How to care your rattan furniture?
Rattan furniture is comprised of sections made from woven strands of rattan, a climbing species of palm. Rattan is similar to wicker and the care and restoration of both is much the same. It seems that rattan furniture never goes out of style. Rattan furniture is believed to go back as far as the time of the pharaohs in ancient Egypt, but it began to appear in homes in the 1700s to 1800s in England and the United States. Highly durable, this environmentally friendly furniture is perfect for both indoors and outdoors and is very easy to clean and maintain. Most rattan furniture needs only basic cleaning and care to preserve its natural strength and color. Follow these steps to keep your rattan furniture looking as beautiful as the day you bought it.

1.Remove any cushions and clean them according to the directions on the tag. Most of the time, they can be cleaned in the washer and dryer, but some may include special care instructions. Clean the surface regularly. A monthly or even weekly cleaning is the best way to protect your rattan furniture and prevent major damage. Clean with a little dishwashing detergent diluted into water. Skim the suds off the top of the water with a soft cloth and then wipe the furniture's surface without getting the wood wet. Be sure to get into crevices and grooves with a toothbrush or other small brush.

2.Some kinds of rattan furniture just keep indoors.For example, keep your rattan sofa indoors and preferably out of direct sunlight and the furniture will last long and look better.

3.Care for stains or other major damage immediately. Use detergent and a cloth to scrub out stains as soon as they occur. For more serious damage like cracking or splitting of the wood, try boiled linseed oil to put moisture back into the material. For the real tough stuff, contact a rattan or wicker expert who can care for the wood with expertise.

4.Do a major cleaning once a year. A thorough cleaning will take care of dirt buildup and will also prevent further damage. Scrub the rattan with detergent, using slightly more water than you use for the weekly cleaning. Then, dry the wood as quickly as possible, using a hair dryer or setting the furniture in the sun. Finally, apply a coat of shellac or lacquer to seal the wood until the next year's cleaning.

5.Place rubber stoppers underneath the legs of the furniture. Keeping a bit of rubber between the wood and the floor will prevent unnecessary damage and splitting of the rattan.