You just found the steal of a century at the antique show, in the attic, at a swap meet, or maybe even something your favorite great aunt willed to you. A beautiful old piece of furniture that with a little love and care will surely enchant any room it graces. You can’t believe your luck, the material is in relatively good condition, even if it is not, you think you may even get away with making a tailored fit throw cover for it. Well you may want to think about it again! Though your piece may be an antiquity, have value and the condition of the fabric, foam, and batting is show able, these factors may not necessarily be your only reason to consider re upholstering your chosen treasure. Let’s take a closer look!
It is a foreign world on a microscopic scale and out of immediate eye site could well lurk a whole host of life forms. Alien in appearance, predatory in nature and like any good hunter they can be found where both their food is plentiful and the safety of cover is nearby . These elements not only ensure their survival, it allows them to thrive as well. You my dear are the hunted, and your bed, couch, rugs, and curtains are the safe refuge for these microscopic predators. Not only to hide out, but to nurse their offspring as well. You may have inherited a real headache hidden in the beauty of the antiquity you cherish.
Dust Mites....
Imagine a hungry army has invaded your cushions by the millions. They have arrived to harvest your dead skin cells and hair. Their arrival brings a whole rash of complications to you and your family, (especially the vulnerable) inducing symptoms of asthma and allergic reactions. The situation is further complicated in fall and winter months when we close up our homes from the cold. In essence we are nurturing our unwanted friends with an environment they thrive in. However it is not them that we are allergic to, rather it is their feces!
According to Environment, Health and Safety Online, "a single dust mite produces about 20 waste droppings each day, each containing a protein to which many people are allergic. Yuck! The proteins in that combination of feces and shed skin are what cause allergic reactions in humans. Depending on the person and exposure, reactions can range from itchy eyes to asthma attacks. And finally, unlike other types of mites, house dust mites are not parasites, since they only eat dead tissue. Gross, but true..."
You can fight back by keeping the dust down in your home with regular washing of fabrics in HOT water (130 degrees F{60c}) weekly. Warm water and cold water does not kill mites, however freezing temperatures and sunlight does! Use synthetic fabrics, mites do not seem to like them as much.
Though these are practical applications for bedding and curtains, they are not so practical for old furniture where over time the batting and foam may have accumulated a bountiful harvest of nurturing for these unwanted pests. Here is where you might want to start fresh and replace all the fibers from the batting to the covering. Which is still a cost effective means of wind up with a new fresh look and feel for your treasure.
Bed Bugs...
Remember the old saying, "don’t let the bed bugs bite!" You will certainly know when they do. In the simplest terms, this parasite operates with the same methodology as the mosquito. It hunts by thermographic heat detection and carbon dioxide detection and it feasts on blood. It will insert two hollow tubes into the victim, one to deliver an anticoagulant and anesthetic and the other to draw blood, often leaving a welt behind, and are often accompanied by very intense itching. The red bump or welts are the result of an allergic reaction to the anesthetic contained in the bedbug's saliva, which is inserted into the blood of its victim.
Although rare there are some very serious consequences that can result from co-habitating with bed bugs. Wikipedia outlines two: " Anaphylactoid reactions produced by the injection of serum and other nonspecific proteins are observed and there is the possibility that the saliva of the bedbugs may cause anaphylactic shock in a small percentage of people. It is also possible that sustained feeding by bedbugs may lead to anemia.
Bed bugs can live in any area of the home and can reside in tiny cracks in furniture as well as on textiles and upholstered furniture. Replacement of the materials are the best bet and all out fumigation of the home may be required. Best get a hold of your phone book and locate your local pest control authority for advice. Yet again there is no need to entirely destroy an antiquity or sentimental treasure. You can have all the fabrics, (foams, batting and covering) removed and be bound tightly in a plastic bag to be discarded. All cracks in the furniture as well as areas they can hide in the wood frame should be scraped out with a wire brush to dislodge and destroy any eggs that may be present.
Now there is no need to panic or do anything rash like destroy something sentimental or beautifully crafted from days of old. No! It just requires a little more tender loving care and a good strategy! Re upholstering the piece is your best plan of attack, whether you do it or have it done for you! It is still more cost effective than having to purchase new, and far more effective than a slip cover, which in essence is only a band aid cure.... a cover up of the issue so to say.
