A handwoven basket will outlast almost everything else in your house if you leave it alone. Most damage to natural-fiber baskets comes from cleaning them as if they were a countertop.
If you are looking for how to clean wicker baskets, start here: remove dust dry, treat a mark with a barely damp cloth, and let the basket dry fully with air moving around it. Do not soak it, run it under a tap, or use a dishwasher.
How to clean a wicker basket without damaging it
Start with the least wet method that can do the job. Dust is dry. Most everyday marks lift with a barely damp cloth. A basket that has absorbed water needs time and airflow, not more cleaner.
- Take the basket outside or onto an easy-to-clean floor if it is dusty or has mildew.
- Brush the weave with a dry, soft-bristled brush, following the direction of the fibers.
- Use a vacuum brush attachment on low suction for dust caught in tight coils.
- For a remaining mark, wipe it with a cloth that has been wrung out until it is barely moist.
- Let the basket air dry completely away from direct heat and direct sun.
If the cloth leaves a visible wet patch on the fiber, it is too wet. That is the point at which a simple spot clean becomes a risk to the weave.
Care by fiber: milulu grass, cane, and sisal
Natural-fiber baskets are not all built the same way, but the basic rule stays constant: use dry cleaning first and keep water out of the structure. Bush & Briar's Iringa baskets are coiled from milulu grass, while the Buhera vessel is woven from cane. Sisal baskets are common in the same category and need the same light-handed approach.
| Fiber | Routine care | For a mark | Keep away from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milulu grass | Dry soft brush or low-suction vacuum brush | Barely damp cloth, then air dry fully | Soaking, standing water, direct heat |
| Cane | Dry brush along the weave | Barely damp cloth on the affected area only | Soaking, heavy pressure, direct heat |
| Sisal | Dry brush or low-suction vacuum brush | Barely damp cloth, then dry with airflow | Soaking, prolonged damp, direct sun |
Do not use furniture polish, oil soap, or products made for wood. They can leave a residue in the weave, change the color unevenly, and hold dust.
Regular dusting
Once a week or so, run a dry, soft-bristled brush over the surface. A clean paintbrush works. So does a soft toothbrush for tight coils. Brush along the direction of the weave rather than across it, so you are not lifting fiber ends.
For a faster job, a vacuum with the brush attachment on low suction will pull dust out of the crevices. Keep the nozzle moving and do not press it into the weave.
Can you wash wicker baskets with water?
Do not wash a handwoven basket by soaking it, rinsing it under a tap, or putting it in a dishwasher. Saturated fiber swells; when it dries, it contracts. Repeating that cycle can loosen the weave and change the basket's shape.
For a mark that will not brush off, dampen a cloth with water and a drop of mild dish soap, then wring it out until it is barely moist. Wipe the spot, follow with a second cloth dampened with plain water, and let the basket air dry completely somewhere with moving air.
Use the smallest amount of moisture possible. The cloth should clean the surface without wetting through the fibers or the stitching that holds a coiled basket together.
Mold and mildew
Mold means the basket has been damp for a while. Take it outside before you do anything, because brushing indoors just relocates the spores.
Brush the affected area with a dry brush outdoors. Then wipe it with a cloth dampened in one part white vinegar to three parts water, wrung out well. Let it dry outdoors in the shade with air moving around it. Not in direct sun, which can make fiber brittle as it dries.
If the mold has gone through the weave rather than sitting on the surface, the basket is usually beyond saving. That is rare, and it takes sustained damp to get there.
Reshaping a basket that has gone out of round
Baskets get squashed in shipping, in storage, or under something heavy. Most of the time this is fixable.
Mist the deformed section lightly with water from a spray bottle. You want it slightly damp, not wet. Work the shape back with your hands, pressing gently and evenly rather than forcing any single point. Then pack the inside with rolled towels or crumpled paper to hold the shape, and leave it to dry fully.
Damp fiber is more flexible than dry fiber, which is why this works. It is also weaker while damp, so go slowly and stop if the weave resists.
Dry air and brittle fiber
Natural fiber holds a small amount of moisture. In very dry conditions, near a heating vent, in a desert climate, or through a long winter with the heat running, it can dry out and begin to crack.
A light mist of water every few months can help when the air is very dry. Do not saturate. If a basket already feels crisp or sounds crackly when handled, mist it lightly and let it rest overnight before moving or reshaping it.
Sunlight
Direct sun fades color and weakens fiber over time. Undyed grass can lighten toward straw, and dyed sections can lose depth. If a basket sits in a sunny window, rotate it every couple of months so it fades evenly, or move it somewhere else.
Storing baskets
Store baskets somewhere dry with air movement. Damp basements and garages are hard on natural fiber.
Do not keep heavy items inside a basket for long stretches, and do not stack things on top of one. If baskets nest, nest them. A smaller basket inside a larger one supports the walls of both.
The short version
Dust it dry. Wipe it barely damp. Never soak it. Keep it out of the sun and out of damp spaces, and use only a light mist when dry fiber needs to be reshaped.
Our handwoven baskets are coiled from grass and cane, and these care steps apply to both. For regional materials and weaving methods, see our guide to African baskets.
