Diapering A Couch

Today was a small victory for us!  Finally after more than a week of feeling like I live in one of those back alleys with all the upturned furniture and garbage everywhere, a hobo warming his hands over a barrel with a fire blazing inside...yes that is the picture I had in my mind everytime I lay eyes on my living room. Finally the couch is in the upright and locked position with cushions on it and everything!

There was still one spot that smelled like pee on the cushions that you lean on.  I sprayed the crap out of it with Renuzit spray and waaaalaaa it smells beautiful now.  Also steam cleaned the entire thing underneath with my new gadget :)

I screwed the legs back on and shoved the quilt batting stuff up between the springs and the cloth that the cushions sit on.  We had to get rid of some of that stuff so instead of buying more I used 4 of the cloth diapers that I had left over from when I was all hippie natural earth mommy and had bought a ton of them.  Of course I gave most of them to Goodwill about a month ago so I only had enough to do one area.  This is why I hate getting rid of stuff.  But I do it to make other people happy!!!

Now what to do with the cushions.  They are made of this thick yellowish foam that soaks up moisture and doesn't let it go.  Ever.  Even if I hold a hair dryer to it or let it sit out in the sun for days.  SO I first steamed the hell out of it with the Annihilator attachment on the Shark and then held the Renuzit spray can right up against it and let loose.  Now that the cushion foams smelled like what I can only assume its like to hang your laundry outside on a fresh spring morning it was time for a more prophylactic approach.

I grabbed the Dollar General drop cloths (remember, for $1.50 you get a sheet the size of the moon), spread them out, and laid one piece of foam on one.  Using my Christmas wrapping skills I badly judged how much I would need to wrap, or as I like to say diaper, these bad boys.



I cut the plastic and then grabbed the clear packing tape.  You know, for aesthetic reasons.  I secured the plastic so that none of the foam was showing and then shoved it into the slip cover.  WAY easier to put that foam into the slip cover when its lubed up with plastic!  Shot right in!  I then put the quilt batting stuff in the top of the slip cover, spread a piece of plastic on that also for good measure, and zipped her up.  Good as new!


After I had all the cushions wrapped I excitedly brought them into the living room and shoved them into the couch.  It looked like nothing had ever happened!  Sure, when you sit down you slide around a bit and it makes a crinkly sound, but that's better than buying a new one for $1800!!

 Update:  I wrote this a couple of weeks ago but didn't publish it.  It is now March 1 and still no cat pee!  What worked, you may be wondering?  I put the cat litter box back in the dining room next to our freaking table where it was when we first got Mr Kitty.  Apparently he is a total basket case and can't handle change.  We had had it in the laundry room which is the only other option in my house and he was fine with it until we acquired the 3rd cat which apparently triggered some kind of psychosis or something.  Now we are back to dealing with him taking a huge dump every time we sit down to eat (I swear he times it), but at least we have a place to sit when we are watching TV!