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From toilet paper to bleach to canned goods to coins, there’s been a number of interesting shortages this year. Now, unsurprisingly, it’s office furniture. With more employees working from home and students attending class virtually, there’s been a scramble to set up or upgrade home office spaces.
While websites and big-box stores are feeling the supply pinch, there’s one place with a newfound abundance of options: thrift and secondhand shops. Earlier this year, while much of the country was observing hunker-down orders, oodles of homebound people cleared out unwanted items, leading to a surge in donations.
Shopping secondhand is a win-win—you score affordable furniture and it’s eco-friendly. That being said, because it’s not straight out of the box it probably needs a little TLC, even if it doesn’t necessarily look dirty. Here are quick, environmentally savvy ways to freshen up your pre-loved furniture.
After you peel off the label or price sticker, there’s going to be a gummy paste left behind. Left unbothered or only partially removed, it’ll act as a sticky landing pad for dust and pet hair. While it’s tempting to scrape at it, you’re better served using household products—they won’t scratch the surface and it’ll come off easier. Rubbing alcohol, vodka (seriously!), WD-40, or vinegar will all work. All you’ll need to do is spritz the residue, wait a few minutes, and wipe it away with a clean, damp rag.
A mixture of one cup warm water, a quarter cup white vinegar, and a tablespoon of dish detergent can work as an effective spot treatment for unsightly marks on your furniture. Spray or dab the liquid on the area you want to clean, work it into the fabric with a soft-bristled brush, and sponge up the stain with a damp towel. If that doesn’t work or if the whole piece needs attention, you might want to rent a carpet cleaner.
Keep in mind, there are fabrics like silk, leather, and certain synthetic fibers that might have special cleaning requirements, though that information should be on the tag.
If the prior owner lived in a wet place, there’s a fair chance your new-to-you metal cabinet, chair, or desk will have at least some rust. Luckily, there's baking soda. Mix the soda with water until it forms a paste and apply it to the surface. After letting it sit for 15 minutes, give it a scrub with something abrasive—even an old toothbrush will do—and you're good to go. If you don’t have baking soda on hand, scrubbing with vinegar works; alternatively, try a mixture of salt and lemon juice (the former acts as an abrasive, while the acid in the fruit helps remove the rust). If all else fails, Bar Keepers Friend is a liquid cleanser that’s dynamite at removing rust (and it helps polish).
Since mold and mildew like damp and dark conditions, they could potentially grow on the back of furniture that’s pushed against a wall or window, in drawers, behind books on shelves, and myriad other places. Left untreated, it can pose a health risk, so you'll want to be especially vigilant. To remove it, start by vacuuming the loose spores. For both upholstered and wood furniture (the two places where you’re likely to see mold outside of your bathroom) clean it with a solution of equal parts water and either rubbing alcohol or vinegar, making sure to repeatedly rinse out the sponge and thoroughly dry the item.
Even if your furniture comes from a smoke- and pet-free home, there’s a chance it still carries that funky vintage scent. If the smell of Febreze reminds you of your college roommate's dubious “cleaning” measures, there are other ways to eliminate the odor. Luckily, a fair amount of the necessary cleaning products are likely already in your arsenal. For cushions and rugs, go ahead and rub baking soda into the fabric. When baking soda reacts with an acid (which is usually the smelly culprit), it neutralizes it, making the smell much less noticeable. Let it sit for a few hours and vacuum the baking soda out. For hard surfaces, sprinkle baking soda all over, and later on wipe it away with a mixture of water and vinegar. The latter is also a safe and easy disinfectant.
Unfortunately, bedbug infestations have been on the rise worldwide over the last few decades. Before you purchase a furniture piece with fabric, make sure to thoroughly inspect the cracks, creases, and screw holes, keeping an eye out for both six-legged creatures and black or dark red spots (the pest's excrement). If you do accidentally get an infestation, you need to contain them, so they don’t spread to your other furniture or clothes. Vacuum over any and all potential hiding places. If you’re able to wash and dry the item, do so. If not, your options, according to the EPA, are tossing it, sealing the item in a plastic bag and waiting a couple months for the bugs to die (leaving a black plastic bag outside on a hot day might kill the bugs faster), using a steam cleaner, trying an insecticide, and, if the problem becomes too great, calling in the pros.
This year more than ever people are more cognizant of what they bring into their homes—nobody wants their new secondhand item to be a Trojan horse for COVID-19 or other insidious illnesses. Studies have shown that the coronavirus lives longest on metal and plastic, surviving up to 72 hours in ideal conditions. For fabric, that window is about 24 hours. Sure, you could leave the item in a garage, but you’re better off going ahead and cleaning the piece. Not only will it lessen your chances of catching the coronavirus, you’re also freeing it of other ickiness. There are a number of ways to clean your thrifted goods, depending on what they're made of. For couches with removable cushion covers, go ahead and wash them in your machine (just don’t toss them in the dryer—the upholstered fabrics tend to shrink). For furniture like desks, wooden chairs, or bookshelves, a simple dish soap and hot water wash will do the trick. You can also use disinfectant wipes on hard surfaces. It really is that easy.
