Rattan furniture provides the perfect style and comfort for outdoor garden settings creating a special relaxing environment. It looks great in combination with poolside umbrellas or it provides the perfect lounge chair for reading in the garden. Rattan furniture is comprised of stems from tropical plants and may be used in conjunction with bamboo, willow and reeds. Plants, vines or grasses are woven into wicker patterns creating chairs and loungers and then treated as a finished product.

This good looking lightweight furniture style has been popular in homes since the mid 1800s in the United States and abroad. Since rattan furniture pieces are so popular for decorating it’s easy to choose whatever styles and colors you want from local stores or you can find a good variety on the Internet.

Taking proper care of rattan furniture is relatively easy and cleaning properly should reward you with sturdy comfortable chairs for many years. Let’s look at some tips for cleaning rattan garden furniture. If you have decorative cushions on the rattan pieces remove them and check the labels for proper cleaning procedures. Some types of fabric may require dry cleaning and some can easily be washed at home with the washer and dryer.

Ideally if you have a vacuum cleaner with attachments use a soft brush attachment to suck all the dirt and debris from in between all the crevices front, back and inside of the chair or lounger. If there is not a vacuum available work it over gently with a broom. Vacuuming and cleaning rattan furniture is best done outdoors in a clean dry area such as a porch or patio and away from swimming pools (dirt getting in the pool).

Unless you have a sticky dried on stain a mild cleaning solution should be sufficient for cleaning most outdoor or indoor rattan pieces. Mix up a gentle cleaning solution made from one to three tablespoons of liquid dish detergent to one gallon of water (preferably warm) in a bucket. Use a sponge or rag with the soapy solution to wipe down all the parts of each piece of furniture.

Hard to reach areas can be scrubbed with an old toothbrush and use it to remove stubborn stains as well. After you have removed all the dust and debris and removed any sticky spots then hose it down to remove the soapy solution. Set the rattan pieces in a clean dry area in the sunshine to dry.

Make sure each piece is thoroughly dry before adding the cushions back on and placing the furniture back in your home or garden setting. Rattan regains its original shape as it begins to dry if it has been slightly distorted from previous use. For this reason do not ever sit in wet rattan as it may stretch the reeds into a new shape.

Dusting and or vacuuming once a month should adequately keep rattan clean and looking good. If you spot clean spills as they occur it makes maintenance that much easier. Rattan furniture is well made and with periodic cleanings it should stay beautiful for years to come.

When summer rolls around, you want to spend time outdoors. To do so, you must have garden furniture. But what type of furniture is good to own?

Rattan garden furniture would make a beautiful addition to your backyard or patio. It has a very stylish and elegant appearance. When you invite family and friends to your home for a barbecue, you can be proud of how nice your rattan garden furniture will look and the compliments you will receive.

But what exactly is rattan? Rattan has been around for quite some time. It comes from a vine and is woven into the designs that comprise the furniture you see. It is pliable when heated, which enables the weaving process to be accomplished, and when it cools, it becomes a very durable material. Thus, rattan furniture is born.

Traditional rattan is beautiful and sturdy but does have to be kept out of moisture. It should never be left in the rain and should only be outside when in use. If you want to be able to keep your rattan garden furniture outside without having to worry about exposure to rain or other types of moisture, then you would be interested in synthetic rattan, a man-made material that will not develop mold in a moist environment. It, too, is very strong and durable, and it will also last longer than traditional rattan.

Another fact to keep in mind is that traditional rattan furniture is more expensive than the synthetic variety. So your choice in rattan garden furniture may depend on what type of budget you are working with.

Rattan garden furniture comes in a variety of colors, and usually tables will be topped with glass. Vibrant cushions on the chairs can add beauty to furniture that is already very appealing to the eye. You can also add extra pieces to your set, such as coffee tables or footstools.

This type of furniture would also look quite lovely in a conservatory, and since it would be inside and not exposed to moisture, you could decide on using traditional rattan garden furniture without any worries about mold damage.

Whether you choose traditional rattan or synthetic rattan for your garden furniture, you will be purchasing pieces that will give your patio or deck a distinctive look and will be very pleasing to the eye. Rattan garden furniture never goes out of style. It has been around for many years and will continue to exist for many more years to come. Your decision as to what type of rattan garden furniture you purchase will depend on where you intend to use it and what your budget will be.

Give rattan garden furniture a try and enjoy!