How to Reupholster Furniture for Allergies

Generously upholstered furniture pieces are often the most comfortable and desirable places to sit or rest. Unfortunately, for many people with severe allergies, they may also represent their arch enemies. Some upholstered pieces, especially older ones, may be filled with stuffing that has trapped years worth of dust, triggering allergies. Even the stuffing itself may be a material such as down, which can incite an allergic reaction. Remove the current upholstery and replace the padding and fabric so you can breathe easier.

Staple puller
Seam ripper
Measuring tape
Upholstery fabric
Straight pins
Pinking shears
Sewing machine
Scissors
Foam or cotton padding
Staple gun
Upholstery staples
Cotton filler

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the nails, tacks or staples holding the current upholstery fabric secure. Work on one section of the piece at a time. Carefully remove the fabric from each part of the piece and do not tear it.
- 2
  Measure the dimensions of each piece of fabric and add them all together to find out how much new fabric you need to purchase. Remember to convert these measurements to yards. There are 36 inches in 1 yard.
- 3
  Remove any old padding that is filled with dust or stuffing such as down that can irritate allergies. You will want to replace this with new foam padding or all-natural cotton batting. These are less likely to trap significant amounts of dust or to cause allergic reactions.
- 4
  Lay out the new fabric with the wrong side facing up. Be sure all the stitches are removed from the old pieces so they can lay flat. Lay the old pieces onto the new fabric so none overlap. Pin them in place with straight pins.
- 5
  Cut around each old piece using pinking shears to create an identical piece from the new fabric. Pin the new pieces together using the arrangement of the old pieces as a guide. Pin with the wrong sides of the fabric out and use the same seam allowance as the original upholstery.
- 6
  Sew the pieces of the new fabric together to create a cover for the piece. Snip away any excess threads and turn the cover right-side-out. Set it aside.
- 7
  Cover each section of the piece of furniture with your new foam or cotton padding. Hold the padding in place with upholstery staples. Tuck the edges of the padding securely along joined areas.
- 8
  Pull the fabric cover firmly over the piece. Push the edges into joined areas and secure them with upholstery staples where they will not be seen. Turn the piece over so the bottom is accessible.
- 9
  Pull one edge of the fabric in tautly and wrap it over a bottom edge of the piece. Staple the fabric in place and repeat the process with the opposite edge. Do the same for the two remaining edges, trimming the fabric away from the legs of the piece if necessary.
- 10
  Turn the piece of furniture right-side-up. Recover any pillows or other upholstered accessories, replacing the stuffing with new cotton filler.

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