Friday, November 04, 2011

A Cry For Help

My beloved Ektorp
Long-time readers of this blog already know about my love affair with my beautiful flowered Ektorp.  But what they don't know is that, since I acquired this longed-for chair almost 4 years ago, no one has thrown up on it.

I know!  It's magical.

But because no one has thrown up on it, I've never bothered to wash the removable (flowered) slipcover.  Until today - today I glanced over and noticed that, while half the slipcover was still a beautiful antique white, the other half had become an ugly antique yellow. On the arms and the seat, mostly...

So I immediately threw the slipcover in the washer.  And when it came out, half of it was still ugly yellow.  Heloise that I am, I spritzed the yellow parts with Shout and poured non-chlorine bleach in the washer and washed it again.

But the ugly yellow parts are still there.

I can only assume that any one of you has more laundry knowledge than I do.  I mean, I don't even separate darks and whites.  True story. The fact that I had non-chlorine bleach hanging around my house amazes me.  So, please, someone tell me how to make my flowered Ektorp beautiful again.  Because I don't think Larry would be overly enthusiastic about spending money replacing a slipcover that hasn't even been vomited on.



[Ektorp photo: IKEA]
on

17 comments:

  1. Suburban CorrespondentNovember 04, 2011

    You want me to turn it blue?

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  2. TheOneTrueSueNovember 04, 2011

    I have no idea how to handle the laundry issue, but - right now a chaise in that print from IKEA is on my wish list, so I am hurting for you. HURTING.

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  3. Julie HNovember 04, 2011

    LMAO. It's like some kind of miracle!

    You could try oxi clean. I used to use that a lot when I bought 2nd hand clothes to resell. It does occasionally make things fade though.

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  4. And I'll Raise You 5November 04, 2011

    No laundry tips, but when I washed my cushion covers, I was very disappointed in the results...but when they dried I realized that they did look much better. Maybe let the slip cover dry?

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  5. Lisa G., jittery on caffeine in CTNovember 04, 2011

    Hee hee - I'm pretty sure "bluing" brightens whites.

    I was going to say try "Biz" - it may also have a bluing agent -not sure - but it seriously brightens whites. Whites sort of glow in the dark after using it.

    Would you like a glow in the dark Ektorp? Or would that make it a midnight vomit target?

    I also just realized the word "agent" makes it sound like Biz is undercover laundry detergent - the laundry's FBI, if you will.

    Oh, dear -this is exactly why I should not drink coffee and stay up 4 1/2 hours past bedtime. I apologize, and yet I will still submit this comment.

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  6. HEATHERNovember 04, 2011

    Have you tried BillyMay's OxyClean?

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  7. SuzyNovember 04, 2011

    White automatically yellows with age. I have many blouses that have aged under the armpits and turned yellow EVEN THOUGH I DON'T SWEAT. It's just the oils from body contact that make white age.

    I have no white furniture for that very reason. If the arm rests and back of head area have yellowed, that's body oils so just make some coverings that you can put on those areas. To prevent it from further aging.

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  8. Homemaker ManNovember 05, 2011

    For this sort of thing, I use bacon fat.

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  9. Suburban CorrespondentNovember 05, 2011

    I'm sort of liking the idea of a glow-in-the-dark Ektorp, actually. But, no, Suzy, I'm not ready to put crocheted doilies on my chair arms. I shall not go gently into that dark night.

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  10. Suburban CorrespondentNovember 05, 2011

    @Homemaker Man - I thought just the goyim used bacon fat. Maybe I should try chicken fat instead?

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  11. amyNovember 05, 2011

    Absolutely no idea. I put whites and darks together too, and wash everything but sheets & towels in cold water. I hope one of these suggestions works, though. (I vote for the bacon fat.)

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  12. the queenNovember 05, 2011

    Chicken Fat!
    I had a guy tell me the reason my white couch turned grey was because it was old. It was heavy woven upholstery.
    EHOw has a bleach, sunlight, and hot water method:
    www.ehow.com/how_13321_remove-yellow-tinge.html

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  13. LisaNovember 05, 2011

    Well, if none of these suggestions work, might as well throw up on it. That automatically qualifies you for a replacement, right? Make the kids spin in circles. One of them is bound to barf after a while.

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousNovember 06, 2011

    I'm surprised no one has said it yet: dye it a pretty antique gold (instead of the ugly antique yellow).

    We once rented a house from someone who explained why one carpet was antique gold instead of white (found in another room) -- they had dyed it to match the coca cola stain rather than replace it.

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  15. Jenn @ Juggling LifeNovember 06, 2011

    I use Simple Green on everything--maybe a good soaking in the washer with SG or Oxi-Clean. Don't you wish you'd never noticed?!

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  16. Mom on the VergeNovember 07, 2011

    I say tea dye it.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Jennifer (Jen on the Edge)November 15, 2011

    I'd try Oxy Clean and then dry it in the sun.

    ReplyDelete

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