Making Old Pet Furniture New Again

It’s the holiday season, that time of the year when your friends and family invade your home for days to make merry, drink, eat, and have fun. If you have pets in the home, however, looking your best for your guests can be a challenging proposition. Below, you’ll find out how to make your pet furniture and bedding seem brand new.

Washing Your Pet Beds

Your dog spends hours each day in her favorite pet bed, but with the holidays looming, you’re not sure if you should hide it or try to replace it before your guests come through your door. Luckily for you, there are ways to effectively launder pet beds and remove the months of pet dander, hair, and grime from the fabric.

If you’re a do-it-yourself type of person, you can use Nature’s Miracle Laundry Boost in your regular washing machine to get rid of odors, hair, and grime from pet beds. You don’t even have to leave the house to get your pet beds smelling and looking brand new.

If you live in the Portland area and don’t have time, or your washer is too small for your pet bedding, you can always head on over to the Spin Laundry Lounge and do your pet laundry there. Their washers are large and affordable, and you can use the same additives that you might at home. 

Clean Your Cat Trees

Nothing says well used like a cat tree covered in cat fur. However, your guests may not appreciate the sight of cat fur everywhere when they come to visit. Here are some tips and tricks for cleaning your cat trees and making them feel brand new.

  • You can use a damp cloth with some homemade cleaner to lift grime from the carpeted areas of your cat tree. To make a cleaning solution, simply mix a dash of dish soap with warm water in a spray bottle.
  • You can use a de-furring tool to remove the ghastly amounts of hair that your cat tree may have acquired. You can also use a vacuum for lighter cleaning.
  • If the perches are beyond saving, you can consider making or buying a cat perch cover to give the perch new life. A piece of soft fabric and glue, staples, or an elastic band should be all you need.

Repair Your Cat Trees

You can vacuum your cat tree all you’d like, but it doesn’t prevent the sisal rope from being scratched off by your cats through the years. Luckily, you don’t have to trash your two-hundred dollar purchase just because the rope is worn out. Replacing sisal rope is one of the easiest DIY cat projects that you can complete.

  1. If possible, remove the sisal covered poles from your cat tree. This will make it easier to access them for repairs.
  2. Strip the existing sisal rope off with pliers, a knife, or scissors. Take care not to damage yourself or the pole.
  3. Starting at the bottom, staple or glue your large diameter sisal rope to the tree and slowly spiral it up, gluing the rope down as you go. You can pick up sisal rope, a glue gun, and/or a staple gun from your local hardware store.
  4. When you’re finished, secure the top and bottom pieces with a few extra staples to make sure they stay in place.

Still unsure? Watch this video to learn more!