Several of you have asked about the sofa in our living room and I meant to prepare an informative post months ago. Here is what I can tell you and by the way, no one is paying me in any way (but if IKEA would like to send me a gift card, well that would be OK).
To begin, the Ektorp is $499 with the white slip cover. Slip covers come in many colors and to my knowledge the only one that is machine washable is the white one. The others are dry clean only.
Was it hard to assemble?
How do you clean it?
Removable cover
Machine wash ,hot 140°F (60°C).
To be washed separately.
Do not bleach.
Do not tumble dry.
Iron, high temperature.
Dryclean, normal cycle.
I added oxi-clean to the water because I was afraid that bleach would make it yellow. I will say that putting the pillow covers back on was easy, but putting the slip cover on was a struggle because it did shrink a little. I have read before that it is best to remove a slip cover from the dryer while it is still damp so that it will stretch a when you put it back on. I did this and it was still a struggle. Do-able, but not easy.
Is it comfortable?
My family and I think it is comfortable. It is firmer than a normal sofa because there are no springs so I recommend sitting on it in the store first.
Has it held up well?
Yes. We have had it for a year and use it daily. So far so good.
Would I buy it again if I had it to do over?
Yes, at the time, it was exactly what we needed - a white sofa that was inexpensive. I would definitely buy it again.
If you have any more questions, send them my way and I will try my best to answer them. I hope this helps.
Thanks for the info!! I sit on this sofa whenever I'm at Ikea (which is way more often than I should be), and I wonder how it would hold up to daily use. This is great to know.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love your white sofa and new, softer look ... I swooned when I saw the old sofa on your guest post the other day. What a beauty!
Great post!! One day I will try white slips!!! In the far far future!! :)
ReplyDeleteRene- Your post on the World Market white sofa was my inspiration for buying ours, and I love it so much I'm considering another white, slipcovered sofa. They are just fantastic with two, young, crazy boys!
ReplyDeleteAbby
Great review! I've heard that buying 2 slipcovers so that you never have a naked sofa is the way to go, but if it's better to stretch it on slightly damp, then you'd only need one. Good to know. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAbby, I remember when you bought your sofa from World Market. I'm glad that you still like it and yes, having boys makes a washable sofa even better.
ReplyDeletelaxsupermom, that is a good point about having 2 slips. It would be nice to have a back up, but the "damp" approach wouldn't work.
Yay! Now I can go and purchase me one (heehee!). I was waiting on a post like this from you!
ReplyDeleteLike mentioned above, with boys, a sofa like this is needed!
Great post and review. Always enjoy coming to your blog!!
ReplyDeleteWe have had our Ektorp set now for seven years and they get more comfy every year, the cushions are now really soft. I love that if the sofa gets really stained I can buy a new cover for $50. I buy a new one at least once a year to keep it looking fresh.
ReplyDeleteBest deal in furniture!! It looks great.
ReplyDeleteGreat info, Rene! I have been curious about the comfort of it and will definitely have to spend some time in the store testing it out. Other than that, it seems like the perfect solution for style, affordability, and durability. Oh, also didn't know about hydrogen peroxide. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteRene, I am in awe that you keep the white sofa white in a household of men! Kudos to you.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I don't know that I've seen your living room before--it's lovely!
Rene=
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. Great idea.
Teresa
xoxo
I have the Ektorp sectional and LOVE it!. It does get more comfortable with age, ours is approaching 6 years! When we purchased it, we bought a Red slip cover and a sage green. I swith them out in the Spring (Sage) and Fall (Red)
ReplyDeleteI have 3 of these couches! They are perfect for our family. And, they come with a 10 year warranty. Not bad for $499. I suggest not drying them and just setting them in the sun for a bit. When they dry a little iron them. I wash them at least once a month beacause my child has spilled just about everything on them! Then again, the white cover is only $50 to replace!
ReplyDeleteCute Blog! I bought this same couch four years ago...I bleach it, dry it, ect and it's survived four kids and all their friends! I LOVE it! I'm headed to Ottowa this month to Ikea to purchase the armchair that matches! :)
ReplyDeleteWith so many loose cushions, do you have to rearrange or plump up or realign the cushions every time someone sits on it?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, the pillows stay put. The only rearranging we ever do is "flip" the cushions up so that our dog stays off while we are out.
ReplyDeleteI really like my ektorp and I have 4 kids and 2 dogs! I just put mine in the washer because they were looking pretty gross and now they are nice and clean again! I do bleach mine though because I did oxi and it left white spots. Maybe I did something wrong but for now they still look great.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this review! I've been saving up for an Ektorp sectional and will be making the 6 hour drive to the nearest Ikea next month. Actually, 6 of the 10 covers that are currently available are machine washable (the four colors in the Svanby line are dry clean only). So that's good news!
ReplyDeleteWe have the Ikea Manstad sleeper sofa. It is in our spare room for the grandkids. Our grandson sleeps on it all the time and he is a big boy; it has held up very well.
ReplyDeleteRene,
ReplyDeleteI just tried to the hydrogen peroxide on my white comforter. I didn't know that tip!!! Thank you so much!!!
We have the same sofa (with the chaise) and I am SO IN LOVE with ours! The white is a little difficult to keep clean (..with my family) But, other than that, we love it!
ReplyDeleteIt was so fun to read your post on Emily Clark's blog. I need to take a lesson from you in the moving-away-from-beige department. Would so love to have a white sofa. One day maybe. The fact that the Ikea sofa is more affordable make it a possibility!
ReplyDeleteThank you Rene for the cleaning tip. One of the white sofa's in our living room is the Ektorp with a white slipcover. I will have to try hydrogen peroxide next time I clean it.
ReplyDeleteReally interesting. I just recommended this sofa to a client in a San Francisco apartment and now I will forward your care instructions to her. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love this sofa !! So happy that you are pleased with an Ikea sofa, I have a Stockholm with the removable fabric. With 2 labradors & 3 british shorthair cats the ability to have the fabric cover cleaned is invaluable here.....my Ikea sofa is one of my 'favorite' things
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I never thought to turn the cushions up to keep my dog off! THANK YOU! I'm always throwing sheets and blankets over them to keep her dirt off of them!
ReplyDeleteYou are brilliant!
I've had the Ektorp sofa for about four years now (originally with a striped slip cover but now with the white), and it's held up wonderfully. Thanks for the care tips.
ReplyDeleteI love our Ektorps (tan) and would love to get another in white for the toy room that will become a sunroom one day. By the way, my husband decided to wash the slipcovers while I was out of town recently. Washed fine in the machine, but he hung them to dry.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, thanks! I have been thinking of getting an Ektorp loveseat for my home's living room. I like that one can wash or change the slipcovers.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone you know machine washed one of the Sanby covers? Ikea says dry clean only but I wonder what happens if you wash one and hang dry.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I have only washed the Blekinge white slip cover. Dry cleaning might be the way to go. Wouldn't want you to risk shrinking the slip.
ReplyDeleteHave you heard of anyone washing one of the Ikea Ektorp Svanby sofa covers? They say to dry clean but wondered what would happen if you washed one.
ReplyDeleteThanks
Bill
Ok I washed one of my Sanby covers in cold, on delicate and dried in the dryer for an hour on air only and they came out fine
DeleteQuestion, you said you followed the washing instructions. But those state do not put in the dryer. Then you said you did put it in the dryer.
ReplyDeleteAm I misunderstanding? I just washed mine and can't decide if I should put it in the dyer until its damp. Thank you!
I always dry my white slip covers and remove them while still damp because it is easier to put them back on the sofa. It's totally your call. I hope this helps.
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