Post #309088 by Martiki-bird on Sat, May 26, 2007 9:18 AM

Oh wow! I saw this one up for auction (eBay probably) and thought it was an excellent piece. Congratulations on your new addition.

These are the basic steps that I follow when cleaning bamboo/rattan/cane:

The first step to clean it is to vacuum it thoroughly using the crevice and upholstery brush attachments. Then use a medium bristle brush like a vegetable brush (or soft paintbrush with bristles cut to about 1") to work at the dirt in the crevices and vacuum again. A firm tooth brush can be used for places you can't reach with a larger tool. For tiny crevices, I've used an orangewood stick (for ladies' nails) or a dowel sharpened in a pencil sharpener.

After the loose dirt & debris are removed, you can then attack the remaining dirt with a solution of mild detergent and water (a couple of drops in a quart of water) and a brush or a cloth. Be sure to tilt the piece so that the water runs off it, and go easy on the water. I've found that an e-cheapo spray bottle filled with the detergent solution works well. ... I think that the piece has a hardwood base, so be careful of letting water collect there.

Thoroughly rinse the soap off and let the piece dry in the shade, preferably when a warm wind is blowing.

Those are the basics, so if I haven't answered a specific question you have, fire away!

Martiki-bird (Gina)