David Tsay
We all love a goodthrifted find.
The catch with these pre-owned items is that they are, well, pre-owned.
Dont submerge wood items and dont soak them, as this can warp or damage the wood.
Credit:David Tsay
Fill a sink with hot water and a 1:1 ratio of dish soap to vinegar for a deep clean.
After soaking, scrub each item with a sponge, rinse thoroughly, and dry with a towel.
Dishes
Treat thrifted dishes just as you do glassware.
Put sturdier pieces in a dishwasher and run on the sanitizing cycle.
Upholstered Furniture
Start by disinfecting upholstery pieces with a commercially prepared disinfecting spray.
Next, you’ll want to give the piece a deep cleaning.
To remove odors:Mix a cup of baking soda with 10 drops of essential oil in a scent.
Put the baking soda mixture in an old baby powder container and sprinkle liberally on the item.
Leave the mixture on the item for up to two hours, then vacuum it clean.
For deeper cleaning, buy an electric upholstery cleaning machine, which is technically more like a carpet cleaner.
Youre checking to see if the cleaner will cause the upholstery dye to run or fade.
If yourwashing machine has a handwash cycle, run items through it with a gentle laundry detergent.
Air-dry the items on an indoor drying rack or out in the sun.
Tarnished Brass Items
Consider leaving these items be.
One persons tarnish is anothers patina.
Let the bagged item sit for several days.
Baking soda destroys smells because it is an alkaline and neutralizes the acidic compounds that cause odors.
Do not soak wicker longer than a few minutes, or you’ll risk damaging the item.
