How to clean wicker: baskets, furniture, etc.…

We have more and more decorative elements made of wicker, rattan, or bamboo at home, as they are materials that bring a lot of warmth to the home. From a decorative mirror to a side or coffee table, a headboard and even some of the chairs or armchairs in our living area. But do we know how to keep this type of furniture or decorative items at bay?

How to clean a wicker basket

We can use a toothbrush to clean wicker baskets. As the bristles are so small, they can reach places where a cloth would not reach. However, we must be careful not to lift them abruptly off the surface or we could damage the wickerwork.

We will do this cleaning after vacuuming the items, and if we want to do a more thorough cleaning, we can wet the tip of the brush slightly (unless the type of wickerwork is made of paper) to soften the dirtiest areas and eliminate the dirt more efficiently.

How to clean wicker, rattan, or bamboo furniture

In the case of furniture, we must treat it with great care, carrying out weekly maintenance to keep the fibres in good condition. First of all, we should vacuum them. We can use the accessories of this type of appliance, which have soft brushes so that they can reach every corner of the furniture. This will prevent dust from accumulating on the furniture and thus prevent it from getting damaged.

If we don’t have a hoover, we can wipe the furniture with a fine cloth that does not leave particles of threads.

Then, in both cases, whether we use a hoover or a cloth to remove the dust, we will dampen another cloth with water and ammonia, and wipe the entire surface. Let it dry in the shade.

We can also make other cleaning mixtures. If we don't want to use ammonia, we can mix hot water and neutral detergent, or hot water and coarse salt. 

How to remove mould from wicker

If the piece of furniture has become damp and black mould stains have appeared, all is not lost! To remove the stain and kill the fungus, put hot water and bleach in a basin, and rub the entire surface. After applying this mixture, leave it to dry, preferably in the shade.