Horsehair

[bobbin]

Crammage's comment about horsehair going into the landfill got me thinking about it.  I'm not an upholsterer, but am a furniture junkie.  I know horsehair is excellent "stuffing"; do any of you upholstery gurus ever clean it?  I'm asking because one of my books suggests sewing it into a pillow case and laundering it! then setting it out in the sunshine to dry.  Is this nuts?

[Joys Shop]

I do it all the time

I sew it into a pillowcase, wash it
then spread it out on my basement floor to dry

I do the same thing with spanish moss

I've been doing it for years

[bobbin]

So it's worth doing?  I have no idea what "new" horsehair costs but suspect it's pretty expensive since we don't use horses for transport the way we did 100+ yrs. ago.  But I have several old pcs. here and I will definitely launder it when I get around to them.  (lol). 

[mike802]

The last time I bought horsehair I could sell it for around 11 dollars pr pound.  Most of the time the horsehair I run into is real old and has become brittle, I would think replacing it would be better at that point, unless washing it restores its flexibility? I would think that at my shop rate pr hour, replacing it would be cheaper than washing it.  A pound of horsehair goes a long way and usually five to ten pounds is enough for an average size chair.  But 90% of the time just adding a little new hair is all that is required.

[florida girl]

Horse hair is used in Violin bows, along with the other stringed instruments.  Be carefull when using Spanish Moss, lots of critters in it.  Best to Microwave it first!  You also can boil it, but what we call Chiggers live in it.  They burrow under your skin, drive you crazy for 3 or 4 days!  You can drop nail polish on the "air" hole to kill it!  Life in North West Florida!

[Peppy]

Horse hair is used in Violin bows, along with the other stringed instruments.  Be carefull when using Spanish Moss, lots of critters in it.  Best to Microwave it first!  You also can boil it, but what we call Chiggers live in it.  They burrow under your skin, drive you crazy for 3 or 4 days!  You can drop nail polish on the "air" hole to kill it!  Life in North West Florida!

This is why I like Canada and tolerate -20 celsius for a good part of the year. Burrow under you skin....*shudder*

[kodydog]

You haven't lived until you've had 5 or 6 chigger bites in your nether region.

[florida girl]

You haven't lived until you've had 5 or 6 chigger bites in your nether region.

I've had over 30 at once!

[florida girl]

A long time ago, they used to fill mattresses with this stuff.  Didn't work out well as you can imagine! 

[Mojo]

So let me see if I have this right.

You wash the horse hair using VO-5 then add a conditioner such as Pantene ?

Do you do anything else like tint, perm or style  the hair afterwards ?   ;D

I am just asking since you can see by my picture that I am not an expert when it comes to hair. :)



Chris

[bobbin]

The nastiest little things we deal with here are deer ticks (they carry Lyme Disease).  Spring and fall are the worst times of year for them and some years are worse than others.   They'd show up great of Chris's head.

At the risk of driving this one into the ditch, how do you get rid of chiggers that are already under your skin?

[Half-Fast]

.....how do you get rid of chiggers that are already under your skin?

I'm in the heart of chigger country.  You really can't get rid of them, you have to suffocate them.  As Florida Girl already said, a dab of nail polish on the bite usually does it.  Use benadryl to kill the itch.

Jeff

[florida girl]

There is a product called Chigger rid that kind of helps, Eucalyptis helps too.  Eventually, you build up an immunity, although I"m told that actually the nerve endings die off, and you don't notice it anymore.  We have a lot of different kinds of critters!

[CKKC]

I live in N.E. Kansas and have to deal with chiggers about twice a year.   I have found that putting Absorbine Jr. on my tennis shoes and the cuff of my jeans (or on my socks)  it repels the little buggars!   I still get one or two but not many. 

[ragtacker]

I follow Joy's recommendation (also recommended by the British upholsters) for
washing it in the washing machine.  works like a charm.  If anyone needs  a supplier, Albany
Foam sells it.