Last fall we bought an IKEA Ektorp sofa. At $399, it was a steal. If you’re unfamiliar with this classic IKEA sofa, here’s what you need to know: you buy your sofa base and choose your own slipcover from a dozen or so options. I had planned to get beige slipcovers, but they were sold out. Since we live 120 miles from IKEA, popping in a few days later to pick one up wasn’t an option. So we went with white. Before you tell me I’m crazy (four kids and a dog!) let me explain: I’d done my due diligence. I’d read many blog posts (like here, here, and here) from busy moms who love their white Ektorp sofas, and who swore they’re not hard to maintain. If you read those posts (and the other Ektorp reviews online), you’ll notice a common thread: the people who love their white couches wash their slipcovers all. (Typical recommendations are to wash weekly or every other week.) We’ve now had our Ektorp sofa for four months. The maintenance routine looks like this: I strip the slipcovers from the base and the couch’s six cushions.

I wash them in two separate loads (even though I have a front-loader, it’s a bit much for one load). I dry each load separately to 60 % or so and s-t-r-e-t-c-h the covers back onto the frame and cushions. (I hate that last part.) The whole drill takes about 30 minutes of active time, which isn’t a lot. But it’s not time well spent when I’m actively trying to decrease my time spent on home management. The sofa looks best when I wash the slipcovers every week, but I don’t wash weekly unless we’re having guests or somebody spills something. It looks pretty good with every other week, and I can stretch it to three if I need to. But that’s still way more time than I want to spend maintaining a couch. I have found a few things that make the maintenance a bit easier:My mom gifted me my first bottle of this nontoxic instant stain remover, and it’s amazing. When I spilled red wine (sad but true) on the arm of the sofa, the Folex made it disappear. (My kids have rules about where they can and cannot have snack, yet I’m the one always spilling wine and coffee everywhere.

Anne may mean “graceful” but it doesn’t always fit.)This product relies on grapefruit seed and orange extract for cleaning power, and I love its fresh, subtle smell. My favorite part of washing the slipcovers is the way the whole living room smells when they’re newly cleaned. We use Biokleen because my girls and I have sensitive skin, but the important thing is to choose a detergent you really like the smell of–because the smell will permeate the whole room on that first day.Replacing Single Handle Shower Valve StemI use this in every load to brighten and whiten. Jackhuahua Puppies For Sale In North EastSimilar to OxiClean but I prefer this brand.Cheval Fl Homes For SaleNo, it’s not gentle, but I bleach the slipcovers every 3 washes or so to get rid of the dinginess that comes with having 4 kids and a dog (and a mom who sloshes her coffee).

I like my sofa. I love the look of the white. And I know I can buy new slipcovers or dye the ones I have or cover the couch with blankets to protect it. But what I really want is to not be high-maintenance about my furniture. My sofa may have been cheap, but I can’t believe how much it’s costing me. This thing should have come with a maid. IKEA furniture: tell us all about yours in comments.Bored of the same Ektorp sofa you’ve had for years? Give it a whole new look with machine washable, pet & kid friendly custom slipcovers here now! Designed with comfort in mind, this round armed classic is a favourite in many households around the world. Comfort Works makes custom slipcovers for the entire Ektorp series - even the Ektorp 2 seat sofa bed and Ektorp 3 seater sofa bed which has been discontinued by IKEA. Our hand made slipcovers comes with side pleats, matching piping and large back cushions which you can rotate to even out wear. Ektorp 2 Seater Sofa Bed Cover

Ektorp 2 Seater Sofa Cover Ektorp 2 Seater with Chaise Lounge Cover Ektorp 3 Seater Sofa Bed Cover Ektorp 3 Seater Sofa Cover Ektorp Armchair Jennylund Cover Ektorp Armchair Tullsta Cover Ektorp Chaise Lounge Left Sofa Cover Ektorp Chaise Lounge No Arms Cover Ektorp Chaise Lounge Right Cover Ektorp Corner Sofa Bed Cover (2+2) Ektorp Corner Sofa Cover (2+2)I recently took a little road trip down IKEA (the nearest being 2 hours away) to pick up a second EKTORP sofa! I purchased my first Ektorp two years ago and really love it. In that time I've been asked about the sofa by lots of friends, both online and in real life, so I'm here to give a comprehensive review of my experiences. Here's the lowdown on why I love this sofa series: 2) Nicely tailored slipcovers (that don't look like slipcovers) in a variety of colors 3) Slipcovers can be removed & laundered 4) Easy to assemble 5) Good quality that stands the test of time

The EKTORP series offers a full size sofa, loveseat, arm chair, footstool, and sectional options. I've owned the sofa, footstool, and until recently, two armchairs (which I sold in order to make room for another full size sofa). Each piece of furniture is purchased separately from the slipcovers, allowing you to easily change out the look as well as remove the slipcovers to wash when needed. I haven't had to wash mine yet but I've read lots of other reviews from people who have and say it's quite easy. The slipcovers vary in price depending on the color and material you choose. For the combination I chose I paid $499 for each sofa (without tax). I chose 'Nordvalla Gray' for my slipcovers because it's dark enough to hide everyday stains and I just really love the color gray! My second choice is the basic white, which I've read is really easily laundered, and this is the least expensive of the slipcover options. What I really like about the slipcovers in addition to their washability, is that they don't look like your typical slipcovers.

They are tailored very nicely with a piping detail so they fit the couch frames perfectly. In fact, most people don't even realize they are slipcovers when viewing the set in person. The Nordvalla gray cover is a very thick material, almost denim like, not as soft as the white slipcovers but very durable. Let's talk assembly...they are SUPER easy to assemble. I put mine together by myself in about 20 minutes (including putting on the cushion covers). The frame comes as one piece, with the back folded down, and the arms and feet are unattached. First you pop up the back of the frame, then attach the arms, then the feet, then add the slipcover to the frame... Finally, you add the slipcovers to each individual cushion and then you're done! What I like about these covers and cushions, is that they are reversible so you can easily rotate the cushions for even use and wear. Every so often I rotate my cushions so that I don't have a 'dent' in the spots that are sat on most often. I think this has helped keep the life in my cushions.

Because I bought my first Ektorp sofa two years ago, I have a side by side comparison of the 2-year old sofa set next to the brand new sofa. The cushions on the new sofa definitely have more 'fluffiness' to them but I'm really pleased with how well the older sofa has held up over time... The arms of my older sofa don't have any pilling yet, but I would imagine over a longer period of time they might. Also, it's important to note that I don't have any kids or pets jumping on my sofas (other than the occasional visit from friends) every day so my furniture is gently used. However, in all of my research on this series before purchasing, I read countless reviews of people with kids and pets who raved about the durability/washability. For further comparison purposes, in the photo above, the sofa on the left is the older one and the one on the right is the brand new sofa. I combined two of the Ektorp sofas in addition to an Ektorp footstool to form my own 'sectional'! I get compliments on the sofas very often from guests visiting my home and many are surprised to learn they are from IKEA!