How To – Beanbagideas

We all love our beanbags; they are cozy, comfortable, and squishy. They conform to the shape of our body, hence creating a very pleasing seating arrangement. A beanbag can take your body's shape and weight because it is filled with small styrofoam beads that make room for the sitter - no matter how big or small he is. This is the reason why everyone finds it fun to sit on a bean bag. However, no matter how well-crafted and good-quality a beanbag is, it will undergo wear and tear eventually over time. A beanbag can be damaged in many ways. Sometimes, its outer lining gets ripped, which causes the bean filling to spill out, and it becomes thinner and useless. Other times, its zipper may get torn, or it may become flat altogether. But the good thing is, beanbags are pretty easy to repair. That means you can fix minor damages by yourself at home. It may take some time, but you won't have to purchase a new beanbag, which means you'll be able to save your money. But how to do that? This article will share some simple and easy ways to repair a damaged beanbag at home. Not just that, we'll also share some other tips to fix a bean bag and prolong its life. So, without any further ado, let's get started! Is It Possible To Fix A Beanbag At Home? Yes, it is. Fixing a bean bag is not as hard as it sounds. If the issue is minor such as torn outer cover, flattening, damaged zipper, etc., you can easily fix it at home using a few supplies. Generally, there are three parts of a bean bag: an outer cover, an inner lining, and bean filling (Styrofoam beads). The bean bag's outer cover is made from tough and durable materials such as leather and vinyl. Next, the lining is again crafted from a heavy and wear & tear-resistant fabric that makes sure that the foam beads stay well inside and don't spill out. In most conditions, when a bean bag is damaged, the outer cover gets torn, exposing the inner lining to rip off; hence the Styrofoam beans come out. How To Repair A Vinyl Bean Bag? Vinyl bean bag chairs are the most commonly used bean bags out there. So, let's start by repairing the damages on vinyl chairs. There are two ways to fix a tear or a cut in a vinyl bean bag: using a vinyl repair kit or using an adhesive patch. 1. With Vinyl/Leather Repair Kit Fixing The Large Cuts First things first, you'll need to buy a vinyl repair kit. These are easily available in most automotive supply shops and online. Get a kit according to the color of your bean bag. Now, locate the tear or cut in your bean bag and mark it using chalk or marker to make it visible. Clean the damaged area of the bean bag using a damp cloth. If it's too dirty, take some rubbing alcohol on a cloth, and clean the dirt or grease off. If your bean bag has spilled a lot of beans or any other filling from this hole, then refill it before repairing it as it will offer great support to your chair and make the repairs easy. Next, cut a piece of an adhesive patch according to the size of the hole. Make sure to take at least ¼ inch extra than the size of the hole. Push this patch into the hole by keeping the sticky side upwards. Use a toothpick or a similar object to push the adhesive patch nicely, and make sure the entire hole is covered. Now, take out the mixing container that comes with the repair kit and combine the repair solution with the tint. Use a spatula to spread an even layer of repair mix on the mouth of the hole. Next, place a small grain paper (with its textured side facing down) on the spot where you've applied the repair liquid. Heat the heat-transfer tool or iron and press it against the grain paper to transfer the heat and cure the repair. Allow it to cool down for a couple of minutes, and then take out the grain paper. Fixing Small Punctures /Holes on bean bags Start by cleaning the punctured area. Make sure it is clean and dry before moving to the next step.Take out the mixing container that comes with the repair kit and combine the repair solution with the tint. Apply the repair liquid to the punctured area using a toothpick and let it dry. No need for curing the repair site as the hole is minor. Done! 2.With Adhesive Patches Another way to repair holes in the vinyl bean bag is by using adhesive patches. These patches are easy to use and are affordable as well. You can easily get them from local stores and online. The sticky patches can be of two types; you can either stick them over the hole or iron them over the damaged portion. But be very careful if you're using an iron-on patch. Always iron the patch over a piece of paper and avoid pressing it directly because the heat can damage the viny around the hole. How To Repair A Genuine Leather Bean Bag? You can use the same liquid vinyl repair kits to fix the leather bean bags. These kits are enough to repair minor punctures, cuts, and holes. However, if the damage is significant, avoid handling it yourself, especially if you don't have any experience. Because leather is an expensive material, consider getting it repaired by a professional. How To Repair Fix A Fuzzy Bean Bag? Fuzzy bean bags are so much in trend these days. They are cozy, comfy, and loved by kids (even pets sometimes!). Although they are made of durable material, they can get torn eventually. Fixing a faux fur bean bag is a bit different. You can't use repair kits and even adhesive patches because they don't stick on the fur. Further, you can sew them using a machine because they are huge and might damage the engine. So, the only way to deal with fuzzy bean bag damages is by sewing them with hands. Yes! You've read it right. You can easily sew the cuts or the hole in a fuzzy bean bag cover using a needle and a yarn. The good thing is, you don't have to be perfect at sewing because the fur will hide all the imperfections. If the hole or cut is minor, you can sew it directly using a needle with a matching thread. Make sure to use a strong thread. However, if the cut is big and a part of the fuzzy fabric is lost, contact the manufacturer to check if they have the same material to be used as a patch. If you get the material from your seller, you're good. But if you don't, go to a nearby fabric store and get a small piece of faux fur that matches your bean bag. You don't have to look for an exact match; get the closest to your chair color and material. Along with it, purchase a heavy-duty thread in the matching color and a needle that works on faux fur. Now, cut the piece of faux fur that you've just purchased. Make sure to take at least ¼ inch extra than the size of the hole. Next, mark the hole's location using a safety pin and turn the cover inside out because that's where you'll be sewing the patch on. Place the faux fur piece with its face down on the hole and secure it using sewing pins along the circumference. Stitch the hole with the heavy-duty needle along the perimeter of the patch. Take your time and sew it nicely using a whip stitch. No need to be perfect; just keep the stitches nice and tight. Once sewing is done, turn the cover back and remove the pins. And finito! How To Repair Bean Bag Fabric Covers? Again, you can't use adhesive patches or liquid repair kits on fabric. But the good thing is, you can easily sew the hole using a machine or by hand. To repair a fabric-based bean bag cover, you'll obviously need a fabric patch. So, first, ask your manufacturer for any matching sample that can be used as a patch. These days, many brands provide a couple of patches along with the bean bag cover. If you get it, then you are good to go. Otherwise, get a matching fabric from your local fabric store. If the cut is small and your fabric is lightweight, then stitch the patch using your machine. However, if the material is rigid, you'll have to hand sew it, as we explained with the faux fur cover. Turn the cover inside out and sew the patch using a needle with a heavy-duty thread. You'll have to sew pretty well because fabric can't hide the sewing imperfections. Hence, sew using tiny stitches. The best thing about hand-stitching is, it is easy and durable if you know how to stitch correctly. However, if the beanbag fabric is too hard to work on, it's always better to get help from an expert. Don't shy away from taking help from your friend or neighbor who knows how to sew perfectly. You can even consider getting it repaired by a professional. How To Repair in Seams And Zippers Of A Bean Bag? Broken zippers and seam rips are other issues to deal with for bean bag owners. But these issues can be fixed easily. Talking about seam rips, you can hand sew it if the fabric is tough or opt for machine sewing. For fixing the vinyl or leather bean bag, use the same repair kit. When you're repairing the seam rips, make sure to do it mindfully because it's a weak point, and you might have to fix it again if not done correctly. As far as the zippers are concerned, rub a candle on it if it's not working. If the key lock slider is damaged or lost, get another one, insert it in the zipper, and sew the endings with a needle. Further, if the damage is significant, consider getting it repaired by a professional. More tips on opening and fixing zipper issues you can read on: How To Open A Bean Bag Zipper? How To Fix A Flattened Bean Bag? Most bean bags are filled with polystyrene beads or Styrofoam pellets. These beans or pellets are made from raw beans that have air pockets inside them. Over time with prolonged use, the air pockets inside these beans get emptied, hence the compression problems. The best way to deal with a flat bean bag chair is a complete refill. If you're noticing any lumps or the chair seems flat or compressed, consider getting it refilled. You can easily get the refill beans from your local stores. They're available online as well. We'd recommend getting your bean bag fillings online because you can save a good amount of your money through deals and discounts. When you purchase beans or pellets for refilling a bean bag chair, make sure to get the high-quality virgin ones. Don't opt for cheap beans because they don't last that long. Once you purchased the required filling, empty the old bean bag filling into a large bag. Be very careful while doing this and avoid doing this in the presence of little kids or pets. They might find the tiny beads tempting to eat, which can be very harmful. So, empty the old stuffing into a bag, pack it and discard it. Now, open the new bag with fillers and carefully refill your bean bag. The good idea is to take help from your family member who can hold the bag while you're pouring the beans in. After filling the beans, secure it using the zipper, and if your bag has a child-lock mechanism, make sure to reinstall it. If you don't want to spend money on purchasing fresh beans or stuffing, here are a few DIY bean bag fillers you can try out. 4 DIY Bean Bag Fillers Pillow Stuffing Pillow or quilt stuffing is an excellent alternative to commercial bean bag fillers. It's lightweight, bouncy, and super comfortable as well. All you need to do is stuff your bean bag with pillows and blankets you don't use anymore or store under your bed. You can also use old clothes, pet pillows, and soft toys that your kids no longer use. It makes a great bean bag filler, even better than the bean fillers. The best part is, you can fluff it again once it starts getting flat, just like you fluff your pillows. Plastic Shopping Bags We can't really get rid of those plastic bags that come with grocery. No matter how much money we spend on reusable bags, we still get many of these polythene bags in one form or another. So, instead of throwing them in the trash and polluting the environment, use them to refill your bean bag. They are soft, squishy, and lightweight. They can be fluffed easily when flat. To use these used plastic bags as fillers, you'll need to collect them. Keep saving the bags and ask your family or friends to do the same. Once you've collected enough shopping bags, shape them into a ball and fill them inside your bean bag. This trick will save you money and allow you to recycle and reduce plastic bag usage. Natural Materials ( Coconut coir, leaves, pine needles) Natural materials like coconut coir, leaves, pine needles, jute, etc., have been used as stuffing for mattresses. The advantage of using these materials is that they are easily available, affordable, and don't cause any harm to the environment, i.e., they're eco-friendly. On the downside, when these natural materials break down, they create compost inside your bag. But again, it happens after years of usage. Old Clothes We all have piles of clothes that we no longer use because they're either worn out or due to sizing issues. We can't even donate the clothes that have worn out heavily. So, what to do with them? You can use these old clothes to fill your bean bags. You'll not only save your money but will also clear your clothing racks and closets by using this idea. The only problem with this trick is, clothes make the bean bag heavy. So, keep this in mind. There you have it!! Final Thoughts Fixing a bean bag is not as hard as it sounds. You can quickly repair some minor damages at home. We have shared all the easy and quick ways to fix different types of bean bags at home, along with the list of a few DIY bean bag fillers. We hope this detailed guide helps you in saving your time and money. Let us know if It helped, and share how you deal with damaged bean bags!