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Original poster

New settee smells weird

32 replies

crochetmonkey74 · 26/05/2023 17:43

Hello all.
Got a new settee and love it, have always had second hand before BUT it smells strange. Sort of like a cross between onion and garlic . I've called the supplier and they say its called off gassing and will settle. I've googled and tried baking powder on it overnight and hoovered off and it sort of worked. What else can I do? Febreze? Shake and Vac? Any ideas?

OP posts:
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Blackbirdsong · 08/05/2025 08:43

Blackbirdsong · 08/05/2025 08:36

We got a velvet settee in November 2023 (dfs) and when the conditions are right I can still smell it and it's revolting. If you contact dfs (if that's where you bought it) they will come out and spray it. They came out to us early last summer. If I remeber rightly he said they do one more spray and then if it still smells they replace. I need to get him out to do another spray.

I've just checked and it was 2022 we got it ! Sprayed in 2023, and now the smell is back. To be fair, it's returned at odd times before but it does go away again. Must be some atmospheric/ temperature changes that cause it to release the smell again. I can get a whiff of it when I come down the stairs and it turns my stomach.

Blackbirdsong · 08/05/2025 08:36

We got a velvet settee in November 2023 (dfs) and when the conditions are right I can still smell it and it's revolting. If you contact dfs (if that's where you bought it) they will come out and spray it. They came out to us early last summer. If I remeber rightly he said they do one more spray and then if it still smells they replace. I need to get him out to do another spray.

LimePombear · 23/11/2024 18:59

The onion garlic smell is off gassing formaldehyde which can be a carcinogen. You really need to get the sofa out of your house straight away and ask for a replacement or refund. The company I bought from kept the replacement in store for a few weeks to check it wasn’t also off gassing.

Original poster
crochetmonkey74 · 25/09/2024 06:21

Unagg · 24/09/2024 22:53

Did you ever get the smell out? We have had our sofa nearly a year. It is also ex display and it makes the room smell so strongly on onion and garlic. It seems to only have started in the last 3 or 4 months

Hiya yes it's gone now. Very occasionally I'll come home and there will be a hint of it again but for the most part, it has gone. I've had the settee 18 months

OP posts:
Unagg · 24/09/2024 22:53

Did you ever get the smell out? We have had our sofa nearly a year. It is also ex display and it makes the room smell so strongly on onion and garlic. It seems to only have started in the last 3 or 4 months

pavillion1 · 13/08/2023 11:08

we've had our SCS sofa for 8 months . It still stinks the room out . Its like onions and garlic combined... Why do they have to spray it with so much crap. 😡

Bluebells1970 · 26/05/2023 21:00

Off gassing is very much a thing. I'm in the upholstery trade, and foam is treated to make it fire retardant. However we do make sure all packaging is removed from the foam the moment it's delivered, and I've only ever had one complaint about off gassing. It can sometimes be the FR back coating put on the fabric too, especially if it's not made in the UK. Scotchguarding shouldn't have any odour and a lot of fabrics use something called Fibreguard these days which means that the yarn is treated before the fabric is woven.

Ventilate the room well, and leave outside if you can - and remove the cushion inners from the fabric and this should help too.

Iknowthis1 · 26/05/2023 20:42

I had this with an armchair. I left it in the back garden for a couple of days (brought it in at night) which seemed to do the trick.

Original poster
crochetmonkey74 · 26/05/2023 20:38

DameEdna1 · 26/05/2023 20:06

It will be whatever is the padding is made from instead of the velvet. Most likely foam if it's off gassing (I know a fair bit about offgassing due to my work, randomly 😆)

If you're really desperate to get rid of the smell, you need to air it out. The smell is VOCs releasing into the air- they're a constituent of polyurethane foams. Taking the cushions outside on a warm day is going to be the quickest way- for some reason I seem to recall that heat can also help (might be misremembering) so maybe on a warm day. Leave them airing outside for as long as possible. Otherwise, open all windows and use fans to encourage the air to circulate.

Febreze/shake n vac will mask the smell for a bit but they won't speed up the offgassing. The main thing is airing and ventilation.

Ooh good advice thank you. I'll check the weather and put them outside on warm dry days

OP posts:
DameEdna1 · 26/05/2023 20:09

DameEdna1 · 26/05/2023 20:06

It will be whatever is the padding is made from instead of the velvet. Most likely foam if it's off gassing (I know a fair bit about offgassing due to my work, randomly 😆)

If you're really desperate to get rid of the smell, you need to air it out. The smell is VOCs releasing into the air- they're a constituent of polyurethane foams. Taking the cushions outside on a warm day is going to be the quickest way- for some reason I seem to recall that heat can also help (might be misremembering) so maybe on a warm day. Leave them airing outside for as long as possible. Otherwise, open all windows and use fans to encourage the air to circulate.

Febreze/shake n vac will mask the smell for a bit but they won't speed up the offgassing. The main thing is airing and ventilation.

Sorry this was a rambly, repetitive answer 😆

DameEdna1 · 26/05/2023 20:08

If it just won't go and you're desperate, you could consider replacing the pads inside the cushions with something that isn't foam. You can get replacement sofa pads made to size- but I'm not sure if there are companies making non-foam options

DameEdna1 · 26/05/2023 20:06

It will be whatever is the padding is made from instead of the velvet. Most likely foam if it's off gassing (I know a fair bit about offgassing due to my work, randomly 😆)

If you're really desperate to get rid of the smell, you need to air it out. The smell is VOCs releasing into the air- they're a constituent of polyurethane foams. Taking the cushions outside on a warm day is going to be the quickest way- for some reason I seem to recall that heat can also help (might be misremembering) so maybe on a warm day. Leave them airing outside for as long as possible. Otherwise, open all windows and use fans to encourage the air to circulate.

Febreze/shake n vac will mask the smell for a bit but they won't speed up the offgassing. The main thing is airing and ventilation.

Original poster
crochetmonkey74 · 26/05/2023 20:05

johnnydeppsslipper · 26/05/2023 19:33

@crochetmonkey74

Could have written this but it's only the chair that smells

It's def an oniony garlicky smell that makes me feel squiffy after sitting in it for a while it's bloody awful 😞

I bought an amber and fig room spray from habitat and spray it on the sofa and I use purdy and fig cleaning solution on a micro fibre cloth and give it a wipe over every few days

Just hoping it eventually goes Blush

What material is yours?

Mines velvet . Its affecting me settling into my new house. I know that sounds pathetic but it's true!

OP posts:
johnnydeppsslipper · 26/05/2023 19:33

@crochetmonkey74

Could have written this but it's only the chair that smells

It's def an oniony garlicky smell that makes me feel squiffy after sitting in it for a while it's bloody awful 😞

I bought an amber and fig room spray from habitat and spray it on the sofa and I use purdy and fig cleaning solution on a micro fibre cloth and give it a wipe over every few days

Just hoping it eventually goes Blush

What material is yours?

Original poster
crochetmonkey74 · 26/05/2023 19:33

saveforthat · 26/05/2023 19:17

What material is it made of. I definitely wouldn't shake on any type of powder of febreze it. How about lighting a good quality scented candle in the room from time to time?

It's velvet. I am burning candles and have a plug in air freshener

OP posts:
CharlottenBurger · 26/05/2023 19:21

Scotchgard even.

Thelnebriati · 26/05/2023 19:21

I hoovered my new mattress a couple of times, and let the room air. Febreze will only mask the smell.

CharlottenBurger · 26/05/2023 19:20

Ours had Scotchguard on it, we found out when we asked what the smell was. It faded after about 3 months.

saveforthat · 26/05/2023 19:18

TheYearOfSmallThings · 26/05/2023 19:11

"Off gassing" heh heh - must remember that for next time I eat lentils.

😁

saveforthat · 26/05/2023 19:17

What material is it made of. I definitely wouldn't shake on any type of powder of febreze it. How about lighting a good quality scented candle in the room from time to time?

TheYearOfSmallThings · 26/05/2023 19:11

"Off gassing" heh heh - must remember that for next time I eat lentils.

Original poster
crochetmonkey74 · 26/05/2023 19:09

Will febreze and shake and vac definitely ruin it? Or is it worth a try?

OP posts:
PlaneMum19 · 26/05/2023 19:08

We had this with our sofa. Got it in December last year, sometimes when we walk into the living room you get a hint of it. But it is wearing off.. slowly.

Original poster
crochetmonkey74 · 26/05/2023 19:03

Upsizer · 26/05/2023 18:50

Urgh I had this and hated it. Yes keep all windows etc open. Took about 3 months for the smell to go. Never again!

I was so excited to buy my first ever brand new settee. Its absolutely gorgeous to look at so hopefully it goes soon although it's been 6 weeks now

OP posts:
Upsizer · 26/05/2023 18:50

Urgh I had this and hated it. Yes keep all windows etc open. Took about 3 months for the smell to go. Never again!