Flame Retardatants in Couches and Mattresses Flame Retardants in Couches Keep in mind that these companies use toxic foams, glues, fabric finishes and possibly particle boards. Companies selling green upholstered furniture generally do not use flame retardants. Always ask, but I have not found one that does. For a list of totally green, non-toxic sofa companies see my post on non-toxic furniture. There are many companies making organic or natural fiber carpets, such as wool. And for rugs, some good options include cotton, rattan or jute. Carpets should explicitly state that they use all natural materials. I go over the greenest carpet companies in this post. Conventional types from big box stores contain a long list of chemicals including flame retardants. However, many big box stores now carry carpets with the Green Label Plus certification which means the carpets emit low levels of VOCs. Always ask about FRs, since these are not considered VOCs.I have a post on window coverings with chemical-free options.
Flame Retardants in Insulation HBCD is typically used in polystyrenes, in concentrations of up to 1% in EPS, and up to 5% in XPS. TCPP is typically used in polyisocyanurate foams (up to 10%). There is no EPS or XPS insulation without flame retardants on the market currently. Almost all spray foams made in the US contain FRs according to Treehugger, usually TCPP () Natural insulation options in . Apple phased out brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in 2008 but uses "safer" unspecified flame retarding chemicals. Motorola is BFR-free and Sony has phased it out of some products (). How much these can leach out of electronics is not clear. With furniture, it is when the particles become dust bound that they become the biggest problem. Flame retardants become mobile in dust as opposed to gas. So keeping a dust free home is of utmost importance. HEPA vacuum is the best way to deal with the dust if you have conventional furniture, carpets and curtains.
The Nilfisk brand is recommended by the experts. You can also add a HEPA filter (or even better, this one) to a Shop-Vac. (High-efficiency filter bags are also needed to catch all the fine dust.) (which some people say has a plastic smell), and . A decent one that is a more affordable is this . I have heard pretty good experiences with Honeywell considering the price.Before you rush out to buy furniture for your rental property, think very carefully about what you need and even if it’s really necessary to provide any furniture at all. About half of all prospective tenants are looking for unfurnished accommodation and furnishing a property does not generally increase the amount of rent you can charge. Speak to local letting agents about the type of tenant your property is likely to attract and get their opinion on what items, if any, you need to buy. Families and young couples might not want any furniture at all; students, by contrast, will want the property fully furnished;
and a single person is more likely to be looking for part-furnished. If you’re unsure what your market is, you could always leave your property unfurnished but make it clear in your advertising that you’re prepared to provide some items on request. If you let to students, you’ll need to provide a bed and wardrobe in every bedroom, a sofa, dining table and chairs. If you let via a college or university it will probably insist on a desk in every bedroom. Ikea is a good source of affordable furniture for student lets. Neutrals work: John Lewis has sofas from £299 and sofa beds from £175. Any furniture you provide should be easy to clean and hard-wearing Corporate tenants usually want properties to be comfortable, at least part-furnished, with a bed, sofa, dining table and chairs. If you’re letting your property on a short lease of less than six months, you’ll probably need to make it more homely with extra items such as coffee tables, rugs and some artwork — but don’t include anything valuable or irreplaceable.
Make sure everything you buy is hard-wearing, easy to clean and, if you’re letting budget or student accommodation, cheap to replace. Keep colours neutral and avoid overpersonalising with “statement” items that might put people off. Think modern, fresh, simple and, above all, well lit and warm. Go for sofas with removable covers that can be machine-washed, or real or faux leather you can wipe clean. Divan beds should last longer than flimsy bedframes and think storage — beds with built-in drawers provide extra. Supplying mattress protectors will extend mattress life. Hygena's Amparo table and chairs, above, £99.99 is a good compact buy for smaller homes where space is at a premium It’s a legal requirement that all soft and upholstered furnishings in rental homes, including mattresses and sofas, are fire-resistant so make sure they have a fire-safety label attached. If they don’t, check with the retailer that they comply with regulations. Several firms sell off-the-shelf furniture packages for different budgets and types of tenant.
They aren’t the cheapest option but they’re good for landlords who are short of time or inspiration. David Phillips also offers a convenient next-day delivery and assembly service within the M25. Tidy minds: the Malm Ottoman bed from Ikea, £329, has storage underneath You can save money by picking up used furniture on websites such as Gumtree, at auction and in second-hand shops but it’s better to leave a property unfurnished than fill it with tatty or mismatched items. Buy cheap ready-made curtains online or at department stores. John Lewis has a good line. Inspect all second-hand sofas, mattresses or other fabric-covered items to make sure they don’t harbour bedbugs. For the telltale signs, visit rentokil.co.uk/bed-bugs. For smaller properties, look for space-saving flexi furniture such as dining tables that fold down and sofa beds. If you can’t fit in chests of drawers or cupboards, put up shelves. In bedrooms, look for under-the-bed storage boxes, such as those at Ikea.
Light and bright: blinds rather than curtains, make a room look bigger. John Lewis has a big choice, from £8 for The Basics range. The above are blinds in Jane Churchill's Larkin fabric, from £35 a metre available in store Blinds instead of curtains will make rooms look more spacious, but curtains are actually easier to clean when your tenants move on. Try to avoid including electrical appliances such as lamps, toasters and microwaves as you will be responsible for keeping them in good repair and you could be held liable if they are faulty. While most tenants expect landlords to provide “white goods”, such as an oven, hob, fridge and a washing machine, they are usually happy to provide their own portable appliances, saving you money and hassle. You can’t deduct the cost of furnishing a rental property from your tax bill — only items you repair or replace are tax deductable. Meanwhile, from April, landlords will lose their 10 per cent “wear and tear” allowance for furnished accommodation, too, so it makes sense to provide only what is absolutely necessary.