5 Clever Ways To Use A Sweater Shaver Around Your Home — And The Fabrics To Avoid

Sweater shavers, one of the most underrated and effective tools in a modern household, can be used for far more than just getting the pills off of your favorite, cozy wool sweater or the pulls off of that beautiful cashmere cardigan. In fact, this nifty device can act like a mini lawn mower for all kinds of neglected textiles around the house, refreshing these pieces to look smooth and new. Using high-speed, rotating blades or a manual blade that carefully shaves off any fuzz on clothing without damaging the integrity of the fabric, sweater shavers can breathe new life into decor pieces, from pilled sofas and armchairs to your favorite bedding. It's also a great, gentle way to reduce static on your furniture, keep things from snagging, and overall make your pieces look polished, rather than sad and aged.

As with any appliance, there are some things to keep in mind during use so as to avoid improperly operating this tiny machine. First, choose the right shaver for the job, making sure it's strong enough, sharp enough, and big enough to tackle the surface you put it on as well as the size of the textile you are planning on using it on. Second, pay attention to the type of fabric or surface you're hoping to use the shaver on as well. As we will discuss, there are some big no-no's when it comes to shaver use! Lastly, be sure to test the shaver on a small spot before going all in. That way you know how the fabric responds before completing the job. With all of these tips in mind, let your shaver loose on these household pieces, and keep them away from other, more delicate pieces of decor.

An easy tip to make your old couch look new again, use your sweater shaver on the arms, cushions, sides, and backs of the couch or armchair to get all of those unattractive pills off the surface. Glide the shaver over the surface in smooth motions, going over any fluffs and pills. Apply light pressure as needed when moving the machine around. Pretty soon, you'll be seeing a smooth couch again! The sweater shaver not only makes your seating spaces look new again, it prevents fraying fibers and threads from getting looser and further damaging the piece.

Just because your pillow is pilling, doesn't mean it's at the end of its life, rather you can give it a facelift with a sweater shaver. Stretch the fabric tight, then run the shaver over the fabric. Avoid pressing down too hard to avoid snagging on the thinner parts of the pillow, and avoid any bits of down stuffing peaking through the fabric as well. Over time, friction creates unsightly pills that make even expensive covers look worn, and this trick gives it an instant upgrade. Deodorize your pillows afterwards for a major refresh too.

Blankets, particularly fleece ones, experience pills because the friction from daily use and washing causes fibers to tangle up into the small balls. Using a fabric shaver on those spots though, shaves the pills away without damaging the underlying fabric. It'll renew and refresh the blanket for many uses to come, and you don't have to worry about replacing a blanket with lots of fuzzies on it, just because they're hard to get off.

Using a fabric shaver on a mattress is an excellent maintenance step to ensure longevity of your bed. All of our laying down and rolling around causes little pills on surface of the mattress and protector. The fabric shaver can mow those little fuzzies down, making it look smooth and new. While you may not be able to see the pills on a day-to-day basis, you know that they're there, and a fabric shaver will tackle the pills head on to give you peace of mind.

Suitable for low-pile rugs made of wool, cotton, or synthetic blends like acrylic and polyester, fabric shavers removes pills instantly reviving the rug's appearance and making colors look sharper. The primary benefit is extending the rug's lifespan by preventing pills from snagging or matting. High-pile rugs should be avoided though (more on that later). If you're still worried about snagging, however, consider a manual shaver so you can control the scope better, and it doesn't snag on looser rugs.

While it may seem like a good idea to clean up your silk pillowcases with a sweater shaver, it's a terrible idea for the fabric. The shaver is designed to trim off fluff and pills, both of which silk isn't naturally inclined to produce when it wears. Rather, silk will thin over time and running a blade over it will likely catch on the weave of the piece. This can cause holes, runs, and snags on the material, permanently damaging it. Since silk is so fine and delicate, even the smallest nick can shred the fabric.

If you have chiffon curtains in your home, a sweater shaver is not the best tool for upkeep. Because the fabric is lightweight and loosely woven, a shaver's blades can snag the delicate threads and shred them beyond repair. At worst, you'll have a shredded mess, and at best you'll create holes on the material. Avoid doing either, and instead use embroidery scissors to snip individual snags and pills so that you're preserving your piece without danger of damage.

Embroidered or otherwise embellished pieces are another no-no to take the sweater shaver to. It's a fast track to ruining these details on textiles since the raised surfaces can easily snag in a sweater shaver's blades and guard. An entire design can quickly unravel if the blades cut a portion of it, leaving behind jagged holes and unattractive loose threads. Embroidery scissors (they may be an old-fashioned home gadget, but they still work!) are the best tool here as well, to stop pilling without risking extensive damage.

Like we mentioned earlier, high-pile or looped rugs are not a fabric shaver's best friend since the blades can easily catch in the loops and snag the carpet, causing unraveling and permanent damage. On all rugs, be sure to always use a shaver with a guard and keep the surface taut for a clean, safe finish, regardless of the loop, but it's best to keep particularly electric shavers away from these decor pieces. Instead, use scissors to tackle snags on high-pile rugs.