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28 de October de 2025
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Rattan has become one of the most popular materials for terrace and garden furniture, as it has great strength and durability properties, as well as offering a natural and cosy appearance.
Although rattan furniture is very easy to maintain (especially synthetic rattan), it is advisable to take care of it to keep it in good condition, but do you know how to clean rattan furniture properly to keep it looking as good as new?
In this post, we tell you how to clean synthetic and natural rattan, giving you the best tips and tricks to keep your rattan armchairs, sofas and chairs looking impeccable.
Before telling you what rattan is, you should know that there are two different types of rattan: natural and synthetic.
Natural rattan is a vegetable fibre that comes from a species of tropical palm tree. It is a climbing plant that grows in the forested areas of Southeast Asia and part of Africa, characterised by the hardness and resistance of its wood. In addition, this material is resistant to moisture and pests, which gives it a long service life.
Synthetic rattan, on the other hand, is an imitation of synthetic rattan, usually made of polyethylene, but which looks very similar to natural rattan. In addition to being cheaper than natural rattan, artificial rattan is more durable and even more resistant to outdoor conditions, which is why its use for gardens and terraces has become so widespread in recent times. In fact, it is one of the most popular materials for garden furniture, along with aluminium or stainless steel for outdoor use.
Since artificial rattan is used more frequently than natural rattan, we will focus this article on how to clean synthetic rattan, although we will also briefly discuss how to clean natural rattan furniture at the end.
Before cleaning your imitation rattan furniture, there are a few things to keep in mind, which are detailed below:
– If you’re wondering when to clean rattan, ideally three times a year: before the good weather starts, in mid-summer and once the hot days are over. Of course, in between these cleanings you can do some basic maintenance to dust the furniture, but you don’t need to invest too much time.
– Remember to protect your hands with gloves before cleaning. Although non-abrasive products are ideal, it is always a good idea to cover your hands to prevent them from coming into contact with the detergent.
– Take your furniture to a spacious place so that you can clean it comfortably, without anything getting in the way.
– Take the opportunity to check that the furniture is in good condition and has no damage from use.
– If they have covers or cushions, check that they are clean and, if not, take the opportunity to put them in the washing machine.
– Before starting to clean them, dust them with a cloth, duster or the product you usually use to clean the rest of your furniture.
– Never use chemically aggressive products that could damage your furniture.
As for the products you need to clean your synthetic rattan furniture , they are quite basic. In general, you will use:
– Cloth, cloth or sponge.
– Neutral detergent.
– Soft bristle brush.
– Hose (optional).
– Specific cleaning products for synthetic rattan (also optional, as they are not usually necessary).
– When cleaning rattan furniture, the first thing to do, as mentioned above, is to remove dust as you would with any other piece of furniture.
– Once this has been done, wipe with a cloth or sponge with water and a little mild detergent to remove any dirt and grime that has accumulated.
– If there are stains, insist more on these areas, rubbing with the sponge or cloth with detergent, but gently, without exerting too much pressure. For hard-to-reach areas, you can use a soft-bristled brush.
– Rinse off any soap residue by wiping again with water or, if you prefer, with a hose.
– Let the furniture dry in the sun for a long time, at least two hours. If this is not possible, you can also dry them by wiping them with a dry cloth.
Since rattan furniture is very resistant to outdoor conditions, it doesn’t need much care once you have cleaned it. Although you can use covers to protect it from the sun and rain, it is not really necessary to do so.
However, if you are not going to clean them during the winter because you are not going to use them, it is advisable to cover them to prevent them from accumulating dust and dirt.
Also, a little tip on how to clean rattan chairs: after hosing them down or wiping them down with a damp cloth, leave them on a table, wall or other piece of furniture so that they are tilted to remove excess water.
If you want to know how to clean wicker or natural rattan, you should know that it is a somewhat more delicate material than synthetic rattan. Although many of the techniques that we have explained throughout the article can also be used, it is worth pointing out some of them so that your furniture remains in perfect condition:
– To clean natural rattan, we recommend using a dry cloth or vacuuming gently once a week to remove accumulated dust.
– As for deep cleaning, if your furniture is outdoors all year round, you should do one every three months or so, increasing the frequency during the summer months when you use it more.
– For deep cleaning, you can use a cloth with warm water and neutral detergent. Afterwards, rinse and dry the furniture, but do not use too much water. In this case, the hose is not a good option, as the accumulation of moisture can lead to the appearance of fungus.
– If a stain is still stubborn, we recommend using salt water or adding a splash of vinegar to the water and detergent mix. If you still can’t get rid of the stain, try adding a little ammonia.
– Although you should never use bleach to clean rattan furniture, it is useful for removing mould stains. To do this, add a few drops of bleach to hot water, pour the mixture over the fungus and let it dry.
– It is advisable to apply linseed oil to nourish the wicker or rattan and ensure that it retains its original shine.
– In the case of natural rattan, it is advisable to protect your furniture a little more, covering it with covers when not in use or leaving it in the shade, under an awning or parasol.
If you have any doubts about how to clean your rattan furniture, don’t worry, at Home Zentrum we can help you! Contact us and we will advise you on the best way to care for this popular material for your outdoor furniture.
