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Not having a good day

(80 Posts)
gentleshores Thu 17-Oct-24 15:10:26

So my nice "new to me" chair was delivered today. It looked immaculate in the shop - almost looked like a new chair. It's a light coloured linen loose cover. Not something I'd normally choose but it was comfy and I liked it and nothing else in the shop was comfy.

Total disaster. The delivery men were awful - didn't cover it with anything, got it stuck going through the back door (we've had a sofa through that door before) and yanked and dragged it partly against the outside stone wall - and it had moss stains all over the arms and one wing. I tried to stop them and say shall I get a blanket to put over it but too late.

Honestly it made me cry. I knew straight away they were stains that wouldn't come out easily. Phoned a professional upholstery cleaner who said - not on linen loose covers, the chemicals could damage it. Phoned a dry cleaner who said they can't guarantee getting moss stains out.

If I was younger and fitter I might have tried washing it in the machine but the ironing would be really hard and I can't do that any more. And it might shrink - no labels to say how to clean it - it just says linen.

Shop offered a few options - they could pick it up, get it cleaned and redeliver it. I don't trust them, it would take ages and I don;t think their professional upholstery cleaner will achieve it having just spoken to one.

I opted for a refund of the delivery cost. Even just taking the cover off and taking it to a dry cleaner seemed hassle. I didn't want to make it worse by trying to wash it off,

But in the end I thought I'd try some bicarbonate of soda on it then wipe that off carefully, to try and remove most of it and then get it dry cleaned.

Another disaster. Apart from anything else I have a really painful right shoulder and that is now worse. Bicarb isn't supposed to leave white spots like bleach marks is it? I've used it on fabric before - but - that is what has happened.

It removed most of the worst green stains and mud marks - but it left little white spots as if bleach had been spilt on it (it's multicoloured light colour).

So now it just looks grubby on both arms and one wing with little white spots.

And I have a very painful shoulder and won't be able to do anything for a few days.

I suppose I could get new loose covers made but that would be quite expensive I think.

Septimia Thu 17-Oct-24 15:34:54

What a disappointment for you. Silly delivery men!

You have nothing to lose. See if you can get someone to help you take the cover off and bung it in the machine with some stain remover soap on the marks. If the same person can iron it for you, all the better, otherwise there's likely to be an ironing service somewhere not too far away and you could try to make arrangements for them to collect the covers while they're damp.

Meanwhile, sling a rug over it and use it. Good luck!

BlueBelle Thu 17-Oct-24 15:53:05

Oh I would have made the shop delivery people sort it out and give me a total refund I think once you have started trying to clean it yourself you have voided any of their responsibility
What a shame now it’s your problem instead of theirs
Feel for you

gentleshores Thu 17-Oct-24 15:57:25

Thank you. It was so cheap, it was worth more to me as a chair than the money I paid for it and it has taken ages finding a chair that was just right for me. Otherwise yes I'd have sent it back. It was a one off so couldn't just get a replacement.

I could get it dry cleaned but it does have the little white spots now from the bicarb. I had no idea that could happen. I've used bicarb on all sorts of things.

I guess throwing something over it is what I'll have to do - or get new loose covers which would be expensive.

It's just upsetting something arriving damaged. At the time I just didn't want the hassle of them taking it back, waiting and having to have it delivered again. And I doubt they'd get the stains out easily anyway.

Ilovecheese Thu 17-Oct-24 15:57:55

If all else fails, get a really nice throw to cover it.
What a disappointment for you, things like this can be so upsetting.

gentleshores Thu 17-Oct-24 15:58:18

I wouldn't mind if we had messed it up ourselves!

Ilovecheese Thu 17-Oct-24 15:58:46

sorry crossed post, I see you have already thought of a throw.

AGAA4 Thu 17-Oct-24 15:59:02

How upsetting for you. What clumsy delivery people! I would have sent it straight back and insisted on a new one or a refund but that's no help to you now. I can only suggest loose covers or a throw as I'm sure you don't want to look at that mossy mess.

AGAA4 Thu 17-Oct-24 15:59:40

Apologies from.me too re. throw

eazybee Thu 17-Oct-24 16:20:08

Keep the loose cover, don't was it, choose some furnishing fabric you like, and get a new loose cover made using the previous cover as a patter.

Aldom Thu 17-Oct-24 16:27:54

I've just read that you can remove bicarbonate of soda marks using three parts warm water to one part white vinegar. Personally, I would try it out on an area not normally on view. Good luck and I hope it works for you if you decide to try it.

gentleshores Thu 17-Oct-24 16:29:48

Thank you. Yes if it had been expensive or new I'd have sent it straight back - but I paid so little for it and it was a one off - a replacement wasn't an option.

Yes I am inclined to get new covers made for it because I really loved the chair and it took ages to find something just right.

It has upset me a lot actually. When you're looking forward to something and someone damages it. When I expressed horror at what they had done the delivery man just said - well your wall must be dirty. The cheek. It was an outside wall!

gentleshores Thu 17-Oct-24 16:30:41

But have had a half empty living room for ages trying to find a chair, getting out isn't easy to try things and it was just right after lots of searching.

MissAdventure Thu 17-Oct-24 16:33:26

All's not lost.
You have the option to use throws, tucked and tacked into place, you could have new loose covers made for it, and, if you're brave, you could paint or dye the chair.

I would try to find an individual who upcycles things, and leave it in their hands.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Thu 17-Oct-24 16:42:50

Could you remove the linen cover and dye it?

gentleshores Thu 17-Oct-24 16:55:37

Thank you. Those are great ideas. I'm not really up to hands on projects myself (frustratingly) but yes there might be someone local who could dye it.

gentleshores Thu 17-Oct-24 17:16:26

I looked up a company that dyes them for you but they did say linen might shrink a bit confused

B9exchange Thu 17-Oct-24 17:18:32

I regularly wash the linen covers on our sofas, they come out really clean, and I then put them back damp, straight out of the washing machine, and let them dry in situ, no ironing required.

M0nica Thu 17-Oct-24 17:28:23

If it had stains on it before it even came in the door, then it wouldn't have made its way into my house. I would have made the men immediately put the chair back in the van and take it back while I rang the store to make a strong complaint and demand at best a total refund, at worst a new set of covers for it.

It sounds to me like a classic case of ageism, you are an old woman and tey did not think you mattered.

Get straight in touch with your local Trading Standards Office or your local Age UK.

MissAdventure Thu 17-Oct-24 17:31:39

Is it linen material?

MissAdventure Thu 17-Oct-24 17:35:17

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MissAdventure Thu 17-Oct-24 17:36:23

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MissAdventure Thu 17-Oct-24 17:38:38

These type of things might solve ýour problem, of course, available at five times the price elsewhere. smile

There are pages and pages of them, and they get excellent reviews.

MissAdventure Thu 17-Oct-24 17:40:30

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MissAdventure Thu 17-Oct-24 17:42:19

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