Question on Baskets

anng3

Bronze
Jan 12, 2007
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We bought a few baskets from an elderly man who makes them and carries them around town selling them. The baskets are beautiful but inside and outside they accumulate a ton of flaky yellow dust like powder. Getting sick of cleaning in and under them. We saw him and asked what the powder was and he said "Talc." I'm not sure what that talc means. Hate to throw them out but considering it. Any ideas what the powder is?
 
Aug 21, 2007
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It is dirt from tiny insects you cannot see. I have my rattan furniture sprayed with insect spray periodically to keep the population in check. Luckily, you can always tell when you need to spray again, as the "powder" returns.

Lindsey
 

anng3

Bronze
Jan 12, 2007
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Thanks for the info. Better little bugs than termites. The large basket will now be an outdoor basket.
 

POP Bad Boy

Bronze
Jun 27, 2004
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Big Wooden Chest..........

........we have a big wooden carved chest that this happens to also...........

..........i thought it was termites............

.....but it is still around after about 8 years...........
 

Black Dog

Bronze
May 29, 2009
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In your case it may be termites, the ones Lindsey is referring to tend to live in wicker rather than solid wood.
By the way Pinocchio has a wooden carved chest bit I don't think he has termites! LOL
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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Black Dog is right. There are tiny insects that act like termites in wicker and rattan. The factory we bought our furniture from has a gas chamber that is one of the last steps in the manufacture process. It does a good job, but we did have evidence of bugs after a few years in one piece of furniture; they came to Sosua, picked it up, ran it through their gas chamber again and this solved the problem.

In your case, best thing to do is what LindseyKaufman said, spray periodically with a good spray. Some of the sprays sold here, not the US brand names, are very powerful.