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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

Have you ever drycleaned / washed your sofa covers?

39 replies

ilikeyoursleeves · 02/05/2009 22:03

Hi, we have Ikea sofas with removable covers for washing. I think they are made of cotton and are obviously huge (well, the main body of the sofa anyway) so I'm not sure how to clean them. The covers are getting pretty grotty now and spot cleaning isn't helping much anymore. Do you think they need dry cleaned or could I put the individual covers in the washing machine???

OP posts:
GentleOtter · 02/05/2009 22:17

I wash our sofa covers once a fortnight in the washing machine and they come up well. ( 60 wash with Ariel)
They shrink a little so watch the zips and the colours fade a little bit too. The big cover takes a full day to dry outside then an airing overnight in front of the cooker.

Washersaurus · 02/05/2009 22:23

IME (of 2 ruined sofas) washing covers = ruin

Even if they say they can be washed, they shrink. Although, I think my Ikea one was much better than the Sofa Workshop ones which were only fit for the bin after washing!

If you do go ahead and shove them in the washing machine, put them back on the sofa damp (sounds crazy I know) but they are much easier to stretch back over the frame etc that way.

Oh and make sure you use a big drum washing machine and put all the covers in together.

MintyyAeroEgg · 02/05/2009 22:27

If the label says they are washable covers then do wash them, rather than dry clean them.

I would do them at a launderette (bigger machines) where even a hot wash never seems to shrink mine - I don't think the water gets as hot as in a domestic machine - and the wash cycle is very quick!

I've washed my washable covers several times with no mishaps.

Overmydeadbody · 02/05/2009 22:27

Yes I wash my sofa covers quite regularly (three times a year maybe?) and I do put them back on slightly damp as Wshersaurus suggested. I'm pretty sure Ikea covers are machine washable aren't they?

Paolosgirl · 02/05/2009 22:28

I wash mine, but on a wool cycle - too much of a chicken to try anything hotter!

hellymelly · 02/05/2009 22:29

I have washed my sofa covers and they were fine (ikea,and an unknown inherited make)bog standard 40 degree wash.I wouldn't risk a tumble dry though,just hang them on the line or over a door on top of a big towel.

piscesmoon · 02/05/2009 22:37

I only wash them in the summer so they can line dry ,and never hotter than 40 degrees.

MrsGokWan · 02/05/2009 22:56

Yep!! I wash my Ikea sofa covers every couple of months or so at the lauderette.

Never thought about putting it back damp though. Thanks for that tip

cikecaka · 03/05/2009 07:51

Washed mine on a delicate wash, came out fine!

crokky · 03/05/2009 07:59

My ikea sofa (ektorp) has washable covers - I just stick them in the machine at 40 degrees when something gets spilt, then hang them up and they are fine. I have done all the cushions you sit on and all the cushions on the backrest - I have not done the actual massive bit that goes over the whole sofa. Don't know if you can do that bit.

NorbertDentressangle · 03/05/2009 08:05

I've done ours (not Ikea) several times.

I tend to do all the seat and back pad covers from both sofas in one load, and then the main cover from each sofa in 2 more separate loads so as not to overload the machine.

You need a lovely warm or windy day to dry them though.

The care label on ours actually says to put them back on the sofa whilst still slightly damp as they will be easier to fit that way.

holdingittogether · 03/05/2009 08:07

My sofa is from multi york and states dry clean only covers however with 3 kids plus dog plus messy dh they get grubby really quickly. Sofa was given to us my my mum so we didn't buy it brand new. I decided to risk washing it in the machine on a cool gentle wash and has been fine. So now I do it about 3 times a year and wash individual seat covers in between if there has been a spill.

hotterpotter · 03/05/2009 08:11

I've washed Ikea covers and Sofa Workshop covers no problem. They can get a bit tight doing the zips up at the back afterwards; I'll try putting them on damp next time . I think you do need to wash them all, over time they will fade so best to have them fading the same.

'Tis lovely to have a clean sofa, shame those pesky DC mean it only lasts two minutes

Original poster
ilikeyoursleeves · 03/05/2009 15:02

Thanks all! I discovered a care label and it says dry clean only so do you think I could still chance it on a delicate wash? I'll leave it til a nice day though to get max drying time...

OP posts:
gardeningmum05 · 03/05/2009 15:06

personally i would risk it but its upto you.
wash mine regularly and always put back on slightly damp as easier. room always smells lovely after doing it though

MintyyAeroEgg · 03/05/2009 17:45

No, I would dry clean, in that case Ilike.

[sad voice of experience emoticon].

CanIHaveAPetGiraffePlease · 18/02/2013 22:31

Old thread I know but same question - we've got the new ektorp sofa covers which are dry-clean only not washable....

Any ideas?

ceres · 19/02/2013 08:49

same as holding - multiyork sofas with dry clean only covers.

the first time they needed cleaning i sent them to the dry cleaner but they came back with lots of marks/stains intact. so i decided to risk bunging them in the machine on a wool cycle. they came up beautifully and have gone in the machine 2 or 3 times a year since. they are nearly 10 years old now and still look like new (well, once the dog hair has been brushed off!)

MinimalistMommi · 19/02/2013 11:42

Not all of the ikea Ektorp sofa covers are washable, the white one is and black one and red one, the others can be removed on the Ektorp sofa but according to labels need to be dry cleaned. I was shocked when I learned this Shock as I wanted the Ektorp covers in the pale beige but decided against it when I learn they were dry clean only.

CanIHaveAPetGiraffePlease · 19/02/2013 12:08

That's the ones. We've got the green ones and they looked lovely. . .

I've never used a dry cleaner. Will it cost more than replacing the covers?? Do I just turn up with all the cushions?

calendula · 19/02/2013 19:35

I have two Ikeas sofa covers.

One white one which is washable - I wash at 60 degrees and line dry

The other one is grey. Label says dry clean only but I wash it at 40 degrees in the delicate programme and line dry.

No problems at all.

I tend to mistrust all "dry clean only" labels and wash things anyway. Have yet to shrink anything that is supposed to be dry cleaned

mrsyattering · 19/02/2013 19:40

I have washed all of the Ikea sofa cover we have ever owned, 40 degree wash and line dried, for the last 10 years. Have had 2 different sets, all have been fine

imip · 19/02/2013 22:20

I have a sofa workshop sofa that is about 14 years old. Still lovely, despite 4dds. It has been through it all, particularly urinated on more times than I care to remember. I got the recommended steam cleaner out to clean to sofa and it still smelt after the steam clean. So I took the plunge and washed it on a gentle cycle, 30 degrees. It is a micro suede fabric and I did really think I'd screw it up, but it has been fine. I do it about one a month. If anything, it has stretched a little, but barely noticeable. I am so glad that I did this, as otherwise we would really have had to have gotten rid of a very decent sofa. I wasn't ready to do that, I still have one more dd to toilet train!

CanIHaveAPetGiraffePlease · 19/02/2013 23:36

Hmmm. I'm tempted to try but it will be an expensive mistake if it doesn't work...!

Most ikea covers are washable. No idea why these aren't!

Cathycat · 19/02/2013 23:52

Well ... they do shrink slightly. But I bought ours the year ds2 was born 10 years ago and except for a wee rip they are ok really. I wash them every 6 months or so and they will do. They have certainly lasted longer than any other sofa and look lovely once washed. I just shove them in on 40 and dry them over radiator.