Ferretproofing 101: Keeping Your Ferret Safe

Anyone who has ferrets knows how much they get into things and how hard it is to watch them every second. Ferrets are intelligent, curious, and persistent! In order to keep your ferrets safe while they’re roaming around (and also to keep your belongings safe from them), it’s very important to make sure that your home is ferretproofed.

Ferretproofing means looking at your home from the viewpoint of a ferret, and taking precautions to establish a safe play area for them. Do you have an open garbage can in the area where they play? Unless it is moved, it will likely be tipped over and strewn about. Do you have fragile knickknacks on a table next to the couch? Move them or lose them! Do you burn candles in your home? Make sure they are high enough that your ferret can’t get to them and singe his whiskers or worse.

Does the task of ferretproofing seem overwhelming? If you’re not sure where to begin, sit down in the room where your ferrets will be playing and make a list of everything that you think could be dangerous for them. Here are some places you will probably want to start.Furniture

Recliner chairs are very dangerous for ferrets, as they can climb up into them and get crushed. Remove recliners from the ferrets’ play area.

Ferrets love to dig and burrow into sofas; unfortunately, sofas can be very dangerous for them. A ferret could lose an eye on a spring or staple, or get a blockage from ingesting the material inside the couch. If the couch sits up off the floor, staple a heavy fabric or nail a piece of plywood across the bottom of it. Use slipcovers to keep your ferrets from going down through the cushions and into the couch. You may want to consider only using futon style couches if your ferrets are especially persistent.

If your ferrets are in your bedroom, make sure that you affix something to the bottom of the box springs to keep the ferrets out of there as well.Appliances

Ferrets can very easily fit behind or under many major household appliances, such as refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, dishwashers, etc. This is dangerous for multiple reasons. Ferrets could be injured or killed if the appliance is on or if they chew on the electrical wires. It is best to keep them out of the kitchen or laundry room altogether. However, if you are going to let them into these areas, it is very important that you ferretproof these appliances. Use wood, cardboard, or duct tape to block access to the underside and backs, and always verify that there are no ferrets in or around them before using them.Cabinets & Drawers

There are frequently items in cabinets and drawers that you wouldn’t want ferrets getting into, especially in the cupboards that contain household cleaners. Many child safety devices are ineffective because they leave a small gap that ferrets can squeeze through. It’s best to use magnets, Velcro®, bungee straps, or other things such as these that will hold the door or drawer firmly closed.Ferret Supplies

That’s right, even ferret supplies will need to be ferretproofed. Always check your ferret’s toys, bedding, and other items to make sure that they are not dangerously worn. If there are threads, fabric, or parts hanging off that they could chew off and swallow, discard the item immediately and replace it.Moving Things Out of Reach

When you ferretproof, you have to think like a ferret. It sounds silly, but the best thing you can do is get down on your hands and knees and look around the room. Anything that is at your eye level or lower is something they can easily reach with little effort. Couches, shelves or other things they can climb could provide access to items that are higher up. Make sure that all breakable items, candles, wires and other such things are out of reach or, in the case of wires, outfitted with covers or protective sheaths to keep your ferrets from chewing on them. Ferrets also love to chew on rubber-type items, so be sure to keep remote controls, computer mouses, and other items with rubber buttons in cupboards or away from ferrets.Preventing Escapees

Ferrets are very adept at getting into small spaces. Why? Because most ferrets can get their bodies into a space as long as it is big enough to accommodate their heads. Many ferrets are small enough to fit under doors, behind furniture, through open laundry vents or spaces around plumbing and in other 1″ spaces. If you have spaces like that in their play area, block them off.

Ferrets can also tear through window screens, so if you aren’t supervising your ferret during playtime, close all windows that your ferret can reach or open them from the top. If you have to leave them open for ventilation, never leave your ferret alone in a room where he can climb up in the window.

If your ferrets play in a room with a door to the outside, keep a close eye on them. It only takes one person who is not aware of how quick and sneaky ferrets can be to open the door and unwittingly allow them to escape to the outside. The safest things to do are block off the door (a Playpen works well to create a small barrier in front of the door), hold your ferret when people are coming and going, or put your ferret in his cage when there will be lots of people entering and exiting your house. Many people lose their ferrets each year because they underestimated how quickly a ferret could slip around someone’s feet.Maintaining the Safe Environment

These aren’t even close to all of the ferretproofing tasks that you will need to do, but they are a good start! Every ferret’s personality is different, so you will need to ferretproof different things for different fuzzies. Some ferrets will be fascinated by trying to dig inside the couch while others will try desperately to dig their way under the door, and still others will spend endless hours pulling your books or movies off the shelves. Tailor your ferretproofing to your individual ferret’s behavior for the best results.

And finally, a word of caution! Ferretproofing is a never-ending job. Ferrets are very persistent and very intelligent. They will often find a way around your ferretproofing, and you will need to come up with other ways to thwart them. Give the room a good once-over before letting your fuzzies out to play. Review your ferretproofing measures thoroughly at least once a month, and always keep an eye out for new items in the room that may catch your ferret’s eye and need to be ferretproofed.

Slip Covers For Furniture

Whether you have faded or torn fabric on your chairs, or simply want a new look, or want to protect your furniture, give slip covers a try.
I’ve just discovered the easiest way in the world to give my living room a brand new look. My old furniture, while very comfortable, was becoming worn out, with stains on a couple of the chairs and a rip on one of the cushions of the couch. (Ah, children, they’re so much fun, aren’t they?)
I was contemplating getting the furniture re-upholstered, but didn’t want to go to that expense, and I certainly didn’t want to go to the expense of buying new furniture, especially when there was nothing wrong with the old except for those cosmetic problems.
Then I discovered slipcovers!
It’s not necessary to re-upholster my furniture – and then go to the expense of re-upholstering it again should the new fabric become stained – when all I need to do is purchase relatively inexpensive slip covers, which I can replace again and again if it becomes necessary.
What I was impressed about was not only the vast array of designs that slip covers come in, but also the fabrics. I never would have thought you could get leather slip covers, but you can. Other fabrics include denim, suede, chenille, or cotton and damask.
The designs are nothing to sneeze at. There are hundreds of designs to choose from, from floral to plaid to geometric, to solid colors. They also come in themes for kid’s rooms – sports, horses, etc. Indeed, having slip covers for chairs in your kid’s room only makes sense!
I was also pleased to see that these slip covers come in a variety of sizes – they’ll fit my couch and my recliner, to say nothing of the straight chairs in my dining room. And of course they’ll fit love seats, futons and ottomans as well – any size furniture you’ve got! And if you can’t get something ready-made that will fit, of course you can always order something custom-made.
So I’ve gone out and picked out a wide variety of slip covers, because I’ve got big plans. My entire family comes here for the holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving, so I’ll cover the furniture with seasonal designs at that time.
If you decide to use slip covers on your furniture, make sure they are preshrunk and prewashed. Indeed, make sure they are machine washable so that they are easy to care for! Some fabrics of course will have to be dry-cleaned, but I always prefer to take the easiest possible way!

Folding Chair Slip Covers – a Hot New Trend

A folding chair slip cover is the perfect solution in bringing to life those old, dull looking brown folding chairs you have sitting around the house. These types of slip covers are becoming hugely popular for several reasons.

1. Folding chair covers are inexpensive – For only a few dollars you can put some fun and excitement into any folding chair.

2. Easy to make yourself – You can quickly and easily make your own folding chair covers if you have even the most basic of sewing experience.

3. These covers add style and some color – chair covers give these old folding metal chairs some nice color and styling. Instead of having them hidden away you can bring them out year round!

With folding chair slip covers you have a choice of design options. Some covers are made to only go over the back of chair, while others will cover the back and the seat of the chair.

You can easily find either style of cover design along with a wide variety of color choices and material options as well. This couldn’t be any easier to do. The internet offers a whole host of websites that sell these types of slipcovers.

For those who like to design and make things themselves, then you can really use your imagination and design something special.

Any of your fabric stores will have patterns for chair covers that you can purchase along with any type of material you want to make them out of. You’ll find designs for any type of chair, sofa, recliner, dining room chair as well as a folding chair.

Choosing the style and design is all up to you, but regardless of which way you go you will find folding chair slip covers to be a great way to bring those old chairs some new life.

Slip Cover Designs – How to Spend Less on your Next Interior Redecorating Project

Choose ideal solutions for worn and out of date furniture from a selection of quality furniture slip covers. Both custom sewn and ready made slip covers are available online. There are a ton of variations in overall design, type of fit and style of fabric.

Find what you want in machine washable fabrics such as denim, chenille and faux suede. A tailored jacquard or silk slipcover is more than just a useful alternative to expensive new furnishings.

Designer slipcovers include plaid, floral and geometric designs in different weaves and textures. Linen, 100% cotton and flannel are durable choices, and velvet adds that extra touch of class.

Different sizes and shapes of slip covers can be ordered to fit sectional couches, loveseats and recliners as well as standard size couches. Some furniture pieces have unusual measurements that require custom patterns.

Other furnishings that can be covered include chaises, futons and ottomans. Recover a favorite armchair or buy patterned tapestry cushions for a couch made from wicker. Wingback chairs and parsons chairs can also be slipcovered to camoflauge soiled upholstery.

For a big event like Thanksgiving, christmas or another special holiday event, you can cover dining chairs for that special touch. If there is a a particularly large number of people such as a bar mitzvah, wedding or family reunion, folding chairs and their slipcovers can be rented.

Slipcovers for couches can be sewn in a generously cut design. An alternative is a form fitting stretch slipcover that clings to furniture contours for a tight fit. Some designs come with decorative ties that keep the cover in place. A semi-fitted, loosely constructed slipcover with a straight or elasticized skirt is yet another choice.

Slipcovers can be mixed and matched with throws, matching pillows and even curtains for a room that is fully coordinated. Sometimes the curtain panels or pillows come ready made, sometimes you need to buy extra fabric to sew them yourself.

Order prewashed, preshrunk fabric that is stain resistant and machine washable. Stain repellent technology will keep couch slipcovers looking great after many washings.

Another option for covering older furniture is a convenient furniture throw or afghan. These throws or blankets are not form fitting and will need to be readjusted quite regularly if they are used to cover the whole sofa or chair.

If used as an accent, a furniture throw can add a splash of bright color or the softness of sheepskin. For sports enthusiasts there are hockey or basketball team logos. Horses, golf, and southwestern patterns are other favorite themes.

Create a modern room with a minimum of hassle and expense. For advice, contact the customer service department of online stores. Shop around for reasonably priced items and make use of free delivery. Top brand name slip cover manufacturers offer warranties on their products as well as customer satisfaction guarantees.

How to Take Care of Your Lazy Boy Leather Recliner

Lazy Boy leather recliners are one of the best loved pieces of furniture. It is an investment to our comfort therefore one must know how to meticulously care for your Lazy Boy leather recliner to make it last for a very long time.
Having a Lazy Boy at home can give you the convenience and the comfort at your very own place. You don’t have to go out just to enjoy a seat on a Lazy Boy recliner made of leather. It will be the favourite furniture in the household. It one of those things that we buy to reward ourselves after a long day of hard work and stress. Many people have testimonials about the satisfaction they experienced in their Lazy Boy leather recliners. It is one of the furniture that we take a lot of care. One must not take it for granted or else the next thing you know, you recliner will end up in the junkyard.
Of course, things do not last forever. The Lazy Boy leather recliner, one day, will really have to go when it becomes irreparable. But, there are ways to extend the life of your Lazy Boy leather recliner.
Leather is one of the easiest material to care for; this is applicable to all upholstery. If you care for your Lazy Boy recliner properly, it will maintain its look and splendour for quite a long time. Different leathers require different types of care. But here are general guidelines in caring for leather:
• Avoid exposing your Lazy Boy leather recliner to the sun. too much exposure will cause the material to fade.
• Clean the crevices of your recliner. Dust often accumulates in these areas so vacuum it from time to time.
• Prevent your furniture from cracking or drying by placing them away from intense heat generators like radiators.
• Accidents happen. When you by accident spill on you Lazy Boy leather recliner, do not rub. Just use blotting motions and put in mind to attend to the spills quickly. Do not let these liquids dry up on your recliner.
• Do not leave newsprints on your Lazy Boy recliner. Especially when your Lazy Boy leather recliner is made of leather, you will be seeing inks of newsprints all over. Now you would not want that, would you?
• Pets. Their furs are just hard to remove and their claws might leave marks on your precious leather recliner. Keep sharp objects away from your Lazy Boy too. Leather may be durable but it will be difficult to repair when your Lazy Boy recliner is punctured.
• Test your cleaner first on a hidden area before using it totally on your Lazy Boy. Harsh chemicals will damage your leather recliner.
• Usually, dark-colored Lazy Boy leather recliners are easier to maintain as compared to light colored ones.
• The use of slipcovers can also prolong the life of your Lazy Boy leather recliner.
Utilizing these care tips for your Lazy Boy leather recliner will surely make your recliner look good as new always. And with the price of a new Lazyboy Recliner it is certainly worth spending a little time and effort keeping your precious chair in mint condition.

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