Wicker is everywhere in outdoor furniture, and for good reason. The woven look softens a hard paved area, the material is light to move and a good synthetic weave handles Australian weather better than most people expect. But the weave that makes wicker attractive is also what makes it different to care for. Dirt gets into the gaps. Leaves lodge in the corners. And most advice online is written for antique cane chairs rather than the modern outdoor lounge on your patio. Here is care advice for the wicker you actually own.
First, work out which wicker you have
Almost all outdoor wicker sold today is synthetic. The strands are made from weather-resistant resin, woven over an aluminium or steel frame, and the whole point of the material is to live outside. If you bought your setting new from an outdoor furniture retailer in recent years, this is almost certainly what you have.
Natural rattan and cane are different. They are real plant fibres, they belong indoors or under full cover, and left in rain and sun they will fade, dry out and eventually crack. If you have inherited a natural piece, treat it as indoor furniture that visits the verandah, not outdoor furniture. The rest of this guide is written for the synthetic weave that makes up the modern outdoor ranges.
The routine clean is easier than you think
Synthetic wicker asks very little. Warm water, a small amount of dishwashing liquid and a soft brush or cloth handle almost everything. Work along the direction of the weave rather than scrubbing across it, then rinse with a gentle hose and let the piece dry in the open air.
What to avoid matters as much as what to do. Skip harsh solvents and abrasive cleaners, which can dull or damage the strands. Skip stiff wire brushes for the same reason. And be careful with pressure washers. From a distance on a wide setting they can be fine, but up close a strong jet can drive water into the frame and shift strands out of place. The soft brush is slower and safer, and wicker rarely needs more.
Getting grit out of the weave
The gaps in the weave are where wicker collects its reputation for being fussy. Dust, cobwebs, crumbs and gum leaves all find their way in. The fastest fix is a vacuum with a brush attachment, run over the piece before any wet cleaning. What the vacuum will not lift, a dry paintbrush or an old soft toothbrush will tease out of the corners.
Do this dry step first. Wet cleaning on top of trapped grit just turns the grit into mud and pushes it deeper into the weave. A five minute vacuum before the wash makes the whole job better and faster.
Sun, rain and where the piece lives
Quality synthetic weave is made for outdoor life, but nothing is immune to years of harsh sun. Furniture that lives under a pergola, an umbrella or a covered alfresco area keeps its colour and flexibility noticeably longer than furniture in an all-day full-sun position. If your setting must live in the open, a fitted cover during the months you are not using it is the single best thing you can do for it. Our outdoor furniture cover range covers most common setting shapes.
Ground moisture is the quieter enemy. Wicker sitting on lawn or soil wicks damp up into the frame's feet. Hard surfaces are better, and checking that drainage holes under the seat are clear stops water pooling inside the base after rain.
Loose strands and small repairs
If a strand works loose at an end, tuck it back into the weave pattern while it is intact rather than leaving it to catch on clothing and pull further. Do not cut a loose strand off. A trimmed strand cannot be re-woven, and what was a five minute fix becomes a visible gap. If a section is genuinely unravelling or a strand has snapped, contact the retailer or manufacturer before attempting anything, because a weave repair done early is far simpler than one done after a summer of use.
It is also worth checking the frame occasionally. Tighten any accessible bolts once a season and look at the feet, since worn or missing foot caps let the frame sit directly on wet ground.
Cushions carry half the workload
Most wicker settings are used with cushions, and the cushions usually need attention long before the weave does. Shake and air them regularly, deal with spills promptly and store them somewhere dry when the setting is out of use for weeks at a time. A clean weave under tired cushions still looks tired. If yours are past their best, our cushions and covers collection is the place to start fresh.
Cared for this way, a good synthetic wicker setting stays presentable for years with nothing more than a seasonal wash and a vacuum in between. It is one of the lowest-maintenance materials you can put outside, as long as the maintenance it does get is the right kind. If you are still choosing a setting, you can see the range of weaves across our outdoor lounge settings and compare them in the flesh against aluminium and timber alternatives. If you are torn between weave and metal, our wicker vs aluminium lounge comparison covers which lasts longer outside.
The short version: vacuum first, wash gently, keep it off the lawn, cover it when idle and never cut a loose strand. That is the whole job.
