Tips For Cleaning Resin Wicker Outdoor Furniture

PVC wicker and rattan along with poly resin furniture is growing in popularity. It is attractive to many busy home owners for many reasons. One of those reasons is it being a low maintenance product. PVC wicker, as well as poly resin, is plastic and therefore water and dirt resistant. It can become faded in the sun, damaged by animals and pets who get thrills from gnawing, or damaged when weight limits are not respected. That being said, the longevity of furniture made from this material is mostly up to the owner and how the furniture is cared for. If kept in out of constant direct sunlight, while giving it enough light to reduce the chances of it developing mold or mildew, the furniture will need very little care. If the PVC furniture is to be in a place where it will frequently become wet or be consistently in direct sun, it would be very wise to cover it with outdoor furniture covers. This will help the furniture to stay looking newer longer.

Keeping the furniture out of areas prone to cause mildew and direct sun along with covering the furniture or storing inside during winter months and unpleasant weather, will reduce the amount of cleaning and care the furniture requires. However, outdoor furniture is exposed to the elements and will likely need to be cleaned. Most of the time water and a very mild soap will take care of dirt and rain spots. Should your PVC wicker or poly resin furniture become stubbornly dirty and need to be cleaned more intensely, here are some helpful suggestions for cleaning it:

-Spay the furniture with a hose using the “jet” setting on the hose attachment to remove excess dirt and grime.

-A product designed to clean boats, like Greezed Lightning, melts body oils and grime. Just be sure to do it outside and rinse well with water.

-Most general purpose cleaning sprays like 409, or Fantastic will do the trick too, however, it is important not to let them sit on the finish for more than a few minutes.

-On a tough stain, you can sand past the stained finish with fine grit wet-dry sandpaper or abrasive powdered cleaner and polish the surface with paste wax to help re-finish where you have sanded. Be sure to sand in the direction of the grain (if any) of the resin.

-Mildew can be removed with a spray like Tilex, but be sure to wash clean immediately.

-To get tree sap off your PVC furniture or Vinyl, try Goof Off (or a product similar to that), or WD40. Spray the product on the stain, rub, and wash with soap and water. If any stain remains, try scrubbing with non-gel toothpaste.

If there is remaining concern about caring for your outdoor resin or PVC wicker furniture, contact the manufacturer for help in caring for the product properly. Most furniture does come with care instructions. Do consult these before trying any of the suggestions listed above. Caring for your outdoor furniture properly will keep your outdoor living area looking and feeling clean and fresh for years to come.