How to bring dry rattan furniture back to life

Rattan furniture is made from robust, sturdy plant-based materials that look elegant in any home space. Rattan is also a key ingredient in many pieces of wicker furniture. Though rattan is a strong, hard material, it can be susceptible to becoming dry and brittle if it spends too much time in the sun. Luckily, there are steps you can take to ensure your rattan or wicker furniture is consistently moisturized and protected from unwanted cracking.

There are several fluids you can use to humidify drying rattan furniture. Tung oil, lemon oil, boiled linseed oil, or even a mix of water and oil-based soap can be sprayed onto furniture to moisten dry areas. You can also rub down your furniture with a damp cloth. This dampens the rattan and cleans it at the same time, protecting it against mildew that ruins the furniture’s appearance and hygiene.

It’s important not just to make sure the furniture is moisturized, but also to make sure the area it is in has sufficient moisture to sustain the furniture pieces. If your furniture is being stored indoors, this means keeping it out of areas where it will be exposed to heat and sunlight. It might even be worth investing in a humidifier if you keep the furniture in a naturally dry area.

Cleaning and refinishing are also essential parts of the preservation process for rattan furniture. Vacuuming your furniture, then gently scrubbing dirt away with a brush is the first step of this process. You might want to use a bit of soap or bleach with the brush, depending on how tough to deal with the dirt is. After this, applying a new finish or sealant is what will help your furniture last much longer. You’ll want to sand the furniture’s surface a bit to help the new finish adhere to it. After this, you can apply a new coat of varnish to the furniture either with a spray can or a brush.

Wicker Paradise provided this blog because they are in the business of providing durable, long-lasting wicker and rattan furniture. No other type of furniture can replicate the exquisite beauty of rattan, so Wicker Paradise aims to introduce customers to these unique, rustic furnishings that can turn any room into a tropical paradise. If you haven’t experienced it for yourself, be sure to browse their selection of outdoor rattan furniture and follow these tips to preserve any furniture pieces you decide to take home with you.