Helpful Guide To Clean And Restore Your Outdoor Wicker Furniture
Wicker furniture accentuates your home's exterior and provides you a comfortable place to relax on your outdoor patio or porch. However, it is important and necessary to clean your wicker furniture throughout the year and complete periodic maintenance. Here are some instructions to help you clean and paint your wicker furniture to keep it looking nice.
Clean Dirt and Mildew
The first step to restoring your outdoor wicker furniture is to clean the outside of the pieces to remove any dirt, loose debris, and mold or mildew. Use a cleaning rag and some warm water combined with some liquid dish soap to wipe down the surface of the wicker. Use a plastic-bristled brush and water to remove any flaking paint.
If there are any hard-to-reach areas and corners on your furniture that have a build-up of dirt, use a toothbrush and warm water combined with liquid dish detergent to clean them out.
To remove mildew and mold from your wicker furniture, combine a mixture of white vinegar and water and apply it onto the furniture with a cleaning cloth. Scrub to remove the mold and mildew from the surface and any grooves with a plastic bristle brush.
Once you have removed any dirt, debris and mold or mildew, rinse down your furniture with your garden hose with a nozzle sprayer attachment to rinse them clean of the cleaning solutions.
Repair Damage
Allow the wicker fibers of your furniture to dry fully in a warm room or outside if the weather is mild and sunny. It may take a couple days for the wicker to thoroughly dry out before you can repair any damage and paint the furniture.
You can now repair any damaged sections of wicker with a hot glue gun or a container of carpenter's wood glue. Apply a small amount of the glue on a fractured piece of wicker and press the two broken ends together until the glue seals the repair together. Apply any additional glue onto the repaired area to fill in any missing wicker fibers.
Prime and Paint
It is recommended to apply a couple coats of wood primer to your wicker furniture if you plan to paint it. This helps prevent the final coat of paint from soaking into the wicker fibers. Apply two coats of an oil-based primer onto the wicker furniture. Be sure to allow the primer to dry between coats. Turn the wicker furniture upside down to apply a coat onto the underside of your furniture; otherwise, your furniture will show bare spots in the paint.
Apply one or two coats of an oil-based paint to complete your furniture. Using an oil-based paint versus a latex paint helps the paint to adhere and last longer, as the paint is more flexible and won't peel and flake off your furniture as soon as other paints.
Use these instructions to keep your wicker furniture looking beautiful. Visit websites like http://www.mh2g.com/ to learn more.