well when overexposed to liquids, it’s important that you wipe up any accidental spills or splashes as soon as possible. If left long enough, the liquid can penetrate any protective coatings you apply to the material, inevitably causing expansion.
Store Correctly
As weather conditions are unpredictable, it’s a good idea to store your wicker garden furniture in off-seasons. To prevent temperature shock, ensure your wicker furniture is kept in a well-ventilated, cool room.
How Often Should You Clean Wicker Garden Furniture?
Thankfully, wicker garden furniture is resistant to the scrapes, spills, and scuffs of daily life. Therefore, the rate at which you clean it mostly depends on how well you look after it. With the correct level of care and maintenance, you should only really need to deep clean wicker garden furniture once a year.
In between deep cleans, it’s always a good idea to wipe wicker furniture down lightly with a damp cloth.
How Long Does Wicker Garden Furniture Last?
It’s hard to give a definitive answer around how long wicker garden furniture lasts. Different sets are exposed to different levels of use, making a full prediction tricky.
For the materials themselves, wicker garden furniture can last as long as 20 years with frequent use. The best way of ensuring your wicker furniture lasts this long is to follow our above cleaning steps in addition to keeping it covered when not in use. Thankfully, we sell a variety of garden furniture covers that are all custom-made for a perfect fit.
High Quality Wicker Garden Furniture From KETTLER
Looking for some high-quality wicker garden furniture for your relaxation space? We’ve got an assortment of different furniture pieces right here at KETTLER. There’s the Palma Compact Corner set which is great for maximising your space, and the Charlbury Dining range makes for the perfect seating for entertainment and outdoor dining. Browse all of our wicker garden furniture today and fall in love with this classic design.
