Resin wicker is a plastic so it is water resistant and does not show dirt as much as other furniture especially if it is a dark color. However, it can fade from being left in the sun regularly, become brittle, and if there are cushions they can fade and get damaged from the weather as well. The sun can turn white wicker yellow and brown wicker. The longevity of your furniture will be up to you and how well you take care of it over the years.
If you are able to cover the furniture when it is not in use or when there is bad weather that will help. Try to keep it out of direct sunlight if possible and store in dry places so that it doesn’t get mildew or mold on it. In the winter if you have a place to store it indoors that would help the longevity as well. You also want to avoid putting the furniture next to open fires, fireplaces, wood burners, or heating vents as this can dry out the wicker and make it brittle. It is also a fire hazard because wicker is made of wood. If you need to clean your furniture when it gets dirty usually mild soap and water will work on the wicker and the cushions. However, if the cushions get extremely dirty most high quality wicker furniture will allow you to take the covers off so that you can put them through a gentle wash cycle or take them to the dry cleaners or you may just want to hire a furniture cleaner to steam clean it for convenience.
Some other helpful tips if mild soap and water do not work to clean your furniture are to get a hose out and most cleaners like Fantastic and 409 will usually do the trick. Just don’t let the cleaners sit on the furniture long and make sure you rinse it really good. If there is mildew then Tilex works great, again, rinse well. If you get anything sticky that won’t come off such as sap from a tree you can get products that are designed to get grease and other dirt off boats that work well. If there are stains on the wicker that you can’t get off having tried the above methods you can sand the wicker down with sand paper and then refinish it with wax paste or something that will make the area shiny again. In some cases the wicker will need to be painted again after sanding.
All in all wicker is very durable and if taken care of properly by applying everything I spoke of above it will last a long time and you will create lots of great memories socializing, dining, laughing, or sunbathing by the pool. I hope this helps you to maintain and clean your wicker furniture and will make you more confident in your investment in this beautiful outdoor patio furniture so that you will love it for years to come.
