Aibu to want a white sofa - new baby soon?

[TheMagnificentEthel]

We are looking at new sofas. I am hoping for recliners (wall hugging), if even just the armchairs.

I have always wanted white/cream. I know someone who says her white sofa is stain resistant due to new fangled fabric technology.

A) can anyone recommend a good wall hugging recliner that’s not too ‘poofy’ as it’s a cramped space. (The wall hugging ones are the ones that can recline even flush against the wall.

B) has anyone had a white sofa in a house with children and it hasn’t ended in tears or paranoid living. We often eat on laps sometimes.

Don't do it. Really don't do it.

I had pale beige (not through choice) when my DS was 1, and that was bad enough. Think greasy fingers, chocolate, cheese crisps, play dough, paint, and general toddler grubbiness.
Also jeans leave a blue hue on the seat cushions if you wear them regularly.
My youngest goes to school this year and we only recently braved a fabric sofa above leather. One week we had it before DD puked on it. Luckily the covers are removable!

Moving to a new house with a separate playroom/family living room and a ‘grown ups’ living room made me think I can get a lovely new velvet dark blue sofa. DS1 is 4 so he’s not vomiting and pissing everywhere. Does not eat in that room. But I’ve gone and had another baby and also realised you can’t actually ban the children from an entire room in the house, even if it hasn’t got toys in! So navy blue with washable covers instead of velvet.

White!! Just don't!

I'm so glad we bought a dark red leather sofa (and chairs) the last time we replaced, which was while I was pregnant with DD3. She is now 15 and it is still going strong.

DD3 is still going strong too!

Why are your babies on the sofa??

Um, because their mother is? Where else would I feed them and hold them?

Agree with the others that wipe clean is the way to go. You can always cover it with washable throws and pillows.

Hahahahahahhahahah. Dont do it.

I got a "Linen" colour which is a light cream/grey a year ago and I regretted it the first week I had it. It's beautiful, but the stains are obvious and is sooo hard to keep clean. And its not just kids that make it dirty. Even just my husband eating in front of the TV can cause oil stains from his hands.

I also have a mid grey sofa and it looks the same as it did 10 years ago.

Yeh sorry I have to agree with everyone else. I got a light coloured fixed cover sofa while single and it was manky even before I had DS! I was always hovering over guests saying "could you please use a coaster" or "oooo your red wines about to drip". Eventually I bought a very large dark throw to go over it, but even that didn't save it when DS came along. It's finally going in the bin next month after a grand total of 5 years, the last 2 of which it's been heavily stained.

I had beautiful white carpets upstairs before DC and our nieces managed to ruin them despite not living with us (although they were here a lot).
Got rid of them when we had our DC.
The carpets not nieces

Get what you want your pregnant! Just get lots of nice huge throws to cover the when the inevitable accident happens

Grey sofas and clothes are the best if you are very accident proned

My 1 year old just had poo squidge out if the side of his nappy on to my light grey sofa... but sure get white! 😂

Leather sofa is the only way with young children it's so easy to clean and the darker the better!

You might just manage a white sofa with a baby. But babies grow into toddlers. No chance. Go dark or leather for your own sanity. You can have a white sofa when the baby has left for uni.

Just to say my pale beige carper is trashed . Yesterday DS who is 3 accidentally dropped pancakes with nutella upside down on it.... Get wipeable stuff only!

Don't do it - you'll just be heartbroken. Even if your kids are incredibly careful etc their friends might not be.

Jesus wept. I have anxiety thinking about it.

My Mum has a light blue sofa that on day one of her having it DS2 smeared coal over. She has some kind of stain insurance, a guy comes out and either removes the stain or replaces the fabric.

Things that happened to my sofa in the first 4 years with
children.

Projectile vomiting after most feeds with baby 1

Poo explosions right up baby's backs onto sofa, both kids.

Sand, mud, grass, you think you have cleaned it of your toddler but it finds a way.

Same with dinner, esp spaghetti

Potty trying were and poo accidents

2 years after potty training they had a wee accident on the sofa.

Vomit from stomach bugs.

Poo from stomach bugs.

Juice spillage

Milk spillage

Thankfully I gave a wipe able brown sofa as it needed a wipe over most days, often several tines.

Don't do it.

We have light carpet and charcoal grey sofas in our lounge. The carpet looks a bit grubby but mostly from adult shoes (kids don't eat in the lounge). The sofa looks okay but only because it's dark and slightly speckled. There are water stains all over the foot stall as DS keeps knocking his drink over (even non spill sippy cups, leak a bit).

We didn't have babies that poo'd, vomited or wee'd everywhere (luckily) but now we have a toilet training pre-schooler!!! He can undo his booster seat straps, get down and sprint into the lounge in the blink of an eye, complete with disgusting hands and face (all ready to plant straight on the sofa!)

My colleague spilled a glass of red wine on her cream sofa and you would never know because she paid for the magic (scotch guard?) protective coating and it came right off. She paid for a system where if it stains and can't be cleaned the company they bought it from will replace the whole cushion if needed. If you can afford that I say go for it!

itsliketheyknowus.com/search/White%20couch

I have a twelve year old cream Multiyork (no longer exist) sofa, I have 2 boys, 2 & 10yo
The sofa is still cream and in great shape.

Kids aren't allowed to eat or drink on the sofa and kids pens aren't allowed out of kitchen.
Covers do come off and can be washed (it says dry clean but one of DHs friends dropped a glass of red wine on a cushion when we just got it, dry cleaning made no difference so I thought what do I have to lose and washed it (30 degrees, wool detergent) came up a treat and have since washed them once a year and they come up great.
Biggest problem isn't kids it's jeans - they tend to rub off and leave a dull mark over time. I've also managed to throw coffee over it and DH dropped chocolate- all came off with care.

Um, we had that system where if they can't clean it they replace it. We got ink on a sofa cushion..they couldn't remove it, but neither could they replace the cushion..We received a tiny amount of money in the way of compensation and the sofa was ruined. It's not as good as it's made out to be when they sell you it.

Hahaha haa!! YABVU!
Vomit, poo, wee, spilt milk/drinks.
Don't forget babies turn into toddlers and they are grubby lil buggers! Mucky handprints and all sorts