Rattan is a dry plant fiber that, when wet, can deform or break under pressure. If your furniture has become soaked, keep all people and objects away until they are completely dry. But if it is made of natural rattan, furniture tends to retain water inside. This can cause mold and mildew to grow if the furniture is left untreated.
When the wicker gets wet in a continuous bias, the reeds can become a breeding ground for mold and mildew. Even if this does not start to cause the chair to break right away, it can cause a lot of problems for the chair if left unchecked. Many people find it difficult to clean rattan furniture due to the woven nature and all the corners that can contain dust, dirt and mold. Ultimately, organic rattan wicker furniture is not waterproof or weatherproof, even if it has been painted or treated, and should not be left in the rain as it can get wet and rot.
Painting your rattan furniture can help provide a certain level of weather resistance because it creates an extra layer on top of the wood that moisture has to pass through. The original wicker furniture was made of rattan, which is a type of vine that relates to the palm tree. But removing mold from rattan is not as difficult as it seems and can only be done with a few products that you probably already have on hand. If your rattan garden furniture is weatherproof, then yes, it can be left outside and get wet without damaging the furniture itself.
Do not saturate the rattan during the cleaning process, as excessive moisture can cause more of the same problem. The quality of the materials used to create your rattan furniture is one of the main factors in making it weatherproof. If you paid less than £360 for a rattan dining set with 4 chairs in the last 5 years, chances are that the materials used are not weatherproof, and you will most likely need a cover and eventually rust if left outside. If the rattan is wet for a while, or if it is stored in humid conditions without proper air circulation, it may develop a musty smell, indicating mold or mildew.
If conditions permit, place the rattan outside during dry weather and let it sit for at least a day or several days if the weather permits. Since rattan furniture receives frequent exposure to water, it is OK to get wet as long as you take steps to treat it so that it is weatherproof. But being made of wood, rattan is susceptible to damage due to rain and moisture, especially since most rattan furniture is not treated when you buy it. Rattan, which is used to build wicker items such as furniture, is not designed to resist excessive moisture; it is a dry plant fiber and can stretch or break in wet conditions.
Organic rattan wicker patio furniture can definitely get wet and rot if left in the rain (even painted), and could not even be classified as water resistant.
