Facebook Marketplace is a feature of Facebook that allows users to buy and sell items to one another. It is a great place to find gently used furniture, clothing, and other items at a fraction of the price you would find in a store.
Finding furniture on Facebook Marketplace is a great way to save money and get stylish pieces for your home. However, sometimes you may find furniture that needs a little of cleaning or repair before it can be used.
This article will provide tips on how to clean and repair furniture that you have found on Facebook Marketplace.
Wash What Can Be Washed
If applicable, wash the fabric on your furniture piece. People are usually very careful about washing their clothes before they wear them, but don’t always put in that effort when it comes to buying used furniture. Sometimes this is because people think their furniture cannot be washed or cleaned. This is not true!
When possible, wash any fabric parts of your furniture piece before you put it in its final home. These steps are especially important for pillows and upholstered pieces since dirt can accumulate over time and may be difficult to see at first glance.
Give It a Good Wipe Down
For most pieces of furniture, a good wipe down with a damp cloth will do the trick to get rid of any dirt and grime. If you have a piece that is dirty on the outside, give it a good rub down with some warm water and dish soap.
Not sure where to start? Here are a few things you should avoid when cleaning your furniture.
Bleach will strip the paint on your furniture piece. Incorrectly used bleach can eat away at surfaces and damage them permanently. In general, only use bleach as a last resort since it does more harm than good in most situations.
If you need to, you can use a soft-bristle toothbrush to buff away the dirt. Don’t worry, this won’t harm your furniture the way an old toothbrush would.
Blot Away Stains
Upholstery can be a difficult fabric to clean properly. It is important to know which products to use and how to apply them in order to avoid any damage.
When cleaning furniture covered in fabric, start by removing any large pieces of dirt or debris with a vacuum cleaner. Be sure to use the hose attachment so you don’t damage the fabric with the brush.
Next, mix a small amount of dish soap with warm water and sponge it onto the fabric. Be sure to avoid saturating the fabric as this can cause it to become heavy and sag. Let the soap sit for a few minutes before rinsing it off with a wet cloth. Finally, blot the fabric dry with a towel.
Smoothen Any Shards
If you have any sharp or jagged pieces on your furniture, this is the time to get rid of them. Use a pair of pliers to pull out larger shards. If you can see smaller fragments still poking up, use some sandpaper to smooth them down.
Be sure that there are no more rough or jagged edges before putting your new piece in its home!
Leave It Under the Sun
Taking home a piece of used furniture may cause bed bugs. If you purchased a sofa or a mattress, chances are, there are going to critters that have hitched a ride to invade your home.
One easy step you can take is to leave the furniture under the sun for several hours to remove any potential pests hiding in it. This will also remove any funky smells. Moreover, it will also kill viruses and bacteria that the furniture may be harboring. You don’t want to get sick after you slept on a piece of furniture that you purchased off of Facebook Marketplace.
Paint or Stain It
If you have a finishing kit on hand, it may be beneficial to refinish the piece of furniture you’ve purchased. This will restore the color and shine if your furniture is looking lackluster or dull. It also offers an extra layer of protection against scratches and stains. Just make sure that the product you use will not damage your newly acquired item, so always check before applying anything to any type of wood.
You can also paint the piece of furniture, but keep in mind that the paint color will alter the appearance of the piece. Test out some different colors before settling on one to see what works best for your home!
It is important to know the best ways to clean and repair furniture pieces for those who find themselves in this exact situation. There’s nothing shameful about buying furniture secondhand. However, you should make sure that it’s in good condition before you start using it.
