When many people consider health, they generally relate to food and exercise. However, this week, the topic of health has come up in a rather surprising context: furniture. Recently, senior Health Editor for the Pace Chronicle Christiana Lloyd was flipping through the pages of an old Pace yearbook when she happened upon a photograph taken in the townhouses. In the photograph, she was shocked to see that the living area furniture in the photographs appeared identical to that which is still used today. Lloyd was instantly concerned as to whether or not the furniture had been properly maintained all these years, as students still use the furniture every day, and furniture can become dirty and unsanitary rather easily.

Fabric maintenance is very important, which is made clear in Abe Abbas’ online article “How to Clean and Care for Upholstered Furniture.” Consider for a moment how often one uses their sofa or chair to relax after a long day. Throughout one’s day, particularly here at Pace where we attend crowded and packed classes and eat out of crowded cafeterias, we encounter a variety of germs and other bacteria. These germs and bacteria often stick to our clothes. So, when we return home after a long day on campus, we bring everything we’ve encountered throughout the day into our houses and then proceed to sit on these sofas.

While letting that reality settle in for a minute, rest assured the furniture in the townhouses is not as old as one might think. Mr. William Link, head of Buildings & Grounds here at Pace University, reassures that living area furniture, particularly in the townhouses, was last purchased in 1997, a few years shy of 20 years ago. In those years, the furniture, as well as all the residence halls, has undergone routine cleaning in the summer time before students return to campus.

The last refurbishing to occur in the townhouses occurred about five years ago. If furniture is badly damaged, stained, or in need of replacement for any reason, it is campus policy that Residential Life is responsible for requesting replacements. So, if there are worries as to whether the furniture is maintained to the best of Pace’s ability, rest easy. And, if these aforementioned policies do not suffice to qualm said worries, it might also be important to mention that Capitol Project just approved a request for all new furniture to be purchased for the townhouses, as well as other residence halls. This process will begin July first of this year.

Until then, however, it may be wise for Pace students to know a thing or two about how they can properly self-maintain their furniture. Taking care of furniture does not have to be a huge project. No cleaning crews need to be called in for day-to-day care of sofas or chairs. In fact, some of the maintenance work is already done for the consumer as early as the manufacturing stage. Many furniture manufacturers include fabric protectors in the sofa materials to help avoid risk of mildew. However, this should not deter students from cleaning up any and all spills that occur near or on furniture as soon as they happen, simply by spraying some all-purpose cleaner on the spill and scrubbing it out.

Also, practices such as turning the cushions can make a significant difference. According to Abe Abbas, “this easy maintenance method allows for an even distribution of wear and tear and your cushions won’t develop indentations right away.”

Last but not least, vacuum all upholstered furniture to remove any dirt or soil on the surface that may have been dragged in from outdoors as well as dust that naturally accumulates over time.

Overall, students may rest assured Buildings & Grounds and Residential Life have policies in place to ensure students’ furniture is as clean as it can be. If one is of the mind that our furniture is probably 30 to 50 years old, he or she is mistaken.

Also, look forward to the future, as Pace updates all its furniture and facilities. In the meantime, remember to care for your own belongings. Even if one is not the tidiest person, it is important to keep one’s environment as clean and germ-free as possible for their own health as well as the health of those around them.