A new couch is a great way to refresh your lounge area, and ideally the cost will be paid back through years of use. But even with the best fabric, it could be only a few weeks before you notice couch pilling. These little balls or “pills” are made up of loose fibres that join together through friction and daily wear.
According to James Dunlop Textiles in Melbourne, pilling is common for fabrics and could be considered “like an initial shedding”.
“Generally pilling will occur after initial usage, within the first 4-6 months,” the brand explains on its website. But keep in mind this timeframe does depend on the fabric and item.
Hack to remove couch pilling
Rather than spending thousands of dollars on a brand new sofa, you can easily restore it with this genius hack one mum shared to Facebook. This simple method will take your fabric couch from worn-out to brand new – and all it requires is an electric shaver!
“First time poster here, but I found this way too genius not to share,” she wrote on the Mums Who Clean Facebook group.
“Not sure if this has already been posted before, but I just found the best way to remove those crappy lint balls from my couch!”
People took to the comments to share their surprise and awe at the simple hack. While a few had already discovered the trick, most were shocked they’d never thought of it themselves.
One wrote, “My mind is BLOWN!”
Another wrote, “My hubby is worried I’m going to wreck his clippers. Game on.”
This hack won’t cost you a dime if you already own an electric shaver.
How to remove pilling from your couch with an electric shaver
- Check the setting in your shaver to make sure it’s set to trim shorter lengths.
- Gently shave along the outside of the couch to remove pilling.
- Brush down the couch afterwards and clean up trimmed pilling with a vacuum cleaner.
So simple for something so effective.
Other ways to remove couch pilling
If you don’t have an electric shaver, or don’t think it’s suitable for the fabric on your couch (i.e. if it’s a thick weave or knitted design), here are some other options to try:
- A lint brush or lint roller, which you can use across the couch fabric in a similar way you would with clothes.
- A disposable or blunt razor, lightly and carefully scraped across the pilling to remove it without damaging the fabric.
- A fabric comb or fabric shaver.
Whatever method you use, remember to be careful of the actual fabric. And if it takes a while, keep in mind that this is one task you probably won’t have to do often (or ever again).
According to James Dunlop Textiles, “Reoccurrence of pilling after trimming or shaving is unlikely, but if it does reoccur it will likely be to a much lesser extent and is likely to gradually subside over time.”
And if you want to breathe even more life into your couch, here’s how to clean the rest of it.
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