The tiny bugs crawling on or boring into your wicker furniture are most likely one of a few common pests: furniture beetles (woodworm), booklice (psocids), or carpet beetles. Each requires a slightly different approach, but the good news is that all of them can be eliminated at home without calling an exterminator in most cases. The key is identifying what you’re dealing with, then choosing the right combination of cleaning, environmental control, and treatment.
Identifying the Bug in Your Wicker
Wicker is especially vulnerable to pests because it’s made from young plant growth like rattan, willow, or reed. Unlike hardwood furniture, wicker is almost entirely sapwood, which insects prefer. That porous, woven structure also traps moisture and creates dozens of tiny hiding spots.
If you see small round holes (about 1-2mm across) and fine powdery dust collecting beneath the furniture, you’re dealing with furniture beetles, commonly called woodworm. The adult beetles are small and brown, but the real damage comes from larvae tunneling through the fibers. These are the most destructive wicker pests because they eat the material itself.
If you see tiny, pale, soft-bodied insects that don’t fly much, those are likely psocids (booklice). They feed on microscopic mold that grows on damp surfaces and are a sign your wicker has a moisture problem. They don’t damage the furniture directly but will keep multiplying as long as conditions stay humid.
Carpet beetles are another possibility, especially if you notice small, round, mottled beetles or their fuzzy larvae near cushions or fabric elements of wicker seating. They feed on natural fibers and can damage both the wicker and any upholstery.
Start With a Deep Vacuum and Cleaning
Before any treatment, give the furniture a thorough cleaning. Use a vacuum with a hose attachment to get into every crevice of the weave, pulling out dust, debris, dead insects, and larvae. Wicker is sturdy enough to handle firm vacuuming. Pay special attention to the undersides and joints where bugs tend to concentrate.
After vacuuming, clean the surface with a mild soap solution. Fill a large bowl with water, add a few drops of dish detergent, and mix until it’s frothy. Dip a soft cloth into just the foam (not the water below it) and wipe down all surfaces firmly. For tight spots in the weave, use a soft toothbrush dipped in the same foam. The goal is to clean without soaking the material, since excess moisture feeds the very conditions bugs thrive in. Once you’re done, tilt the furniture so any water drips off quickly and let it air dry completely before moving to the next step.
Kill Psocids by Dropping the Humidity
If your problem is booklice, the single most effective fix is lowering the humidity in the room. Research from the National Pest Management Association found that all life stages of psocids, including eggs, nymphs, and adults, died within 16 days when relative humidity dropped to 50% or below. At 75% humidity, their populations actually grew over the same period.
Run a dehumidifier in the room and aim to keep humidity under 50%. Move the wicker away from damp walls, basements, or poorly ventilated areas. If the furniture was stored in a garage or shed, bring it into a climate-controlled space. You should see the infestation resolve within about two to three weeks once humidity is consistently low. No chemicals needed.
Use Temperature to Kill Beetles and Larvae
For woodworm and other wood-boring beetles, temperature treatment is one of the most reliable home methods. You have two options: freezing or heating.
For cold treatment, place the wicker item in a chest freezer set to minus 4°F (minus 20°C) and leave it there for seven days. This kills all life stages, including eggs buried deep in the fibers. Smaller items like baskets and trays are easy to freeze. Larger chairs or tables may need to be partially disassembled or treated with chemicals instead.
Heat treatment works even faster. If you have access to a large heat chamber, portable heating unit, or even a car parked in direct summer sun (interior temperatures can exceed 150°F on hot days), expose the furniture to 150 to 170°F for 45 minutes to one hour. Thicker pieces may need slightly longer. After heating, leave the item in place until it cools completely. Both methods penetrate deep into the weave where sprays can’t always reach.
Borate Solutions for Wood-Boring Beetles
If freezing or heating isn’t practical, borate-based sprays are the go-to chemical treatment for powderpost beetles and woodworm in wicker. Products like Bora-Care and Tim-Bor are registered for use in occupied homes, meaning you can apply them safely indoors. Borates work by penetrating the wood fibers and poisoning larvae as they feed.
There’s one important requirement: borates only work on unfinished or unsealed surfaces. If your wicker has been painted, lacquered, or sealed with polyurethane, the solution can’t penetrate and won’t reach the larvae inside. For sealed pieces, you’ll need to either strip the finish first or rely on temperature treatment instead. When applying borates, two coats are necessary for effective control. Spray or brush the solution over all surfaces, let it absorb, then apply a second coat.
Preventing Bugs From Coming Back
Once your wicker is clean and treated, a few maintenance habits will keep pests from returning.
- Control moisture. Keep indoor humidity below 50%. Wicker that stays dry is far less attractive to both booklice and beetles. Never store wicker furniture in damp basements, sheds, or garages for extended periods.
- Condition the fibers. Dry, cracked wicker creates entry points for beetles. Apply boiled linseed oil with a brush, letting the wicker absorb it until it stops soaking in, then wipe the excess with a cloth and let it dry. For lighter maintenance, lemon oil (sold as furniture polish) works well, though avoid it on white or whitewashed pieces.
- Vacuum regularly. A quick vacuum of your wicker every few weeks removes dust, mold spores, and any new insect activity before it becomes an infestation.
- Watch your firewood. Furniture beetles frequently arrive on firewood logs stored in wicker baskets. If you use a wicker log basket, inspect it periodically for new exit holes or fine dust, and consider keeping firewood in a metal or plastic container instead.
For synthetic wicker (resin or plastic), bugs are rarely a structural problem since there’s nothing organic for them to eat. If insects are sheltering in the weave, simply hose the furniture down outdoors. For stubborn grime, a solution of three parts water to one part bleach will clean off virtually anything. Wear gloves when using bleach.
When the Infestation Is Severe
If your wicker furniture has extensive beetle damage, with holes covering large sections and fibers that crumble when pressed, the structural integrity may already be compromised. At that point, treatment can kill the remaining insects but won’t restore strength to fibers that have been hollowed out. For valuable or antique pieces, a furniture restorer who specializes in wicker can assess whether repair is feasible after treatment. For inexpensive items with heavy damage, replacement is often the more practical choice.