The most luxurious homes always have beautiful, well-maintained furniture—you won’t see a scuff, stain, or tear anywhere. However, you might witness pilling on fabric pieces, no matter how well you care for them.
What is fabric pilling, and why does it happen? Getting this annoying occurrence under control will help you extend the life of your upholstered furniture. Discover the answers to your questions so your furniture always looks brand new.
What Is Pilling?
Pilling is a term that describes bunched-up fibers on fabric items. It often happens on sweaters, rugs, and pieces of furniture that have a lot of traffic. You’ll likely find pilling on your couches and chairs if you don’t take protective measures.
Pilling doesn’t discriminate by price or fabric quality. However, upholstery with tighter weaves may be less likely to experience this issue. Whenever you see tiny balls of fiber littering your favorite living room set, you’ll need to take a few steps:
- Find out why it’s happening.
- Remove the tangled fibers.
- Prevent future damage.
Why Pilling Happens
You can thank friction for the balls of fuzz decorating your favorite couch. Loose fibers tangle together as people use your furniture. The more your pants or skin rub on a fabric surface, the more pilling you’re likely to see.
Pilling occurs on both natural and synthetic fabrics. Materials like silk and velvet are less likely to pill because of their tight knits and smooth surfaces. Choosing furniture featuring these elegant materials is your best chance at eliminating those ugly clumps of fiber.
How To Prevent Fabric Pilling
Sometimes, a piece of furniture simply calls to you, regardless of the primary material. If your dream chair comes in a fabric that’s likely to pill, don’t worry! You can reduce furniture pilling with some preventative techniques.
First, invest in a de-pilling tool to remove any stubborn spots. Think of a de-piller like a tiny couch comb; running it over your surfaces will smooth any tangled bits. You could also use slipcovers and throw blankets to create a barrier when you know your seating will get a lot of use.
Now that you know what fabric pilling is and why it happens, you can prevent it in your own home. With a little bit of maintenance, your precious furniture will look better, last longer, and leave a lingering impression on guests.
