Gransnet forums

Chat

Not having a good day

(81 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.

gentleshores Thu 17-Oct-24 19:08:41

Should have tried the washing machine before the bicarb then because it now has a few little white spots that look like bleach marks - only on side strangely.

I'm not sure dye would cover those would it? It's not bleach but seems to have behaved like bleach. Maybe it reacted with something the covers had been cleaned with previously.

MissAdventure Thu 17-Oct-24 19:06:03

The temu links were for various chair covers.
What a shame you didn't get to see them, because I think they would be the best, most reasonable, and easiest way to cover the chair, either fully, or partially.

gentleshores Thu 17-Oct-24 19:03:06

B9exchange

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.

That is really useful to know, thank you. Doesn't it take absolutely ages to dry?

I am hopeless at ironing these days (never was much good at it!)

gentleshores Thu 17-Oct-24 19:01:34

Thanks. I didn't see them until the chair was in the living room but I saw how rough they were being and that it was being scraped against the outside wall on the way in. I was a bit stunned by it all to be honest - especially the response - blaming my wall!

What are the Temu links about please? I tried to click on the first one and it just came to a login page.

Yes the label says linen (but it's hand-written on the label so I wonder if it's actually 100% linen). There isn't much on the label at all. Just hand written in ink and says Linen and the date of manufacture. Manufacturer name just has the letter d. Which isn't much help.

NotSpaghetti Thu 17-Oct-24 18:17:37

Can you get it to a laundrette with those massive washers?
Then you know it is less likely to get too scrunched up?
The loose cover will have a label with fabric composition - it may not be actual linen.

You could then put it on the chair and if necessary run the iron over it in situ?

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

share.temu.com/1x7GYee7d5A

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

share.temu.com/ezrsJDzkCYA

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 17:36:23

share.temu.com/KIu0FK1PFNA

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

share.temu.com/Rh9sqp4RLnA

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

Is it linen material?

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Could you remove the linen cover and dye it?

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

Apologies from.me too re. 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.

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

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

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

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