Collector's Corner

This installment of the Collector's Corner has to do with an oft-asked question:

How do I care for my basket?

Care & Cleaning

The best care you can give to a basket is to let it remain in as natural a state as possible. Enjoy it every day, and it will remain flawless if you keep it away from the drying heat of oven, stove, radiator, or sun. A basket cannot tolerate extreme conditions: heat, cold, wet, dry. However, if you keep it in an area where it has constant exposure to gengle humidity, the quality of the basket will be maintained over the years. A well-ventilated (not damp) bathroom with a tub or shower, for instance, is a good place to store a basket. Or if you have a porch or gazebo, wet your basket outside under the shelter during a warm summer shower, the basket will acutally drink up its share of the moisture from the stormy air.

Though the dyes and stains on Peterboro baskets are always food-compatible, it's just a well to avoid putting food directly in a basket witout a clean napkin, plastic cloth, or fitted plastic protector.

All Peterboro baskets are guaranteed for life but may need some occasional TLC. If a spill or other accident does occur and you feel the basket must be cleaned, do not immerse it in water. Instead, begin by preparing a solution of warm water and a mild liquid cleaner, such as Murphy Oil Soap. Dip a soft, clean cloth – an eyeglass cleaning cloth is ideal because of its smooth, nonabrasive texture – into the solution. Wring the cloth gently to remove the excess water – the cloth should be damp, not drippy. Gently rub the cloth over the weave of the basket. Thoroughly clean the inside as well as the exterior. Then dry the basket with another soft cloth that is clean and absorbent, and allow it to dry fully before reusing or storing it. If you need it to dry quickly, you may blow you basket dry using a hair dryer on a no-heat setting or a cool oscillating fan. If the problem is a simple accumulation of dust, you can clean the basket with the same soft cloth, skipping the soap, water, and drying rubdown.