Blog, I

Over the years I’ve recycled anything I came across, including finding actual hard drives and improved memory I rescued from a dumpster. Old furniture is a gimme on this subject when you can throw on some outdoor furniture covers and turn garbage in to style.

The key is to know the basics. If you’re looking in a dumpster at old furniture, remember the key is the amount of effort you need to put in it. If the item’s greasy, sometimes it’s just a matter of hosing off and a little dish detergent in the back yard.

Other times it’s not. Wood can have dry rot, roach infestations in seams, mildew, or even termites. Glass mirrors or table tops need to be triple checked…if there’s a single edge that’s chipped your better off passing it over. It’s a sign the prior owner didn’t want to sacrifice safety for frugality.

1. Keep it as clean as possible to begin with. Prevention goes a long way with a carpet.

2. If you spill, don’t tear in to it. If using a solvent and brushing it gently doesn’t get the stain out, chances are you’ll need to try something that will. (Elbow grease doesn’t ‘cut it’)

3. Suck it up. If you get a stain ‘reappearing’ after you’ve cleaned it, chances are it was only surface cleaned…you failed to soak or blot up what was under the carpet or in the padding below.

4. Do NOT use heat to dry a stain! No hair dryers or irons! If you need to you can use a fan or floor blower. Heat will help seal in any stains.

5. Get a steam cleaner or hire a professional to do it for you often. Chances are you’re too cheap for the second, so just go get one of your own. (Don’t worry, we’re all cheap around here too.)