WRECKED SOFA! BLOODY DFS!

[Sheeshisthatthetime]

Hi,

If anyone out there has some practical advice on this I'd be so grateful.

Bought my fabric sofa a year ago from DFS. Knew at the time their add-on £30 cleaning kit would be a rip off but got it anyway.

Yesterday, I read and re-read the instructions on their (terribly worded) cleaning kit - was very keen to get rid of unidentified water type stains (the kind that leave an unsightly yellowish 'ring').

There are 3 different types of cleaners in the kit- I used the one specifically for water marks and yellowing. Seemed counter productive bunging a load more water on the sofa, but that's what it said (in so many words).

Today, my sofa has gone from being the proud focal point of my lounge, to looking like something from a care home for incontinent dogs.

Trying to stay calm but feel a breakdown coming on...... please help!!

Have you tried doctor Beckmans carpet and upholstery foam cleaner followed by a light steam? That works miracles on the unidentified stains my dc leave behind.

Oh @thereinmadnesslies this is interesting.. guess I have nothing to lose by trying. I dont know how they get away with selling that stuff! The instructions don't even make sense really.

Sorry, a few have asked if they say to do a spot test- it does say that (and I ignored 😬). But whoever suggested doing a retrospective spot test (sorry not to tag) I LOVE this suggestion!!

Oh and I've had run ins myself with DFS and so much so I renamed them Fead F*ing Slow and could think of others 🤣. I do apologise if any one here works for them but they took ten years to deliver my sofa.

@Yesterdayforgotten ah no but I do have some doctor beckmans (and it is pretty good on the carpet).

Thank you all so much for your suggestions, I really appreciate it. Love mumsnet! You're all ace.

For anyone who loves a thrilling cliffhanger, i will be back eventually with an outcome.. 🤞🤞🤞

Or Dead*

Ten years!?!! I've aways called them Don't Fu king Sit down (doesn't quite work, but still)

Not quite ten year haha but it was an absolute eternity. Also they tried the sofa care line on me and I fell for it too but cancelled it later after realised it was a con and actually just the salesman's commission; they are certainly CFs!
Or Dont f*ing care. There are so many! Keep us updated op.

@sergeilavrov - thanks for your advice. I will get in touch with DFS. I know it's probably ill advised, but in the mean time I'm going to try either a gentle cycle in the machine (thanks @doingitforthefrill) but either way washing the while surface seems to make sense. Can't make it any worse..

@Puffinhead - good luck with yours! Sounds like you could take any of the advice on here as it's a similar problem. Fingers crossed for us!!

Stare* I give up 🤭

Yep, the water marks all came out and it is a uniform shade again. One was fairly large and covered half the cushion as I didn't put the lid on one of the children's cups properly and they opened it.

@Yesterdayforgotten 🤣
Flipping nightmare. Good that you cancelled- I had that dreadful sinking feeling of being conned as soon as I agreed to it, and felt a right twit going ahead with it regardless 🙄

I’ve used wet wipes on my fabric dfs sodas with huge success for 7 years. Also I wash them in the machine regularly!! X

@inky
This is good news... I'm bracing myself to just go ahead and do it.!

@hemlock I too am a wet wipes enthusiast!! From dusting to carpet scrubbing! Sadly though I think the sofa's too far gone for a wipe now.. washing machine it is🤞😬

I dont work for dfs but do work in customer services for another retailer which sells sofas.
Don't do anything or put anything else on it until you have spoken to dfs. Especially dont put the cushion covers in the wash unless they specifically state you can do this. Dont use any over the counter products either.

Not sure what dfs process is but we would send a technician out to look at it if the fault was caused by something of ours.

Nooooo! @Sheeshisthatthetime Don't put them in the washing machine! You will have no legal redress if you do anything before you take it up with DFS.

Act in haste, repent at leisure...

'Not sure what dfs process is but we would send a technician out to look at it if the fault was caused by something of ours.'

It never is though is it? They will find every angle in the book to put it back on the customer. I've also heard dfs in particular have form for this.

OP the one good thing about my dfs sofa is that it has undergone a lot of scrubbing and steaming and it hasn't damaged the fabric one bit. I havent been brave enough to remove covers though as doubt I'd get them back on!

I had good experience with dfs- they sent me a specific stain remover, the. Sent someone to clean it for me after that didn’t work- call / online chat them- if you wash them and it doesn’t work/ makes it worse you have no cone back.

@Yesterdayforgotten I cant say what dfs are like but I know the company I work for are really great when it comes to faults with the products and dont try and wiggle out of it and turn it on the customer but like I said I have no experience of dfs.

If the OP has gone ahead and washed the covers and they shrink or it doesn't come out then they will be able to wriggle out of it im afraid unless the sofa is sold as machine washable covers, thats why i advised dfs as first port of call as annoying as it is

We have said DFS cleaning kit but it's part of a guarantee and the idea is that if I can't get out the mark with the kit they send a professional out to sort it out. I presume it's to stop people using any old chemical on it and making the problem worse/irreversible. They may have just sold the cleaning kit on its own but you might want to check you don't have any cover with them before you try anything else.

D'oh! 🤦🏻‍♀️ @goingoverground and @moghog! Thanks both for your warnings (and others who said the same)- silly old me went and put it in the washing machine!!

So far so good though.. well, it won't really be clear till tomorrow, but on the plus side I did have a flash of panic about it shrinking, so stuffed the cushion back in while still damp. It wasn't easy though and may look like a sausage by morning .

Do you know what, @theteenageyears - that rings a bell now you come to mention it..😬 oops!!

I also scrubbed the ottoman with washing powder & water (🤦🏻‍♀️!) - I think the stain is still showing though (but surely can't be worse than it was) so will order some of.that eco bleach powder and try again. Can of worms!!!

Thanks again everyone for your ideas x

@Cantchooseaname that's what I should have done..! I panicked- not very good in a crisis! Glad yours turned out well:)

@Yesterdayforgotten that's a relief as I scrubbed away today! I also took one of the covers off (was very tight indeed, and that was before washing it!) but just about managed to stuff it back on while still damp. Not out of the woods.yet but I figured it can't be much worse!

@Sheeshisthatthetime I think I have the same sofa and last week I had the same problem.
I washed the covers in the washing machine on a delicate wash, 20 degrees with normal washing powder and vanish. Then prayed.
They've come up as good as new. I air dryer them to damp so there was still a little stretch before I put them back on!

@alwaysinpjs (I'm always in pjs too by the way) - thank you, it's such a relief to know I've not completely wrecked the thing (I think it's a 'Lydia' by the way- a fact i can only recall having looked at the paperwork today!)