Welcome back to the blog, friends! This is part 2 to my last post of natural cleaning and sanitizing thrifted linens, but today we are focusing on how I clean thrifted upholstery and furniture! Per usual, all the products I will be recommending are nontoxic and effective.
NATURAL CLEANING: HOW TO CLEAN THRIFTED UPHOLSTERY & FURNITURE
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Thrifting is a great way to get more for less when it comes to furnishing your home. We actually purchased all of our living room furniture from either a thrift store or Facebook marketplace.
BUT- this is the most important recommendation I can make when it comes to buying furniture second hand- before bringing an item home, you need to check it out thoroughly. I mean picking up all the cushions, checking under them, and even checking inside of them. You wouldn’t want to bring home any friends.. aka bed bugs.
Once I have vetted an item and brought it home, I start the cleaning process. I prefer to do this in our carport or somewhere outdoors before even bringing it inside my home.
CLEANING UPHOLSTERY: Stain Remover + Deodorizer
First things first, I throw some baking soda on it and give it a good vacuum, hitting all the nooks and crannies. Next, I always presoak any stains with my favorite stain remover. As always, test this in an inconspicuous spot first!! (and check out my last post if you are concerned about Borax in the stain remover).
Then, I steam it using a handheld steamer. The steam tends to knock loose anything attached to the upholstery and sanitizes the fabric.
CLEANING UPHOLSTERY: Sanitizing + Laundering
Next, I fill a bucket of warm water and mix in a cup or so of distilled white vinegar. With an old cloth or spray bottle, I use the mixture to soak the entire piece. The vinegar is for sanitizing, and soaking the whole piece ensures there is no water ring left behind from the stain remover.
After soaking, I use my Bissell little green machine. This little thing is my BFF. I use it on our furniture, rugs, and even our mattresses when needed. It is pricey, but it is worth EVERY. SINGLE. PENNY. You are technically not supposed to put anything in the water except the Bissell Stain Remover liquid. However, I always add a dash of laundry detergent into the water. After deep cleaning it with the Bissell, I sometimes steam it again.
CLEANING UPHOLSTERY: Drying + Fabric Shaving
I let it air dry, usually in the sun. I mentioned this in my last post, but the sun is a natural sanitizing and deodorizing agent. Once dried, I mix a few essential oil drops into some baking soda, and I sprinkle it all over the furniture piece. Then, I let it sit for 30 minutes or so and vacuum it up. This makes it smell nice and fresh.
Lastly, I like to run my fabric shaver over it to clean it up. This pulls off any pilling or bobbles that it may have accumulated over time. I patch any holes and snip any loose threads, and then it’s as good as new.
So, there you have it! That is how I like to clean and disinfect thrifted upholstery. If you use this method, let me know in a comment down below how well it works for you!
