# Plastic on Couches.



## Ronni (Nov 14, 2020)

Remember this?  



My Mum did this with one of our couches.  I remember when I was little, going visiting and it was a very common habit.  Also plastic runners down hallways, and plastic left on lamp shades.  

These days, I can't even imagine doing such a thing! Back then, furniture was a major investment and you kept it for a long time.  These days, furniture, at least with the younger folk, seems to be quite disposable.  It doesn't cost anywhere near as much, so you might for example get a couch cleaned a time or two, but then you just get rid of it and get another one when it gets too shabby.


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## Aunt Bea (Nov 14, 2020)

Yup!

The same with seat covers in a car to protect the resale value.

When I was a kid we never had _nice _furniture, matching dishes, glassware, etc... but I remember one friend that grew up in a perfect house with plastic-covered furniture and plastic runways across the carpets.

I was just as bad for many many years maintaining a _museum_ living room that was only used a couple of times a year.

Different strokes for different folks.


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 14, 2020)

ROFLMAO!

Boy, do I remember!

Protecting living room suits with plastic didn't start and stop there, I remember being driven by friends parents and there being plastic on the car seats.

I also remember everyone's homes had plastic runners in the halls.  

What a fun walk down memory lane!


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## Aunt Bea (Nov 14, 2020)

Plastic on lampshades was common in the days when everyone smoked.


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 14, 2020)

Aunt Bea said:


> Plastic on lampshades was common in the days when everyone smoked.
> 
> View attachment 133411


Ah, yes, I totally forgot about lamps shades being sheathed in plastic! LOL!


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## RadishRose (Nov 14, 2020)

Never in my house, nor in my friend's or family's homes. I've seen it on TV, though.

We were quite proud of our boomerang ashtray however.


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## Autumn (Nov 14, 2020)

My mother-in-law had plastic on the couch and chairs in The Parlor...a room we were only allowed into on very special occasions.  I was first permitted entry on my wedding day, to take pictures.  We would take the dreaded family picture there every Christmas.  The furniture was so ornate and uncomfortable that none of us actually wanted to sit in there, but to her it was a shrine...


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 14, 2020)

Autumn said:


> My mother-in-law had plastic on the couch and chairs in The Parlor...a room we were only allowed into on very special occasions.  I was first permitted entry on my wedding day, to take pictures.  We would take the dreaded family picture there every Christmas.  The furniture was so ornate and uncomfortable that none of us actually wanted to sit in there, but to her it was a shrine...


We had Italian neighbours for years, and the upstairs of their home was through the roof fancy-schmancy. They entertained upstairs and lived downstairs.

The Mrs., did no cooking or baking upstairs. Everything was done downstairs in her self-sufficient, fully-finished basement.


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## Jules (Nov 14, 2020)

The family’s neighbour had a white couch covered in plastic.  It was uncomfortable to sit on and even worse in hot weather.  Like that lady, she smoked constantly.


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## Nathan (Nov 14, 2020)

Aunt Bea said:


> ... maintaining a _museum_ living room that was only used a couple of times a year.



My EX-wife kept the living room & dining room like a museum, we always ate at the breakfast nook and got together in the family room.

ff to present: we have lamps on the bedroom nightstands that have plastic on the shades, Lol.


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## jujube (Nov 14, 2020)

I remember peeling the back of my legs off the plastic-covered furniture as i was taken, properly attired in a dress, to visit elderly relatives. 

 There were always little china shephardesses and dogs and other figurines that I was NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH on pains of death.  

There was, however, always a candy dish full of ancient dusty hard candies, which I was instructed to help myself to one.  Unfortunately, they were always welded together into one large clump which would have taken a jackhammer to separate.  No loss, though,  as they were usually something nasty like butterscotch.


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 14, 2020)

jujube said:


> I remember peeling the back of my legs off the plastic-covered furniture as i was taken, properly attired in a dress, to visit elderly relatives.
> 
> There were always little china shephardesses and dogs and other figurines that I was NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH on pains of death.
> 
> *There was, however, always a candy dish full of ancient dusty hard candies, which I was instructed to help myself to one.  Unfortunately, they were always welded together into one large clump which would have taken a jackhammer to separate.  No loss, though,  as they were usually something nasty like butterscotch.*


ROFLMAO!

I swear the reason I loathe hard candy like I do today, is because of the les than enjoyable experiences I had as a child related to them.

You hit it right on the head, Ju!


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## StarSong (Nov 14, 2020)

No plastic on the furniture in any house I lived in, but I do recall it at some friends' houses.


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 14, 2020)

Jules said:


> The family’s neighbour had a white couch covered in plastic.  It was uncomfortable to sit on and even worse in hot weather.  Like that lady, she smoked constantly.


I remember cigarette burns back in the day.


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## RadishRose (Nov 14, 2020)

Nathan said:


> My EX-wife kept the living room & dining room like a museum, we always ate at the breakfast nook and got together in the family room.
> 
> ff to present: we have lamps on the bedroom nightstands that have plastic on the shades, Lol.


When you're home alone, take the plastic off them.


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## Lewkat (Nov 14, 2020)

Not in our house, but I knew some families who had this and could not understand it.  Why even bother to have furniture if you cannot use it?  Certainly no one I knew would sit on anything covered in plastic.  Plus, it was ugly.


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## Nathan (Nov 14, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> When you're home alone, take the plastic off them.


Pretty stylish, huh?


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## hollydolly (Nov 14, 2020)

Nathan said:


> Pretty stylish, huh?
> 
> View attachment 133419


Just rip it off...go on...you can blame us...


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## hollydolly (Nov 14, 2020)

We didn't have plastic on the sofas or  on the floor of the  hallway.. but we did have plastic on the lampshades, and also on all the dining room chairs...


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## Ronni (Nov 14, 2020)

When I was raising my kids, I tried to choose only furniture that was very kid friendly. Either that, or it was really inexpensive/second hand, because I knew it was going to get beat to hell and I didn't want to be constantly on the kids to be careful of the furniture.  I mean, I wouldn't let them jump on the beds or eat meals on the couches, but it was their home too and I wanted them to be able to relax and not be constantly on pins that they were going to do something wrong!


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 14, 2020)

Ronni said:


> When I was raising my kids, I tried to choose only furniture that was very kid friendly. Either that, or it was really inexpensive/second hand, because I knew it was going to get beat to hell and I didn't want to be constantly on the kids to be careful of the furniture.  I mean, *I wouldn't let them jump on the beds* or eat meals on the couches, but it was their home too and I wanted them to be able to relax and not be constantly on pins that they were going to do something wrong!


ROFLMAO!

Gosh, Ronni, in you mentioning jumping on beds, I, along with my baby siblings were never allowed to do that either, and neither were my own kids, but I remember two of my kids going through a jumping in their cribs stage when they got older, and I lost count of how many rubber crib sheets I went through account of!

Used to rip and tear the sheets to smithereens.


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## Gardenlover (Nov 14, 2020)

My grandma had the plastic on the furniture, but even then we were not allowed to go into "that"  room.


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## fuzzybuddy (Nov 14, 2020)

When I was a kid (60s), I had these two elderly aunts, who lived together. They were rather well off.  The aunts' home had all this big thick heavy furniture. For its time, it was expensive stuff. I guess the aunts thought of it as heirlooms to be handed down. I remember sitting in a  round upholstered chair that had 2 foot thick sides.  It's the furniture you see in 1930s movies. Well, nobody wanted that stuff in the 50s & 60s. My mom got rid off those hand me downs, and got all new boxy shaped   'modern" furniture. We didn't have plastic on the couch, but I had to sit on the floor. I didn't mind I was closer to the TV.


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## Pete (Nov 14, 2020)

Ronni said:


> Remember this? My Mum did this with one of our couches.  I remember when I was little, going visiting and it was a very common habit.  ..... oh yes I remember the plastic covered furnature, because in the summer one wouldliteraly stick to the plastic when watching TV..... guess thats why I always ended up watching TV while laying on the floor...


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## Jules (Nov 14, 2020)

fuzzybuddy said:


> I remember sitting in a round upholstered chair that had 2 foot thick sides.


Those chairs were comfy.


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## Nathan (Nov 14, 2020)

Bean bags!   Oh, but yea, they were like vinyl or naugahyde covered...yuck!


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## Tish (Nov 14, 2020)

Not in our house, but we did have to loungerooms(one for us kids and one for guests) and a formal dining room.


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## PamfromTx (Nov 14, 2020)

I remember some of my grandma's friends having plastic covered furniture.  My grandmother never did cover her furniture; she had the prettiest dining table and chairs.


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## Granny B. (Nov 14, 2020)

Speaking of keeping a house like a museum, there was a story of a distant relative who not only kept plastic on the furniture, but also had those movie theater stanchions and ropes blocking off the formal dining room.


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## Mat (Nov 14, 2020)

Ronni said:


> Remember this?
> 
> View attachment 133410
> 
> ...



In 53 we had Hounds Tooth Orange and Black small check.


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## RadishRose (Nov 14, 2020)

Nathan said:


> naugahyde covered


Did you know that Naugahyde was invented in Naugatuck CT which is a town bordering my childhood home? It was at the then US Rubber/UniRoyal Co.


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## Mat (Nov 14, 2020)

I can actually remember so far back I was not walking , even remember being dressed on the dining room table.  I had a sandbox out in the front and they would sit me in the box and I would play with brand new plastic colored cups.  I will never forget them because they were full of petroleum in the manufacturing and had an oily smell. Red Green Blue and Yellow.   That and the many colored bubbles in my bath.  That's going back pretty far.


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## Mat (Nov 14, 2020)

Here is a black and white of the couch in the front room.  The floors were hand waxed and polished once a week, you could shave in the reflection.


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 14, 2020)

Mat said:


> Here is a black and white of the couch in the front room.  The floors were hand waxed and polished once a week, you could shave in the reflection.


Is that a Christmas tree or a monster? LOL!

A lovely vintage snap!


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## Mat (Nov 14, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Is that a Christmas tree or a monster? LOL!
> 
> A lovely vintage snap!


It was a bit tired for sure !  My favorite thing about Christmas was the folding gum drop see thru plastic Tree, it sat on the top of the TV and I had explicit orders not to touch those gum drops until Christmas Morning.   ;0)


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## RadishRose (Nov 14, 2020)

Love the TV! We had a round screen, with the antenna, too.


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 14, 2020)

Mat said:


> It was a bit tired for sure !  My favorite thing about Christmas was the folding gum drop see thru plastic Tree, it sat on the top of the TV and I had explicit orders not to touch those gum drops until Christmas Morning.   ;0)


I mentioned the tree in fun, Mat, because if my mom and dad couldn't find a perfect Christmas tree, oh boy, how upset they'd be.

The gum drops sound delightful!


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## Mat (Nov 14, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> Love the TV! We had a round screen, with the antenna, too.


I watched the first episode of Gunsmoke on that TV and the TV was already old then.  I'm thinking it was around 57 or 56 that very first episode came on late at night.  Only two stations at that time and of course the 12 o clock sign off with the playing of the National Anthem.


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## RadishRose (Nov 14, 2020)

Mat said:


> the folding gum drop see thru plastic Tree, it sat on the top of the TV


OMG, I remember that thing too, but they put it out around Easter time! Wow.


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## Mat (Nov 14, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> OMG, I remember that thing too, but they put it out around Easter time! Wow.


Ours was a bit older and it was in the shape of a coned Christmas Tree.  The two plastic Reindeer also were with us for decades.  The only item I have left is a Christmas Bell that you would tie on a door and it had a string to pull which them played a Christmas tune.   I kept it because my Grandmother loved it.


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## RadishRose (Nov 14, 2020)

Mat said:


> Ours was a bit older and it was in the shape of a coned Christmas Tree.  The two plastic Reindeer also were with us for decades.  The only item I have left is a Christmas Bell that you would tie on a door and it had a string to pull which them played a Christmas tune.   I kept it because my Grandmother loved it.


Did you have one of these? It was my favorite. The angels spun around by he heat of the candle and hit the bells.


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## Mat (Nov 14, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> Did you have one of these? It was my favorite. The angels spun around by he heat of the candle and hit the bells.


No, we did not have one of these, I have seen them before.  You would find all these great things in the old Dime Stores.  When I was young and would go to the movie house in the Heights I would always save a quarter so I could stop at the Five and Dime about a block from the movie house and I would not leave until I found a small item of junk I could buy with that quarter.  I remember one time getting this cool Plastic Cowboy Hat and it was in a nice little white box wrapped in soft paper, all for a quarter  heh


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## StarSong (Nov 15, 2020)

Granny B. said:


> Speaking of keeping a house like a museum, there was a story of a distant relative who not only kept plastic on the furniture, but also had those movie theater stanchions and ropes blocking off the formal dining room.


Back in the early 60s a friend's parents had done that very thing with their living room, velvet ropes included.  I looked at her cockeyed as we walked past it.  She told me that the room was for adults only, no children allowed.  It struck me as being totally bizarre. 

No area of my family's house was off-limits, my parents' bedroom included.  

I went to that girl's house only once.  She seemed to prefer playing at my house.  Wonder why...


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## StarSong (Nov 15, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> OMG, I remember that thing too, but they put it out around Easter time! Wow.


We had one of these, too!  Sometimes my mother put black olives on it.


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## Giantsfan1954 (Nov 15, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> We had Italian neighbours for years, and the upstairs of their home was through the roof fancy-schmancy. They entertained upstairs and lived downstairs.
> 
> The Mrs., did no cooking or baking upstairs. Everything was done downstairs in her self-sufficient, fully-finished basement.


We had the same neighbors!


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## Pinky (Nov 15, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> Did you have one of these? It was my favorite. The angels spun around by he heat of the candle and hit the bells.


We still have ours!


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 15, 2020)

Giantsfan1954 said:


> We had the same neighbors!


We couldn't have asked for better neighbours.

Whenever I was in a pinch and needed a babysitter (not now but right now), R, was there for me, and A, used to bring dear husband a few bottles of his homemade vino every year, and seldom did a Christmas pass where we didn't get-together for a visit.


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## Jules (Nov 15, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> Did you have one of these? It was my favorite. The angels spun around by he heat of the candle and hit the bells.


Yes.  Loved it.


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## 911 (Nov 15, 2020)

In the evening on TV, the show “Everybody Loves Raymond” is on. Marie, the Mother & Grandmother still uses plastic to cover her furniture.


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## Fyrefox (Nov 15, 2020)

There was no plastic on my parent's furniture, but they did have "slip covers" on the arms and backs of furniture where hands and backs of heads would touch so as to keep those areas clean.  They also had their furniture "re-upholstered" after many years, basically stripped down, stuffed with new padding, then covered with fresh fabric.  Re-upholstering furniture is rare these days, and probably cost-prohibitive even if you can find someone to do it...


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## Devi (Nov 15, 2020)

I remember my parents getting their couch reupholstered -- with salmon-colored Naugahyde. Didn't get dirty (much), but ... 

Those were the days. Design schemes included avocado colors and shag rugs.


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## Mat (Nov 16, 2020)

In the 50s it was a big business, much like shoe repair.  Now we all wear paper shoes, Progress !


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