How To Remove Rust From Wicker Furniture

Wicker remains a popular furniture choice even after decades, but it’s essential to maintain them, especially if they are outside. Some of my wicker furniture consists of metal and wicker, and rust can rear its ugly head after a few days of hard rainfall. It requires that I remove the rust to preserve them, but how do you remove rust from wicker furniture?

You can remove rust from wicker furniture by utilizing mixing solutions of water & white vinegar, lemon juice & salt, baking soda & water, and potatoes with the option of baking soda. Every solution is safe for the wicker and metal and requires leaving it to dry thoroughly for at least 30 minutes.

Wicker furniture is often a gift from family or friends, and other times they are bought with a pretty penny. Regardless of your predicament, we’ll explore affordable and reliable ways to remove the rust and restore them to their original condition. Each step is straightforward and takes little to no time to complete, so let’s get to it!

How To Remove Rust From Wicker Furniture?

The invention of wicker furniture stands tall as one of history’s most impressive inventions, and it retains its achievement even today. Wicker comes from various plant sources, including the cores of cane, rattan stalks, reed & bamboo, and thick willow switches. Despite their incredible strength and unique aesthetic, you must maintain them if you want them to retain their charm.

While furniture consisting solely of wicker cannot rust because it doesn’t contain iron, some wicker pieces like chairs have metal frames that are susceptible to rust. Given enough rust, it will become brittle and start to crumble, producing sharp edges and possibly staining the wicker. So, let’s look at some solutions to remove rust from wicker furniture!

White Vinegar

Vinegar is an excellent solution for removing rust from wicker furniture despite its acidic properties. It’s completely safe and does not cause breakage, discoloration, or weakening on wicker furniture. In addition to removing rust, it eliminates mildew and mold inhabiting wicker furniture that spent prolonged periods outside in the elements.

You will need these items to get the process started:

A large empty bowl
White vinegar
Water
Dishwash scrubber (regular or steel) / Wire brush
Microfiber cloth

First, you’ll need to pour a mixture of 75 percent water and 25 percent water into the large empty bowl. Afterward, soak your scrubbing tool in the solution to ensure it is well coated.

Second, scrub the oxidized metal area to remove rusted areas and smooth the surface. You’ll need to use restraint with painted furniture to avoid accidentally removing the paint in the process. Don’t hold back if your initial plan was to restore the furniture and repaint it. Don’t hesitate to re-soak the scrubber if you think you need more of the vinegar and water solution.

Then, dip the microfiber cloth in the vinegar solution and wipe the wicker to eliminate mildew and mold.

After scrubbing, leave the metal part of the wicker furniture to dry for a few hours, depending on the amount of rust. Avoid leaving it too long, or the acidity of the vinegar may damage the metal. Finally, rinse it thoroughly with water to prevent

Lemons Juice And Salt

The combination of lemon acidity and salt makes for a formidable rust-remover. Since lemon and salt derive straight from nature’s pantry, you can feel free to use them on wicker furniture, provided you don’t leave them to sit for too long.

Here’s what you’ll need to start:

Lemon juice
Coarse salt
Dishwash scrubber (regular or steel) / Wire brush
Spray bottle

First, pour the lemon juice into a spray bottle and add a healthy amount of coarse salt, giving the bottle a good shake to mix them well. Then, apply the solution of lemon and salt to all the rusted areas until no dry areas remain.

Second, you can grab your scrubber of choice and work the solution into the metal, applying just enough pressure to remove the flaky parts. If it seems like you need a little more potency, feel free to add some vinegar to the solution.

After scrubbing, let it stand for at least thirty minutes, depending on how much rust you need to remove. Finally, rinse it well with water to remove any remaining traces of acidity damaging the furniture.

Rust, Meet Baking Soda

Despite its humble use in the kitchen, baking soda is far more potent than it lets on. This alkaline powerhouse counteracts the effects of oxidation, effortlessly removing rust without the use of harsh chemicals. It’s very affordable and available at most retailers, as well.

Here’s what you need to get started:

Baking soda
Water
Clean rag
Microfiber cloth
Toothbrush
A bowl or container to mix baking soda and water

First, pour some baking soda into a mixing bowl and add enough water so that when you mix them, it creates a paste. The past must be thick enough to stick to the surface wherever you apply it.

Second, scoop some of the paste with the clean rag and transfer it to the areas with rust, ensuring you don’t miss a spot. Afterward, grab the toothbrush and scrub the rusted areas, working in the baking soda solution until you are satisfied. The rust should come off at this point, but feel free to add more baking soda solution if needed.

After scrubbing, rinse the furniture with water to remove excess solution and dry it thoroughly with the microfiber cloth. If there are still traces of rust, you can repeat the process.

Potatoes Can Remove Rust

Apart from a carbohydrate overload, potatoes also provide an easy and effective way to remove rust from wicker furniture. They contain an organic acid called Oxalic acid, commonly found in flowering plants.

To get started, you’ll need:

A knife
A single, medium-sized potato
Microfiber cloth

First, take the knife and slice the medium-sized potato in half. Then, hold it firmly in your hand by the peel side and rub the exposed part on the rusted areas of the furniture. The Oxalic acid in the potato, together with the friction from rubbing the potato, is potent enough to loosen and remove the rust.

After rubbing, if you want to remove more rust, you can sprinkle some baking soda onto the exposed side of the potato to add alkalinity; this can be especially helpful when there are severe levels of rust. Afterward, rinse the rusted areas with water and dry them with a microfiber cloth.

Conclusion

Wicker furniture can be free from rust by using nature’s gifts and a bit of ingenuity from us: lemon juice & salt, potatoes, and baking soda. Throw in a bit of elbow grease and waiting time, and your days of rust will be a thing of the past.

Sources

Chrissie Smuts

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