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How to Diagnose Itchy Fabrics & Furniture InspectAPedia®  -     Steps to diagnose possible causes of itchy fabrics and furniture Recommended tests to screen furniture and fabrics for mold, allergens, irritants

Twenty Questions and Sampling Techniques to Diagnose Itchy Furniture Fabrics

There are lots of reasons why a particular fabric or piece of furniture may be itchy or cause allergic, skin, or respiratory or even asthmatic reactions in people. Some people find particular fibers, such as wool, irritating. But here we are considering the possibility that a fabric or piece of furniture may be contaminated with something that is bothersome or even harmful.

We wrote this material in reply to a reader who asked us to assist in diagnosing an itchy couch covered with a Microfiber™ fabrics. Microfiber fabrics have not been reported to me as a particular source of skin or respiratory irritation.

An itchy fabric on a couch is a bit more than I can diagnose accurately just by email but you might have a reaction to the fiber of the fabric itself, or to a chemical coating that could have been sprayed on it (a fabric guard or some such) or if it's old or has been wet or dirty, maybe to dust mite fecals or insect fragments or some other contaminant.

A List of Questions to Help Diagnose the Cause of Itchy Furniture or Fabrics

1. Does the couch have removable cushions that you can test (by skin contact or shaking dust loose) for irritability separate from the couch itself, or more generally, is there more than one fabric type on the couch?
2. If there is more than one fabric (say different-fabric cushions) are you equally irritated by all of them?
3. Has the couch ever been wet or in a room that was flooded?
4. Has the couch been exposed to high humidity?
5. Have there been pets on or around the couch?
6. Has there been a rodent problem including maybe inside the couch?
7. How old is the couch?
8. Did you buy the couch new?
9. Has the couch been sprayed or treated with any chemicals? (Stain preventers, water repellents, insecticide, pesticide)
10. If the couch is not new, has it been in other buildings besides its present location, if so what's its history?
11. Have you lifted or flipped back the couch to inspect the condition of its underside for evidence of rodent damage, water damage, or mold?
12. Do your complaints change when you vacuum the couch? That is if your vacuum is aerating problem particles you might notice it when vacuuming?
13. Can you get a sample of new fabric from the couch manufacturer or supplier (often a furniture store has fabric samples) and can you see if that fabric is equally irritating.
14. Can you go to a furniture store where you can sit or lie on a couch covered with this same fabric to see if you get the same reaction? (Keep in mind that a couch at another location could also be contaminated - we don't yet know if it's the fabric itself or a contaminant).
15. Do you have a history of allergies, skin conditions, stress, or illness that might be factors in sensitivity to this item?
16. Do other people also get any reaction when sitting on this piece of furniture or on others just like it but in other buildings?
17. Do any other furnishings in the home cause similar problems as those associated with this particular item?
18. Can you suggest other questions to add to this list?
19. Can you send me a photo of the couch including close-up of the fabric?
20. Do you have any literature describing the fabric used to manufacture the couch and its fabricator? What about the material used to stuff the couch and its cushions?

Itchy Couch Sample Analysis Options

We would not spend much on fabric or fabric-contaminant samples and testing unless you're hoping to salvage expensive furniture, suspicious that the furniture complaint might be indicative of a larger problem in the building, or you're dealing with a serious medical risk or allergy. But if those conditions apply or if your curiosity justifies it here are two test options we could pursue:

• Can you send us a fabric sample? Even a few threads might be sufficient for a diagnostic examination in the microscope; in particular if taken from a soiled or stained area. (The fee for that type of sample analysis is $100. so let's not do this unless you have good reason to believe your sample is representative of some soiling or irritating material.)
• Do you want to try to send a particle sample for us to examine in the lab? ($50. /lab fee per sample) If so use the tape procedure and sample mailing instructions are at Six Easy Steps to Get and Mail a Mold Test Kit to our Lab for 24-Hour Analysis and Report
• OR you can try creating a vacuum sample of the couch by holding a new, clean paper towel over the end of a vacuum cleaner nozzle, mark in pen or pencil the area which will be receiving particles, then turn on the vacuum cleaner and vacuum 4 sq.in. of suspect surface. Fold the paper towel in over the vacuum-area, place that into a plastic bag and mail it to me. (The fee for that type of sample analysis is $100.) problem.

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