Norwexing your Thrift Store Finds

How To Fill Your Home At A Bargain
(Author: Guest Aimee Lyons of DIY Darlin)

Want to enjoy being surrounded by unique furniture pieces that will not break the bank? Two words: thrift store! Bargain shoppers already know that buying used can save tons of cash, but there is also something satisfying about snatching a deal and then turning it into a part of your home. When you do, you’ll want to clean up your new-found treasures and Norwex is the perfect solution. Here are some great tips on shopping outside of traditional retail to make people’s trash your personal treasures, and using Norwex to clean and refresh those new ‘finds’.

Taking care of your thrift store snags

You’ve no doubt heard stories about once-in-a-lifetime finds. While we won’t all stumble across a hidden fortune, we can extract maximum value out of the things we do bring home.

Let’s start with the basics. If you buy a cozy blanket for the sofa, wash it first using Norwex laundry detergent and Norwex dryer balls. Doing this makes sure the find is clean and ready to use, no matter what it is! Toss these mini marvels into the dryer with a quick rub of essential oils, which will help eliminate any lingering thrift store scent.

Start with a mix of Norwex detergent (liquid or powder), stain remover, odour eliminator and water in the eco-friendly Norwex Forever spray bottle. Use an enviro cloth for scrubbing power. This is great to spot clean any items, including for example an upholstered piece such as a sofa.

If that doesn’t do the trick bring in a professional. If the cost is low enough, the extra $100 to $300 you’ll spend on cleaning will give you a like-new piece for a fraction of the cost of new living room seating. Your total cost will vary depending on the size and material of the piece and how much you paid at the thrift shop.

What to buy used

You may be wondering “What are the best things to buy at a thrift shop?”. While there’s no definitive answer to that question, there are a few things to keep consider when you are out and about. Furniture is the big one. In addition to sofas and upholstered items, you can find tables, chairs, and desks aplenty. You can use your Norwex Household Package Plus to dust and remove dirt and grime from glass, stainless steel, chrome, and more. Insider.com asserts that a quick coat of paint can take your used pieces from drab to fab.

Picture frames are another excellent acquisition. Buying antique wood or metal frames can help you create a unique photo display. Vintage dishes and coffee mugs, candlesticks, and mirrors also make excellent additions to your eclectic decor. Clean them all with Norwex enviro cloth and/or Norwex dishwashing liquid.

When Is ‘New’ Better?

While there are limitless possibilities for the fun things you can find at your local thrift shop, there are a few things that are best bought new. Mattresses and pillows are good examples. If you do decide to purchase a used mattress at the store, look for a tag that shows that it has been sanitized, and confirm that it is legal for the retailer to sell a used mattress in your state. As a final refresh for a ‘new to you’ mattress you’ve brought home use the Norwex Mattress Cleaner, and continue to use it monthly to help keep the dust mites at bay.

Thank you Aimee Lyons for this valuable information!

Advertisement

Norwex Dryer Balls

Norwex sells two kinds of dryer balls, wool and plastic. Either set is a great option for you to use in your dryer; your loads will dry faster, they reduce wrinkles and static, soften your clothes naturally, while reducing your exposure to chemical toxins. Win/win. I once had an engineer at a show calculate how much his family of five would save by using dryer balls, they pay for themselves in about three months! Calculations about the chemical harm avoided? PRICELESS!

I love my dryer balls and am so glad I started using them years ago. Regardless of which set you buy, put ALL the dryer balls in the dryer at once; two green or three wool. I’ll break down the benefits of each type to help you decide which is best for your family.

Green Dryer Balls – The cost for these is lower than our Fluff and Tumble (wool) dryer balls. Green dryer balls come with a one-year warranty and are estimated to last for 500 washings. That is about a year if you did 10 loads weekly.

The green dryer balls should be removed from the dryer when not in use (especially in cold climates) as they can get very cold in the dryer due to the outside vent. If left in the dryer the extreme temperature change from cold to a hot dryer load can cause cracking.

These are made from polyvinyl chloride along with many other household items like PVC pipes etc. They are a responsible choice for consumer end-use products. Using dryer balls, even plastic ones, is recommended over fabric softeners or dryer sheets for a number of reasons.

Fluff and Tumble Dryer Balls – These are one of our Top 10 Sellers and a favorite of mine!  They are good for 1000 loads (about 2 years if you did 10 loads weekly), are warranted for two years, and are fully renewable. They are made from 100% New Zealand sheep’s wool which contains lanolin, a natural softener.

I love to add a bit of pure essential oil to the balls to give my laundry a light scent. Just add a few drops to one dryer ball at the end of the drying time (last 10 minutes). Instructions are included with the balls. You’ll need to replace these when they start to unravel or fall apart. I’ve had mine for over 4 years and they still work great!!

Comments or questions?

Say ‘NO’ to Fabric Softeners

The Environmental Working Group has a recommendation for you; stop using fabric softeners – of any kind.

I have a request of you as well; PLEASE stop using fabric softeners of any kind. They are literally a swill of chemicals, some of them known carcinogens. It’s hard for me to believe companies are allowed to sell them to consumers. So let’s educate each other. Tell your friends and loved ones to skip the softeners and save themselves!

Sheep’s Wool Dryer Balls

How can you get your laundry soft and static free without chemical softeners you ask? Use Dryer Balls. They tumble in your dryer and even help dry your loads quicker, saving you money.

Norwex Wool Dryer Balls naturally soften with lanolin and are fully renewable.

Don’t you feel smarter now?