Clean Outdoor Wicker Furniture

Garden of a house is much like the crowning glory on top of one’s head. It’s a reminder of how beautiful nature is in its own right. Thus, when we feel the need to enjoy the company of nature in our own gardens, we think of wicker furniture that can be placed outdoors. A wicker couch or just a simple swing that can be hung near the porch is all that we need to gaze at the garden and admire nature. The only flipside is when the wicker furniture that we use outdoors, becomes dirty and we have to clean it. Because wicker furniture is woven, dirt gets stuck in its weaves and cleaning it is quite a job. There is, however, a methodical way to do things that will reduce quite a lot of workload. Read on to know how to clean outdoor wicker furniture.

 

Here is a step-by-step approach to cleaning outdoor wicker furniture:

 

The first step in the process is to use a handheld vacuum to vacuum away the dust that forms a thick coating on the surface of the furniture. If you are cleaning the furniture after a long time, be prepared for loads of work; roll up your sleeves for what you should have done for a long time and kept postponing (procrastinating)!

 

The next step is to get rid of the dirt that gets stuck between the wicker and the crevices. Use a new, soft bristled paintbrush to dry brush all the surfaces. The brush is useful because of the fact that it can go between the gaps in the wicker weave and can loosen any dirt that is stuck on the wicker. Do not neglect the back and bottom of the surface of the furniture.

 

Dip a clean cloth into a bucket with a mixture of water and mild detergent. Wring the cloth so that it is damp, not dripping. Then wipe the wicker surfaces. You will have to begin at the tightest woven sections and make your way to the loosely woven surfaces so that the dirt does not get trapped into the tightly woven areas.

 

In the next step, you will have to clean your wicker furniture using mild soap and water. It is best to take the furniture outside and hose it off using a spray attachment. You will, however, have to be extremely careful not to disturb the wicker weave pattern while the furniture is wet or you may cause permanent damage to the shape of wicker.

 

With a soft dry cloth, wipe every end of the furniture, being extremely cautious about the ends. The weave will be very vulnerable when wet but will become firm again when it dries out. So, till the time it is wet, you will have to work with extreme caution.

 

After the furniture has been wiped dry, it needs to be kept in the sun to dry out completely. If you begin to use it before it is completely dry, you will have to deal with mold and other kinds of fungus.