What is rattan?
Coming from the palm tree called rattan, rattan is a stem generally used for making furniture and objects. It has the shape of a thorny liana and can reach a length of 200 meters. Rattan grows in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia.
A very trendy natural material in basketry,
rattan is now one of the favorite materials of French cabinetmakers.
What are the qualities of rattan?
The different qualities of rattan are:
Lightness: the rattan liana, both dense and light, makes very strong and very light furniture;
Resistance: rattan furniture is very strong and quite resistant to rain and sun. However, it should not be stored in a damp place or left out in the rain for an entire season.
What color is rattan?
Rattan can have the following colors:
natural coloring: natural rattan has several shades ranging from pale yellow: Manila rattan to dark brown (Malacca rattan);
artificial coloring: it is now possible to opt for a more original coloring through paint. You can thus give your furniture and objects the color you like.
Why would you want to strip your rattan furniture?
To strip rattan is to remove the top layer of the material to give it a new color or more shine. You can add a touch of originality, standardize the color of your furniture or simply restore and refresh it.
Our Maison Louis Drucker techniques for effective stripping of your rattan furniture
For stripping your rattan furniture, who better than your Maison Louis Drucker experts. The various
cleaning techniques that we offer are:
Stripping oiled rattan
To clean oiled rattan furniture, you can use water with added detergent at a rate of 25 grams or two tablespoons per liter of water. Use a nylon brush to scrub before rinsing with water. After draining, you can apply 90° alcohol before wiping with a damp cloth.
However, this last operation is not essential, as it is quite delicate and risks damaging your rattan.
Stripping moldy rattan
To clean gray moldy rattan chairs, don't worry! Rub it with a sponge soaked in a mixture of one liter of lukewarm water, then let the furniture rest.
To clean synthetic rattan furniture, let it air dry without exposing it to the sun. Use a hairdryer to speed up drying if it is natural rattan.
Stripping white rattan
If you want to strip your
white rattan furniture, you will have to repaint it white or another color. If you want to strip it, mix 2 tablespoons of lemon with a liter of water and scrub vigorously all over the rattan with a brush to bring out the gray and black stains. And if you can't restore its original whiteness, you can always repaint your furniture in a special color.
Stripping varnished rattan
The
cleaning of varnished rattan is an operation that requires a lot of care and perseverance. Rub with a stripping brush. Afterwards, wipe with a soft cloth. Once the furniture is dry, apply clear varnish to it to protect it.
You now know how to strip your rattan furniture. However, rather than doing it yourself, what could be better than having it done by experts with skillful hands. At Maison Louis Drucker, you will find experienced specialists for cleaning your rattan and even furniture made from this material.
