Maintenance & Longevity
(Or: How to Keep Your Rattan From Turning Into Regret Over the Next Decade) You’ve done it. The rattan is attached, the glue is dry, the trim is on, and…
(Or: How to Keep Your Rattan From Turning Into Regret Over the Next Decade)
You’ve done it. The rattan is attached, the glue is dry, the trim is on, and you’ve finally stopped finding cane fibres in your tea. Your furniture looks so good it might start giving the rest of the house ideas.
Now the trick is to keep it that way.
For Indoor Furniture: Dust, Dryness, and the Occasional Existential Crisis
Indoor rattan doesn’t need much, but it does need consistency. Much like a cat, or your favourite barista.
Your enemies:
- Dust (gets in the holes)
- Dry air (makes cane brittle)
- Direct sunlight (bleaches cane until it looks like a ghost of itself)
Your allies:
- A soft brush or vacuum with a brush attachment
- A slightly damp cloth (never a wet one — rattan is a fan of gentle metaphors, not soaking)
- A humidifier in winter if you live somewhere that dries out like a biscuit left on the radiator
Optional heroism: Once or twice a year, wipe the cane with lemon oil, boiled linseed oil, or something equally dignified. This keeps it supple and gives it the kind of glow normally reserved for smug skincare influencers.
For Outdoor Furniture: The Weather Is Coming
Outdoor cane furniture is a tale of courage. Unless it’s synthetic. Then it’s more of a smug shrug.
Natural rattan outdoors?
- Needs sealing. Multiple coats. Think spar varnish or marine-grade finishes. The kind of stuff you’d put on a boat or a very paranoid picnic table.
- Must be kept under cover when possible. Porches: yes. Garden path with no roof: no.
- Regular checks for mildew, sun damage, or insects who have decided your chair is a fixer-upper.
Synthetic rattan?
- Hose it down.
- Wipe it occasionally.
- Laugh in the face of UV.
Still, even synthetic should be cleaned now and then. Use soapy water and a cloth. If mildew appears, a mild bleach solution works — though you should absolutely test first, unless you want tie-dye cane.
Sagging? Moisture to the Rescue
Natural cane sags when it’s dry, and tightens when it’s damp. It’s basically made of drama.
If your seat looks like a sad trampoline:
- Flip it over.
- Lightly mist the underside of the cane with warm water.
- Let it dry overnight.
With luck, it will shrink back into shape like a well-behaved toddler returning from a sugar crash.
Don’t do this too often, though — repeated soaking makes cane brittle. Use this trick like you’d use emergency glitter: sparingly, and only in cases of true need.
Tiny Repairs (The Threadbare Path to Heroism)
- One strand broken? Weave in a spare bit and glue the ends discreetly. Congratulations: you are now a basket surgeon.
- Multiple strands? Probably time to replace the sheet. Grit your teeth. Remember, you’ve done this once before. This time, you’ll be even better.
- Loose spline or trim? Pry up gently, reglue, reattach. Try not to curse. The furniture is listening.
