Well + Good: Secondhand Furniture Is Always a Smart Buy—Here’s How To Do It Without Regret

Maeve shares her tip for how often to wash pillows to keep them dust-mite free.

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Secondhand Furniture Is Always a Smart Buy—Here’s How To Do It Without Regret

How to clean used furniture properly

Maeve Richmond, organizational and cleaning expert behind Maeve's Method, (who just got a gorgeous used blue-velvet armchair!) explains that you should still clean any and all used items you bring into your home. For an upholstered item, you'll want to know what type of fabric you're working with.

"Even on a used piece, improper fabric cleaning can cause damage, and you want to preserve the piece," she says. "If the fabric is manmade—like a polyester, microfiber or olefin—you are in good shape. These are super durable and can take any kind of cleaning care, including chemical upholstery cleaners. But cottons, linens, and true velvets can be fragile and need gentle care."

Her go-to for furniture cleaning is simply baking soda and white vinegar, which is gentle enough to use on fragile fabrics. Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with a half cup of vinegar and stir.

"You can then apply the mixture with a clean, cotton cloth or spritz with a spray bottle," she says. "Gently moisten the fabric—never soak—and always begin on a test spot. And if you can, allow the piece to dry outdoors, or with the windows open, to add a touch of fresh air."

When it comes to lifting stains, she says to let the vinegar-baking soda mixture sit for up to 30 minutes. "Blot the stain with the cloth, making gentle ‘up and away’ motions as you work," she says. "Rinse and repeat as many times as it takes to lift the stain out." Foor deep-set stains, ad a touch of clear dish soap to the mixture. "The soap will help to break down oils and organics, and do circular ‘up and away’ motions with an old toothbrush, as the bristles will help to loosen locked-in stains and bring them to the surface," she says.

For a professional-level clean, consider investing in a vac like the Bissell Multi-Purpose Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner ($110). "These machines shoot cleaning agent into fabric with water and immediately pull it back out again," says Richmond. "They are a must-have for avid secondhand furniture aficionados as they are the quickest and most efficient way of cleaning someone else’s used fabric goods."

If you're concerned about the energy a used piece could bring into your home, Richmond recommends doing a sage smudge.

"Sage is a natural element known to clear energy from objects. I never bring anything used into my home without first doing a smudge, as it clears away the previous owner’s energy," she says. "Simply light a stick or leaf of dried sage (yes, you can grab it from your cupboard), blow out the flame, then let the remaining smoke waft up and into the air. Wave the smoke around the edges of the furniture, making sure to hit corners and crevices. If you can, set an intention as you smudge. I like to say thank you to the previous owner—whomever they may be—then say hello to the piece as I welcome it into my home. It’s a surefire way of making sure that you begin the journey with your new secondhand piece on the right foot."