Apr
17
Outdoor Patio Furniture: How To Care for Your Wicker
Outdoor patio furniture is exposed much of the year to various forces of nature, and your pieces must be cared for well to make sure that that they are functional and can be used for years to come. Wicker is one of the most commonly used materials for these types of furniture, as it is aesthetically-pleasing, light and yet sturdy at the same time, and is low-maintenance.
In getting started, we need to know more about wicker. It is a hard fiber taken from different kinds of plants, grasses and vines that are woven to make baskets and furniture. Four main sources of wicker are rattan, bamboo, reed, and willow. It has been discovered that this material was used during the time of the ancient Egyptians and even the Iron Age.
Though having wicker outdoor furniture has a lot of pros, it also comes with a number of cons. Due to sun exposure, over time your wicker furniture can begin to fade. Other mishaps such as the furniture seats and legs being chewed on by pets, mildew growing on them in cold weather or when exposed to rain and dew, weakening can result from too much weight, and they can get brittle or crack from the heat and humidity.
However, this is not a cause for alarm, since caring for your wicker outdoor furniture doesn’t have to be a difficult task. Maintenance is quite easy as all you need to do is use a vacuum to collect the loose dirt or wipe them down with some soap and water or a damp cloth.
Cover your wicker outdoor furniture with a coat of varnish, shellac or lacquer to protect them and maintain their quality, then finish off with a little furniture wax. A fresh coat of paint should be applied to painter wicker. For stains, sandpaper or abrasive powdered cleaner can be used. Then for damage control, use paste wax for covering up the part that was sanded off.
When the colder climate settles in, store your outdoor patio furniture properly in your garage or basement. To keep mold away while in storage, clean and dry them thoroughly beforehand, then wrap them in a large plastic cover. Keep them away from radiators, heater vents, fireplaces, and other sources of dry heat.
If all of these measures are taken to take care of your wicker patio furniture then it should keeps its form and function for quite a while.