Household Hacks: Removing Pilling

I'm sure we've all dealt with those nasty fuzz balls on our clothing. I can try my very hardest to keep a piece of clothing nice but somehow my knits always end up pilling. I almost decided it would be easier to hand wash and dry everything that might possibly end up that way! Since being a housewife/ mom, I've realized the importance of reading labels and following the original washing instructions, as it is entirely up to me to ensure our clothing is washed properly. Okay. I confess. I don't follow the instructions to a T, because I prefer washing with cold water and there's no way I'm dividing up my clothes into several itty bitty loads just to comply with manufacturer recommendations. But as far as hand washing, line drying, or laying flat to dry, I pay attention. Sure there are times I miss a certain piece while digging through the dirty laundry pile, but ya know, that's life, sometimes unfortunately.

Maxi skirts are the worst. My husband officially decided he didn't like them because after a couple wears they look like trash. I've had a few in my day and have tried several different washing methods, but somehow after a couple wears, they do end up looking like trash! I have one maxi dress and one skirt that somehow have been spared thus far, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they stay nice. I think there are some cheaper versions of the maxi skirt, and some more high end, and the more expensive "higher-end" ones that I own are the ones that have stayed nice. Anyway.

 

I also have a sweater. It's one of the few pieces of non-maternity clothing I've bought in all the years being married (I admit... but there really aren't good clothing stores here!). Aaron loves this sweater, and he compliments me on it every time I wear it! But it had the same problem when I bought it (yes, second-hand), in that it was all pilly. I ignored it for awhile but then one day decided it indeed looked nasty and I was going to do something about it. 

There are several methods to removing the lint balls, but pulling them by hand really doesn't leave you with a neat looking outfit, plus it takes a lot of time and frustration. So the method I used - which totally makes sense - was a razor. I mean, what else do you use to remove unwanted fuzz? Just sayin'. 

Because of the tool involved, I'm going to include a disclaimer: please test in an inconspicuous area first. And work slowly. Just in case. Certain materials may be more prone to snagging than others. Now that my hands are free from blame if you happen to cut a hole in your garment, I'll also add I've never had tears happen while using a razor to remove pills. But be careful. 

I found that it worked best to run the razor across the material with the grain. It was more efficient that way, and left much neater results. After shaving off the pills, I used my lint roller (which was invented in my birthtown of Flint, Michigan, by the way), to pick up the shavings. It's much easier to use a lint roller or something sticky than trying to brush them off with your hands.

I couldn't believe the difference it made having the pills removed. It's so smooth it almost looks new again. I'm very happy with the results, so I'll call this household hack a success.