For $60, I Totally Transformed My Old Blankets and Sofa
This gadget is a game changer.
Updated May 2, 2022 12:55 PM
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If you’ve ever had the pleasure of using a pressure washer to clean off something extra grimy (in my case, my front stairs and patio furniture), then shockingly found yourself joyfully immersed in the chore—maybe even slightly obsessed with it—and have been on the hunt for other items that need a cleaning of the high-pressure variety, you’ll have an idea of how I feel about using my new fabric shaver.
Removing pilling from textiles was not high on my list of fun-loving activities. In fact, it’s something I put off for so long that many of my sweaters had gone out of style before I got around to taking off those pesky burrs. But when one of my absolute favorite, wear-it-once-a-week tops fell victim to the dreaded pill, it became necessary to solve this problem immediately. And that’s when Steamery’s Pilo 2 fabric shaver entered my life.
First of all, the design is sleek and minimal, which appeals to the aesthete in me. And it’s supersmall (it fits in the palm of my hand), so finding a place to stash it away when not in use isn’t difficult. The first item I shaved? My beloved knit pullover, which urgently needed my attention, and I was pretty instantaneously hooked. But the real reason I fell in love: the realization that this textile-care tool is not just for clothing—it works around your home, too. A chair in my living room that was suffering from fluffy nubs was cleaned up in a matter of seconds. And a superluxe cashmere throw—which I had, at one point, coveted and used daily but nearly decided to donate to our dog because the piling had gotten so bad—was restored to its almost-new glory after a quick sweep with the Pilo’s six razor blades.
Similar to when I use a pressure washer, I enjoy every second of this meditative task (if I could find a way to make a living out of de-pilling, I might change careers). One disclaimer: If you’re using it on something large (an entire sofa), especially fluffy, or heavily pilled (like my throw), you’ll have to stop and clean out the lint canister frequently. The Pilo comes with a little brush that makes this maintenance pretty simple. This caveat did not stop me from forging on in my mission to de-pill everything I can get my hands on, it just slowed down the process a bit. But really, with a task this enjoyable, who’s in a rush?
