Wicker basket outside - how to clean & protect?

*miaomiao*

Good morning!

Hoping you fellow MSE folks can help with a bit of advice.

I have a lovely large wicker basket finished in a honey stain on the front of my bicycle. Unfortunately, my bicycle has to live in a damp basement when I am not riding it and this has caused some mildew/mould to grow on it during rainy times!

I've had to wipe down the basked with a bit of bleach water to kill the mildew and I try quite hard to let it dry out in the sun on a regular basis.

Now I'm wondering if I should feed the wicker with some sort of wax, etc to protect the wicker and to keep it from drying out.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

meritaten

ok - you know you can scrub wicker with soapy water or even bleach to clean it!
hun, the only thing I can think of which would protect it from being in a damp atmosphere is varnish. wicker is a sort of wood product and although a wax would protect it somewhat you will have a hell of job getting the wax into all the nooks and crannies!
I would use yacht varnish as that is specifically to repel water or failing that an outdoor varnish and if you could get it in a spray can all the better! otherwise a light coat worked well in with a brush! and make sure the wicker is REALLY dry before you do it otherwise you will lock the moisture in and ruin it. hope this works as well looked after wicker can last years! (I hope so - I intend having my coffin made out of it!)

just read this back and realised how stupid the last sentence is! lmao I only need it to last a few days dont I?

*miaomiao*

Thanks for the fantastic suggestion about varnishing it. I will wait until the basket is really dry (perhaps I'll bring it inside when the central heating is on) and then I'll spray varnish it. Wonderful idea. I love wicker too, and I want it to last ages yet!

p.s. I rather like the idea of a wicker coffin! : )

meritaten

*miaomiao* wrote: »

Thanks for the fantastic suggestion about varnishing it. I will wait until the basket is really dry (perhaps I'll bring it inside when the central heating is on) and then I'll spray varnish it. Wonderful idea. I love wicker too, and I want it to last ages yet!

p.s. I rather like the idea of a wicker coffin! : )

google wicker coffins (uk sites) and have a look at the truly beautiful ones you can get these days!!! I showed my oh the one I want and he said it was wasted on a burial - I may surprise him one day and buy one to use as a coffee table until required! they arent as expensive as I thought they would be either!