Post #520012 by waterbaby on Thu, Mar 25, 2010 11:54 PM

TiVato, it's interesting you should ask. I knew absolutely nothing about rattan a year ago, so I ended up cleaning the furniture two times two different ways and still wasn't satisfied with the results. Then I lucked out when I found information on Tiki Central and followed it to refinish the rattan the correct way to get the warm honey tone you may be able to see in the photos. The first time, I just used a dampened rag and dampened toothbrush to get all the dust and grime out of all the nooks and crannies, which was quite a chore, since at that time I also had a six-band, four-piece sectional and two, three-tier tables, in addition to the pieces I posted this week. However, when I got all the rattan transported to my own home and saw them in better light in my garage, I couldn't believe all the grime still in the grooves, so I started cleaning all the pieces the second time--but using a stiffer brush with some dish soap added, being careful not to use too much water. I finished with a light coating of Pledge. Aaargh. That process got most of the dirt out of the grooves, but it didn't remove the tiny dirt lines that had worked themselves into the varnish finish over the years. That was about the time I finally joined Tiki Central and read the proper way to refinish rattan. 1) Use 3M Heavy Duty Scour Pad, being careful to always work WITH the grain and using just enough pressure to remove only the varnish you wish to remove--all or a small amount. (I added a little warm water to the scouring pad when the grime was deeply embedded and used a stiff toothbrush and Q-tips, especially inside the pretzels. The scouring pad was what finally buffed out the grime embedded in the varnish.) Make certain you dry the rattan as you go because you don't want the rattan water-soaked. When entirely clean and free of dust (use a tack cloth, if necessary), start applying LIGHT coats of boiled linseed oil with a soft cloth, letting it set awhile before buffing it to a shine with a soft dry cloth. (Don't put too much on at once or let it set too long, or it gets sticky and too difficult to buff to a shine. You'll get a feel for how much and how long by trial and error.) You can wait a few days to a week for the second coat (depending on how warm the weather/room), and another week for the third coat, repeating the process the way you originally did. If you find you have a sticky spot you can't buff to a shine, just reuse the scouring pad lightly to buff it smooth and start that spot over. If you have the time and patience, you can keep up a monthly addition of linseed oil for a year, especially if the original rattan isn't in great shape to begin with. My rattan was in pretty good condition, so I stopped at about five applications of linseed oil, which yielded the golden glow I wanted. By the way, others may prefer to have a hard varnish finish on their rattan, but I don't know anything about that process. I just always loved the natural glow of woods myself, and that's why I chose the linseed oil process. A matter of personal preference. I'm certain those who buy these pieces will have their own ideas about how to make them even better. I'm not in the business of rattan renovation; I just wanted to be proud of what I was putting on the market instead of selling junk. And have patience. This took me several months of elbow grease because I'm kinda' slow, picky and obsessive/compulsive about doing a good job. Plus I also refinished all those teensy pieces of lamps and table decor the same way. By the way, a search of Tiki Central also yields information about how to clean super filthy rattan prior to refinishing it. You coat it with some type of super-duper remover; then wash off the remover and filth in a car wash. Honest. I read it last summer, but can't remember where. Maybe someone else can tell you where on this site or give further info. Hope this has been of some help. (Tomorrow I vow to learn how to add pictures to my posting!!)