One of the things I am most often emailed about is our White Ikea Ektorp Sectional. People want to know if I like it, if it has held up, how is washes, and if I am glad we bought it.
Well, I am here to give you my honest review–after we’ve owned it for a year. I love this couch. I get to not worry about this couch at all, because it wasn’t expensive, it’s durable, and it’s completely washable. I treasure that I don’t have to be fussy about the couch. I have 3 boys, I can’t afford to be fussy about my couch.
It does take some care, I will be honest. It isn’t a couch that you can spill grape juice on and forget about. But, you can bleach the heck out of that baby.
See that stain up there? That is CRAYON. Not washable crayon, full-on waxy crayon. It’s no big deal though, I just use a little Spray ‘n Wash, some Oxyclean, and then a little bleach. It’s bright white again. No worries, no crazy momma, no freaked out kids when they make a mistake and a mess.
Every Tuesday we strip the slipcovers and pile up all the cushions. My kids look forward to this day every week…they use the cushions like a playground. I do one load of the bottom cushion covers, one load of the top cushion covers, and then one load of the full base cover. So, three loads total–I stay home most of the day, but it isn’t time intensive at all.
I only wash the base cover every other week. It is slightly unruly because of the size–and truly doesn’t get very dirty. When I was the slipcovers, I use Oxyclean, whatever detergent is cheap, and my favorite fabric softener. Every other week I use bleach, but I never bleach just one item. I only bleach when I am doing the whole load (top covers, bottom covers, and base cover). While bleach is a great whitener, it does break down the fabric fibers and needs to be used as seldomly as possible. For me, that is every other week.
Here are my thoughts, overall:
*I LOVE the price, $799.99 (and if you purchase now, you get a 15% IKEA gift card back)
*A replacement cover is only $99. I will probably purchase a new cover in another year.
*It has been extremely durable–my kids are constantly climbing and jumping around on the couch.
*The cushions have remained comfortable. Not as comfortable as some couches I’ve sat on, but for the price it is very acceptable. I slept on this couch many nights while I was pregnant.
*Nothing beats the smell of fresh laundry after I wash the slipcovers. It is a sweet ritual in our week–and makes the whole living room smell clean and fresh.
*I have had one tear in the slipcover, and it was near the zipper. I have since started to be more careful when I pull the slipcover on, and I don’t grip the zipper as I had been. I simply sewed the tear up–and it hasn’t been a problem since.
*I dry the slipcovers to approximately 85% dry and then pull them onto the cushions. For the base cover, I only dry it about 60%, because you really have to stretch the base cover back onto the base. It is much easier to do that when the fabric is wet and has some give.
My boys love this couch. We’ve been totally happy with the purchase. I wouldn’t buy this couch if it didn’t have the white (bleachable) slips. That is a huge selling feature for me! I would recommend it to anyone, especially young families. Feel free to ask any questions you may have in the comments, I’ll answer them there.
Does anyone else have the Ektorp couch? What are your thoughts–like it? Dislike it?
111 Comments on "the truth about the white IKEA ektorp sectional"
I’m planning to put this sectional in our reading room! With 3 kids 2, 4, and 6, a bleachable washable covered couch sounds heavenly. Thanks for your input on how it’s worked for you – I’m now convinced I’m not crazy! :-)
it’s great! not crazy–perfect for kiddos. my kids are 6m, 3, and 5…so we’re right there with you. :)
Cooper sure thinks its comfy….and leave it to him to fall asleep in that position xoxox
+1 :)
I actually just bought this couch this past weekend. My hubby and I had planned on buying the couch with the chaise attached however, we got a little confused and instead bought the couch and chaise seperate. Apparently you just buy the love seat if you want to attach the chaise, who knew? I also bought the white and loved the idea of being able to machine wash it as a lot of the other slipcovers for the couch aren’t machine washable. The bleach option is also great too. Glad to hear you like it I might have had buyers remorse otherwise.
i have not had an ounce of buyer’s remorse! :)
I bought the Ektorp loveseat about a year ago and I’m moving into a bigger place and wanted to add the chaise. Do you know if you can add the chaise once the loveseat is already assembled? It’s really unclear on the Ikea website if this is possible.
I can almost smell the clean, freshly laundered sofa from here. It’s begging me to take a nap!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. What a great purchase.
you know, people say IKEA is cheap and blah, blah, blah. and it is…and, i do agree it should be used sparingly and smartly. but, there are great purchases to be had!!
I have the Ektorp too {not the sectional, just the couch} and I love it! People are always like “you’re so brave having a white couch and three kids,” but just like you said I can bleach it! Cue the hallelujah chorus! We love it!
amen and amen. :)
I am actually kind of amazed that those slipcovers have held up for a year with a weekly washing. I really need a new couch and I love the idea of washable slipcovers. Is it really only $99 for a replacement set of covers?
yup! and that’s for the whole sectional! the single couch is even less!
Oh my just on the Ikea site- love the Idea that you can buy another cover in a different color fairly inexpensivly and totally change the look. Since you have had yours for a year how long do you think it will hold up?
I think I’ll be able to eek another year out of it. And, I wash it weekly.
I love it! We have a white couch also (well off white actually & we got it and a huge chair pair for $100 from a friend) and it does not seem to clean super well. We don’t have kids, but a pup. I aboslutely LOATHEEEEEEEEE having to take all the covers off and wash and put back on. I think its just the putting them back on part and having our living room like a mess while all the cushions are naked flailed about the room…… Naked cushions= drives me crazy. LOl…….
WHERE DID you get those pillows (the green and white print ones…LOVE them with all the white)?
kristen, i think i just make up my mind that the living room is going to be a mess for the day. :) plus, my kids LOVE to wrestle and climb all over the cushions. the pillows are from target last summer–they were a good buy for sure!
We have this couch too!! We found it used on Craigslist and just bought the white cover. I have had 2 tears on the seems, but IKEA replaced them no questions asked…we didn’t even have to send the torn ones back. The only thing I find frustrating is trying to put the lower cushion covers on. It’s SOOOO hard to do. I break a nail every time! We have a dog and to avoid getting hair everywhere, we tuck two blankets over the bottom cushions and then put the top ones on. Lets us get a little longer between washes. Great buy for sure!
yeah–the lower ones aren’t easy. i finally found that turning them vertically helped me the most.
I’m glad to see someone else singing the praises of the Ikea Ektorp couch! We have owned the sofa, loveseat, and chair, and we have two little boys, a dog, and a cat. It is awesome. You are so right about bleaching and I actually had never even imagined washing these every week. That sounds like of exhausting but I might try it because they do get a bit grimy after awhile.
it was necessary for us during the summer, but maybe as we move into the winter time and the boys are outside less…maybe ::crossing my fingers:: there will be less dirt and grime in our house. ;)
What am I doing wrong!!!! Every time I have washed the slipcovers the zippers have cracked. I didn’t put it in the dryer. Has anyone else found this to be true?
no way? that hasn’t happened to me! :( i’m sorry to hear about that. maybe call IKEA? can anyone help angela??
Hi there! I have the same sofa and LOVE it. So far I haven’t put it in the dryer (out of fear it will shrink). What setting do you dry it on? Thanks!
hi there man im glad i found this!!! ive wanted this for years then got married to a leather man lol but recently hes been accepting of getting this and 2 chairs all in white!!! yayyy! sooooo tell me, i hear ikea has a sale like once a year where you get a free extra slip cover with a ektorp purchase!!! have you any yidea when that goes down??? also, when you first buy it, and put the cover on is the cover wrinkly? have you ever had to iron in???
We have the ektorp couch (not sectional) in grey and it has taken a year of abuse from my two boys and three cats. I do wish the arms were a little more cushioned. But definitely a great couch that you don’t have to worry about and that can be washed.
I have the Ektorp sofa(bed), and have been saving up for the Karl sectional. I want the light gray because the white shows up so much, and unlike you, I’m far too lazy to wash it as much as it needs.
I’m torn though. If I get the Ektorp sectional instead of the Karlstad, then I can use my present couch to add to the huddle and they’ll match. But I think Karl will be more comfy. Ah. Decisions.
oh, the decisions are always tough with furniture…it’s a kind of long-ish term decision. i know you’ll choose so well, i don’t think you can go wrong!
Hi! Irealize this convo was awhile ago, but I was wondering how you like the sofa bed? We have 2 Ektorp chairs and i love them!! I was thinking about getting the ektorp sofa bed for our playroom/guest room…. is the bed comfortable? our ikea is over an hour away so “trying” it out is not an option…. if we go there, we plan to buy! thank in advance for your input!!
Good Evening,
I just Purchased the ektorp sectional on clearance for a great price of $529! Thought it was an awesome price but my friend thought I was insane as the sofa cover is in white I also purchased the ottoman and got the blue slip cover as it was on sale for $30. Problem is the slip covers are quite expensive! The blue slip cover is $349! So I’m feeling much better that I’m not the only one with a child and a white couch….,,,yea and I only have one child making a possible mess…. My three year old baby girl. I just hope the slip covers go on sale some day but really happy that the white will last more then a couple of months.
We’ve had ours almost 2 years with 3 kids (BOYS!!) and they are still in great shape. I think that the slips do go on sale about once or twice a year. Let me know if you see them on sale!!
I have heard that you can dye the white covers, you might want to google it. Then you can pay $99 and get whatever color you want! :)
ikea’s website says don’t bleach or tumble dry the covers… does everyone just ignore that with the white covers? it sounds like it’s been fine for you but i’m seriously considering purchasing one myself and just want to make sure i’m not going to ruin my cover upon first wash. your post is also really helpful because my husband thinks i’m nuts to want a white sofa… i just tell him to trust my vision ;)
Hi there! I also have had the ektorp with white slips for several years and I also love it! I am freaking out a little bit though – I decided it was time for a new cover, went to our Ikea (Pittsburgh), brought it home – NOT white! Supposed to be blekinge (sp?) white, but it was dingy-looking and nearly tan! I took it back and got another, hoping that I just grabbed a bad one, but it was also dingy looking! All of the ones on the shelf looked bad! The customer service lady was not helpful and actually made me more nervous when she said that Ikea possibly changed it?????? What????
Just wondered if you or any of your readers have tried to purchase a new cover recently, and if you ran into this problem. I hope that it was just a bad dye lot. My old slipcover looks much better to me now!!!!
Thanks for any information you might have!
Brenda
oh no! i’ll have to see. maybe someone else can chime in. we don’t have an IKEA local–but, I’ll check when we go next time. eeek! now i’m nervous about that, too. hopefully it WAS just a bad dye lot.
I just bought this sofas today after hearing great thingsfrom other friends who own it. I bought the white for various reasons..1. It’s one of few ektorp slipcovers that is actually machine washable. Alot of the colored ones are dry clean only..even the beige. 2. It’s affordable..$899 with a 10 year warrenty. 3. Once a year, Ikea has an ektorp slipcover sale for 1 day only where all slipcovers are $1.00…yes ONE DOLLAR!!!! Stock up!! Also, ikea gets many slipcovers in the AS IS section on a very regular basis. Usuall nothing wrong with them except the customer is not happy with the color. I think I made a great purchase as i do have an 8 year old daughter. I get it delivered tomorrow so we will see. I am an employee of ikea and my co workers have given me a few tips. You are able to bleach them but shouldn’t more than once a week, dry partially and put cover back on sofa while it’s still fairly damp. It will shrink up a bit when it dries so when putting the base back on, stretch it as far as you can…even if it’s sitting on the floor. To get wrinkles out, either steam or do what ikea emloyees do…use a spray bottle and spray them with hot water while smoothing out with your hand. Hope this helps :)
Ohhh–that is SUCH good information! thanks so much for your thoughts and input. love when commenters add to the discussion. thanks! xo.
Hello lovely friendly helpful Ikea employee! Do you know if all the stores do this, and if not the date, the approximate time of year the sale is held? It sounds A-MAZING.
Hi Ikea Employee!! Do you know how we can find out when those sales are?! Thanks for the tips!
Oooh! Please tell us when we can expect to find the $1 covers!
Id love to know too when they are $1 – def
Need some more!!
When this one dollar deal is offered, is it advertised on the store-specific special deals site (for example: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/store/brooklyn/offers)? I wrote a little script that checks this page daily for ektorp deals, and am wondering if this strategy will work, or if this is just something you need to be in the store for?
Ohh…I would love to get an email when ektorp deals are offered at the Ikdea near me. Would you be willing to add me to the email list? I would offer a small fee.
I called Ikea about this and they said that if it was a wacky wednesday deal, it would not be announced on the website and you would just have to be in the store. So there is really no way for anyone who does not work at Ikea to take advantage of this.
Thanks for all the great info! I am currently trolling Craigslist for an ektorp sectional. I was wondering if the ikea employee might chime in… How does one find out about the slipcover sale? Is there a mailing list or something to sign up for or a certain time of year to start checking the website, etc? Thanks for the encouragement. My husband thinks I’m crazy for wanting to go white with a two year old and a one year old. I just need as much light and bright in my house as I ca. Get… Keeps the blues and the mean reds away!
yeah–our house is DARK with very few windows compared to our last house. i have been repainting everything white! :)
So you just have to keep checking the website for the $1.00 slipcover sale because they do it different every year, and usually isn’t planned too far in advance. Plus, every ikea store is different and may not have the sale the same day. But it’s usually a wacky wednesday deal.
I have my couch now and i love it!!! My daughter has claimed the corner spot though.
I have two questions. 1) when you take away the loveseat from the sectional, will the loveseat stand on it’s own, without the pillows slipping off and disheval? 2) The new ektorp loveseat (sofa?) seems to be larger than the old one. Are slipcovers still available for the old one?
Thanks for your help
I have the same couch, just not the sectional. I love it as well. People always say I am crazy for having a white couch with two littles, but my answer is always the same as yours: bleach!! I also dry it outside in the summer so the sun can bleach it. The one thing I don’t like is how feathers get everywhere when I take the slipcovers off and wash them.
Ohhh! Mine doesn’t have feathers. It’s all fiber-fill and foam. Interesting difference. Hmmm…
Hmm… mine is a bit older than yours, but it is the Ektorp. Same stuff on the inside, but the seat cushions are all topped with down. It is super comfy, but when it “sheds”, is quite annoying. I also like that you can just remove one individual cushion cover to wash it if there is an accident and you don’t need to take the whole thing off.
Ah, bummer. The Ektorp I recently owned while living in Sweden must have been an older one too, because it also had a layer of down on the top. Sure annoying with all those feathers constantly poking through (but we solved it by laying a quilt over). I’m looking for a new couch now and getting all sentimental about my previous Ektorp because it was so comfy. Though now I’m not sure it’s so comfy anymore when no longer made with the down topper!
I also miss the slip cover we had, must be old-ish too, because I haven’t seen another couch with it. It was a creamy white with a flower relief pattern in a very soft cotton-blend fabric (sort of microfiber-ish/curderoy). Although dry clean only, we successfully machine washed it and the heavy soiling was removed entirely (looked like rust spots). It was the most beautiful couch, I miss it! The current covers don’t look so enticing to me. I might go for it still and get the Blekinge White (cute name, because it’s the name of a province, but the first part spells ‘bleach/pale’ in Swedish).
I had the same problem as Brenda. Bought a brand-new blekinge white slipcover for my Ektorp just a few months ago and it just seems kind of dirty looking, even right after I washed it. I bought another Ektorp off craigslist last night that had a white cover on it that was almost 2 years old and it is noticeably whiter than the new slipcover. I wonder if they have started making the white covers out of different material?? The new ones have a yellowish tinge to them that makes them look dirty. I guess I will try bleaching them to see if I can get them to look clean. So frustrating!
I forgot to mention one more thing! The older Ektorps have down and feathers in the base cushions and the newer ones don’t. I have one of each and I have to say that the older one is more comfortable and is made of a little bit higher-quality materials.
We have 2 ektorp sectionals in our house, love them! I am a slave to ikea ektorp because we also have an ch air and sofa bed too. Both the chair and sofa bed were white until recently when we acquired a dog who likes to dig in the dirt and then get on the sofa. I got sick of washing slipcovers!! I had no problems with my 4 and 6 year old, but the dog….geez! I discovered that dharma procion dyes worked great and dyed them dark brown; it cost about $40 for the dye, salt, etc. for both. Anyway, both of the sectionals were Craigslist purchases, and they have both held up great! Perfect for our family that we can throw the covers in the wash. And now that I know I can dye the white covers in any color I want I will always yor for the basic white!
I have a sectiona…how much dye do i need and where could i purchuse it ? Thank u
Does anyone have any idea why the white slipcovers are so much cheaper than every other color? Does the quality vary?
Hey there, great blog!
I saw online that they say no bleaching! Did you do it anyway or is this new? I have a baby and a huge extended family and don’t want to buy white if it can’t be bleached. Thank you for your help! Also have the cushions broken down since you’ve bought them? Thanks!
i bleach anyway. :)
AND, the cushions have only gotten softer with age. Ours is about 2.5 yrs old now.
They tell you not to use bleach because the bleach breaks down the fibers in the material. Everyone does it anyways. I wash mine once a week and use bleach once a month. As long as you don’t do it excessively, your sofa should be ok. Besides, it would be awhile before your slipcover needed replacing, and when it does, you can have the peace of mind knowing how inexpensive they are :)
I’ve had this sofa since Dec 2007. It was $899 when I bought it and even at that price the biggest bargain I’ve ever found in an upholstered piece!
My original Blekinge slipcover had the same great white cotton duck fabric but the zippers were total poo that all broke over the course of the next 3 years.
Last year I bought a $99 replacement cover and low and behold the zippers are top notch plus that same great hard wearing fabric.
I would imagine that white cotton duck is just so basic and the unprinted or dyed base that it’s the least costly of all upholstery fabrics
Everyone who sees this couch just ooohs and aaaahs! They find it absolutely incredulous it costs less than $1000.
Don’t hesitate buying this couch
agree! 100%!
Oh and I use a garment steamer to tame the pleated corners
How are your cushiions so fluffy? mine are kinda saggy did you restuff them? i also had that same problem about the new white cover it does look off white .
i didn’t do anything special to mine. :)
I’m about to order the Ektorp sofa in dark gray. My question and only concern is are the seat bottom cushions as deep as a normal or standard sofa? Somewhere I read they were only 19″ deep which would be uncomfortable for a tall person. Please, any comments would be appreciated.
I have to agree about value for money. My mother owns a furniture shop selling very very high end sofas – the type of stock they sell in Harrods – and she knows everything there is to know about sofas. She recommended I buy this, because for the price, you really really cannot find better. It is strong, comes apart easily if you move house a lot, washable covers, replacement covers readily available if you like to change things around a lot like I do. She is even thinking about getting one for her second sitting room for all her grandchildren to use – when she could have any sofa she wanted at cost price! I have had my three seater for just over a year now and it has held up pretty well. I do have to remind my husband to plump up the back cushions after he has squashed them down while slumped watching tv, but then all sofas need cushion care if you don’t want them to look scruffy. Anyone thinking of buying an Ektorp, I say go for it!
Abby, do you and your husband find the Ektorp seat cushions to be deep enough for him? I’ve read so many negative comments about the sofa depth I’m concerned about ordering it. Many thanks.
We sat on the Ektorp last weekend at the IKEA store, and I didn’t think it was too shallow. My husband and I are on the low end of average in height, though, and I like a couch that sits up straight and lets my feet touch the floor.
Has Ikea stopped selling the Ektorp sectional? It’s not on the website (hopefully I am crazy). I may cry. I am finally ready to pull the trigger on either the sofa or the sectional, but would prefer the latter if it fits in my basement. :(
Hi, I am going to purchase that sectional this weekend. I can’t seem to find it online. Is it still 799.00. The only one saw was 999.00. Thanks, sally
I am so glad to have read your article! I have been too scared to wash my new Ikea white slipcover for fear of shrinking or yellowing from bleach. My question is, do you wash on the hot cycle? My machine has a “whitest whites” cycle that is longer and hot, and I think uses steam. But I’m afraid of shrinking it, even though the instructions say wash on hot. Any advice?
I just bought my white ektorp 2 weeks ago and washed the slip tonight for the first time. I decided to do it after the kids went to sleep so it can sit and (hopefully) dry by the morning. I followed your instructions to almost dry it and it worked really well. I’m not sure if maybe Ikea has made the slips with a little more room/give but it was super easy to pull off and put back on. I’m so glad and also so glad to know you wash yours once a week. I thought I was going to go crazy when I looked at it after one week and thought it already needed washing. I have 4 boys 11 – 1 and big black dog and though I’m only two weeks in… I love it.
The Ikea Ektorp Sofa is the best white sofa out there now. I love mine.
I have always wanted a white couch and i loved the look of the Ektorp line so i did some research and read a ton of reviews, including yours :) and it sold me. I now have the sofa and chair in white. Ive had them for probably about 4months maybe. I went out and bought bleach, oxyclean and spray n wash and i follow your exact “schedule” for washing. And my slipcovers are absolutely filthy!!! No stains have ever come out, they are now almost tan with juice dtains, food, dirt, etc. although they are super comfy, im very disappointed! Good thing new covers are only $49 and $29!
I’m considering a white Ektorp sofa bed (sleeper sofa). All these posts are for the sectional, but I’ll need a sleeper in the guest room / office for more floor space than the present full-size bed allows. Who can tell me about the comfort level of this model sofa bed? How large is the bed – full/double, or queen size? I’m needing some first-hand feedback. Thanks!
I bought the sofabed (Eptorp) & it sucks……the wiring/metal bars that holds the mattress up is Very Weak. It sunk in & this was with under 60lb kids. I bought it about 4 years ago, I do not know if they
improved it since then.
Hi. I have the same sofa in white but i am looking for the zippered bottom cushion covers that go over the foam and then the regular cover over. Do u know where i can find them?? I ripped one trying to wash it and now the sofa looks wierd with just one cushion not piffy like the rest. Any feedback is appreciated thanks!
I bought the Ektorp sofa on craigslist for $220 a year ago – it came with a brown cover and I bought the white set of slipcovers, which I LOVE! Also have two Tullsta chairs, with slipcovers in brown and another set in white. All summer I used the white slipcovers and they wash beautifully with bleach and some detergent and dried to slightly-damp, they go back on fairly easy. Am so pleased with the look of the white, even with three cats who love sleeping on top of the back cushions.
Hi, y’all. Lots of good information here!
I bought an Ektorp sofa a few years ago and love it! I got the red corduroy cover. It looked so pretty in the store! Anyway, I’ve been afraid to wash it, but it really needs a good bath now. It’s cotton, and the directions say to wash in hot water and air dry. Do you think it would be safe to put it in the dryer until it’s at least 50% dried?
Also, have any of y’all dyed the white cover? I’m thinking about trying that too.
Thanks!
Tiny Twig (and others), I can’t thank you enough for giving me courage to go out and buy a white Ektorp chaise sofa for our beach house! I’m not known for my expert housekeeping abilities, but I think I can handle laundering the sofa covers every month or so (since we’re not there all the time).
What I’m worried about is mastering the various laundering and stain-removal products…
Tiny Twig, you wrote that you were able to remove crayon by using Spray and Wash, Oxyclean, and bleach. Would you kindly tell me how you did that – in what quantities, and was it just 1 washing?? (I am clueless about using these products – we have not children, so maybe that’s why!) If anybody else can help me out here, I would be grateful.
Thanks to all who have written. I’m excited about having a beachy white sofa (or off-white, since the color is now a bit darker).
I just got the Ektorp sofa used but very good condition, and thought it was such a bargain because I didn’t care if the previous owner had pets or kids because I can always wash the cover. I wouldn’t have gotten a used couch that can’t be washed! I happened to love the color (sandy caramel color) but figured if it didn’t go with my rug I could just get a new slipcover. I really, really want to love this couch as much as everyone here does, but the seat depth is a problem for me. I’m only 5’6″ so not very tall at all! It didn’t occur to me that the seat depth would be off, but a couple inches really does make a difference. I wish Ikea would make it a standard depth. I’m perplexed why this particular couch is so narrow. I’ve never had this problem with a couch in the past 20+ years of couch buying.
I found this sofa on Craigslist and the lady sold it just as I was showing up for my appointment (rude, huh?) anyway, it is perfect for my living room, plus the fact that my husband even liked it I’m thinking about buying it full price at IKEA now that I know where it came from! I’m glad there are people out there sharing their experience it helps with the decision making process. Thank you!
I just found this via pinterest. I have the ektorp sofa bed and loveseat. I LOVE them!!!
Seriously though I cannot believe you wash them every. single. week. You are supermom. I just leave mine stained until I absolutely can’t stand it anymore. :-) Then I wash those puppies like crazy!
Blessings ;-)
Hi!! We have the same sofa and since reading your review, ours has also been colored on with waxy crayon! I was hoping maybe you’d read this and give me a little breakdown of how you treated the crayon stain…was the spray n’ wash, Oxy, bleach regimen something you did with the slipcover still on the sofa or after removal and before a wash? How do you dilute your bleach? Thanks!!!
I have an Ektorp sleeper sofa that came with a house we bought 15 years ago. It is absolutely comfortable and a workhorse in our great room. Unfortunately IKEA changed the cushion configuration so we had to have a cover custom made in sail cloth in 2002 but couch and new cover look good and are very comfortable. We have an expense couch in our living room, but the IKEA is the one we love.
I’d buy another Ektorp in a flash and I’d stock up on replacement covers.
Hi, just wanted to say I have had my sofa for 4+ years now. I loved the green cover, but did not want to pay that price. So I ordered 20 bucks worth of olive green dye, and 2 hours later, voila! I had purchased and extra cover when i bought the couch soi would always have a clean one. To know I can buy the $50 cover ( sofa) and any color dye, how could I go wrong. I do wish they would add zippers on the sides to help get the base covers on more easily, kind of like on the covers for the Tolsta chair. Either way, it has held up well, 2 dogs, and 4 kids later.
Hi all, I have been reading all your posts from over a year ago. They have all been very helpful. I am having a big group for Thanksgiving and I hate my living room. All different shades of brown. I really wanted the PB White sectional, but it is so expensive!!! My husband thinks a white couch and one from Ikea is crazy. I went and saw it today and everyone stopped and tried that sectional. This is for my living room which never gets used, but it the focal point of my home. Sounds like it’s worth it. Sounds like it cleans up well. I really want the white, but grey was pretty also and shows less dirt. I’m just afraid it will fall apart. Thoughts??? Thanks.
We just got our Ektorp sofa for $180 off Craigslist a couple of months ago. Not a sectional, just standard sofa. I knew I was taking a chance when buying off of craigslist, and so far we have loved it. It has all the Ikea tags, etc.
My question for you is, what do the inside of your seat cushions look like?? From the one pic you have posted, it looks like the thin white casing around the cushion is all closed up on yours. On the sofa we got, there is one end open on that thin white casing and you can see the fiberfill/foam inside each seat cushion. I am just curious if the previous owner somehow changed the cushions?? The couch is pretty comfy, so if they have been switched, maybe it was for the better? :) I do wish I could have found one of the older ones with the down inside though. I sat on one at the Ikea in Charlotte and it was MUCH more comfy than the one we have. Although, could have been from being sat on for years in the store too.
Also, a couple people have posted about the depth of the seats. I am only 5’3″ and it is PERFECT for me, however, my 5’9″ hubby misses our old, giant couch. He can’t ever get as comfy on this couch. But, our living room is small, so getting a couch that fit the room made a WORLD of difference – even hubby agrees. That’s why he doesn’t complain… too much ;)
So happy to have found your post. And all the great comments that add clarity. We are building a lakehouse and need to furnish the whole thing, which means we need something economical. I am considering this sofa, but my husband balked when I told him it had slipcovers. I love the idea b/c I can wash them. He is concerned they won’t fit well or stay put. Is that an issue? Thanks so much for feedback!
Great review of this couch – I think I’m sold! :) just a bit confused about the dimensions online.Is the length of one side 95″? I’m trying to figure out how far out one side will come out into the room if I put the other side against a wall. Would someone be able to tell me the length of one side from the corner to the armrest?
Thanks!!
<3 Jen
I am looking for a pull out sofa for a third floor apartment. Does anyone have any feed back on the size of the boxes the sofa bed comes in and how difficult it is to assemble? thanks!
Hello to you all,
we have at home the Ektorp Sofa bed, 2 places. We recently wanted to change our cover and bought by mistake the “no-bed” version on a second hand shop, thinking we made a bargain ( bed version is MUUUUCh more expensive than the normal version, despite it has less fabric).
We received it today, and…it does not fit on the bed version, it is too small !
Would you have an idea on how to transform our cover “no-bed” into a bed version ? We thought about cutting the gray fabric under the cushions to allow more play during the slipping…any thoughts or experience to share ?
Thank you in advance
I love mine, and I can give an honest review about long and abusive relationship with this couch (and I still love it). I’ve had the sectional for over a decade. I have had I think 3-4 covers. My covers are truly abused. The covers have changed over the years. You can see IKEA has paid attention and tried to improve upon the structure of the covers and make them more durable — I appreciate that. But in time (I think about 3 years the main cover always rips — the cushions don’t. It rips in the most strained area, but most invisible area — under the cushions — where the vertical and horizontal of the couch meet and are in sort of a continual tug-of war). I don’t always use white (though I agree with the bleach/oxyclean alternation method — do that with all of my white because bleach actually sets iron-based organic dirt and even can set in the iron in water yellowing your whites — whereas oxyclean actually is an anti-iron cleaner — and bleach breaks down fibers — so alternating is great — very long segway, sorry). I bought blue, khaki, and then red when it was on a ridiculous clearance. I do love the white — it is the most inexpensive.
The cushions over time do become a bit unrecognizable — some worse than others — not the bottom seat cushions — but the upright ones — especially the ones that meet at the center angle. But with that said — it’s a 10 year old couch now, and I still love it and am contemplating buying yet another cover for it — but the covers have really gone up in price over the years so it becomes more of a question whether I should invest again in this old couch with some mushy cushions.
I DO recommend it. Oh, and by the way — I have 6 kids — so if it can take my abuse and I still don’t want to throw it out — then it’s a great couch. I just threw out a not very old very expensive bed because it was so poorly constructed and annoyed me so much, but I still hold on to this couch.
I don’t wash mine as frequently — though I probably should — but I don’t have white, so it maybe shows less dirt. Because it does take up a bit of laundry space, I only do it once a month. I do spot clean here and there during that month to keep it looking OK. BUT, I will say, because of this infrequent washing the couch does look sloppy frequently. The fabric is most tight after washing making the couch look more firm. The fabric stretches and looses and its placement on the furniture, going here and there — the seams don’t match to the couch and the skirt drags on the floor. Because of this, even though I might not wash it weekly, I still need to pull off the cushions, reset the main cover and put cushions back on weekly.
OK — now I’ve gone overboard with this couch analysis. Hope it was helpful.
Thank you so much for being detailed about the ektorp sofa. i want it but i was afraid of the old saying( you get what you pay for).
now I know that this purchase will be the right thing for our family!
Thank you for the review. I am now sold on the sofa! You living room is beautiful, I love the wicker blinds, where are they from? And do you roll up/slide, or stay in place? i have several French windows in my house and have never come up with a good day to dress them!
I also have this sofa and love it! No kids but lots of pets. The secret to putting the covers back the bottom cushions — slip a lawn sized garbage bag over them first. The cover slides right on and then you pull it out and zip up!
I actually found mine at the goodwill!!! SOmeone got the slipcover dirty and I guess didint know it was washable, I almost died when i saw it. I paid $80 for it. took it home, stripped it and washed it, and it was good as new. A friend then had the matching chairs and gave them to me free!!! I totally luched out i know, im about due for a new slipvoce. i love the couch, so comfy and good for a nap
I tested out the ottoman for a few months, then replaced a horrible loveseat with the Ektorp loveseat, and then replaced our old sofa with the loveseat+chaise and another ottoman. Love it. LOVE it. I can’t imagine washing it weekly, and wonder if frequent washing is contributing to some of the stretching problems described above, but when I do wash the covers (so far I’ve only done the ottomans) I use tide+bleach and a good shot of oxyclean. Most comfortable sofas we’ve ever had, and our last sofa was a custom Bassett.
I’ve had the loveseat with attached chaise with the white slipcovers and love,love,love the looks. Because it’s in the living room and we live in the family room, its not been used much in 8 months, but we’re downsizing soon and this will be our only sofa. before moving, i want to buy a spare set or two of slipcovers. Does anyone have experience with the red ones? Do they fade after being washed? or are they ones that require dry cleaning? if they require drycleaning, has anyone out there washed them instead with positive results? also, Do the cushions get cushier after use? ours are still kinda stiff. btw, I had crayon that melted in the dryer on my brand new white down coat. i got it out by soaking it overnight with unmeasured generous amounts of oxyclean, all fabric bleach, spray-n-wash, 20 mule team borax, and regular detergent… great results… anything you want to whiten up, this combo does the job ….thanks for everyones helpful comments.
I have wanted this sofa is for quite some time and i just scored one on craigslist for $30!!!! I will head over to the ikea in burbank, ca tomorrow for a new white cover. today was a good day! :)
I just recently purchased two ektorp chairs. I had bought a tullinge lilac slipcover in the as-is bin with the intention of disassembling it to use as a template for new slipcovers, but the slipcover looks so good on one of the chair that I am now reluctant to take it apart.
So this weekend i will drive back to ikea and dig through the as is pile to find another slipcover.
I’m debating between the section and the couch, out of curiosity what are the dimensions of your living room? Thanks!!
This is a very late comment to this post but I am getting ready to wash Ektorp and tullsta covers and was googling resources. Someone commented on the difficulty putting cushion covers back on after washing. I have a system that I have used successfully for years. Slide a large trash bag over the cushion with the open end of the bag to the front of the cushion. The cover slides on easily, and then you just slide the trash bag out. East and it works! I hope you’ll try it.
wondering how you are still liking your sectional? I’m trying to figure out the dimensions. how long is it from each end to the middle?
Hello Tiny Twig,
Thank you for this forum. I read the reviews for the ikea ektorp sofa. We are pleased to say this couch is sitting in our living room as we speak. Ya We bought it yesterday.
Hi Tiny Twig,
We have now had the couch a few days, and i love it more each day!. i am glad that you encouraged us to buy it. Curious though…what temperature of water do you wash the slipcovers and base cover in?
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