In this post: I’m calling foul. I don’t care what anyone says…White Slipcovers are NOT Easy to Keep Clean! And now we have grey ones instead.
So, you know all those pretty blogger houses with bright white slip-covered couches and chairs?
And how every.single.one of them insists the slipcovers are so easy to clean – just pop them off, throw them in the wash and all is well?
Lies.
Lies, I tell you!
Okay maybe I’m over exaggerating. Being a little dramatic.
But in the month or so that we had white slipcovers on our Ikea Ektorp sofa sectional, my experience was the complete opposite of (seemingly) everyone else on the internet.
The edges got grungy.
The dog – despite having his paws thoroughly wiped when he came inside – somehow managed to get dirty paw prints on at least three cushions.
And the dust and hairs! Ugh.
Not to mention that everyone was terrified to get the couch dirty for fear of mommy’s wrath.
And then…and then…I decided to wash the slipcovers.
Oh. Em. Gee.
The Ektorp sectional is um, large. So it took three loads in the washer.
Fair enough. Our washer isn’t huge.
But did you know you’re not supposed to dry the slipcovers? Apparently they might shrink.
What the heck?!
I don’t have the space or time to wait for the covers to drip dry!
So I put them on air dry in the dryer – no heat.
Which worked – except I’m pretty sure it took about as long as letting them drip dry would have.
Oh and did I mention that I broke the washer in this “oh so easy” process?!
Even with separating the covers into three loads, the washer just couldn’t handle it.
Which meant it then decided it should seek revenge – and get lovely black grease marks on every single slip cover!
Which is exactly when I gave up on the white slipcovers and went straight to Ikea to buy dark grey ones instead.
Which everyone likes better anyway.
And if the grey slipcovers need washing, they’re going to the dry cleaners.
(P.S. I personally know several bloggers who have and truly love their white slipcovers. I bow to their cleaning awesomeness! Seriously. I have no idea how they do it.)
Living Room Source List:
- Wall Color – Sherwin Williams Analytical Grey
- Curtains – Ikea
- Flooring – Sandy Hills Hickory “Handscraped” Laminate from Lumber Liquidators
- Area Rug – Moroccan Trellis in Tan from Rugs USA
- Couch – Ektorp Sectional from Ikea
- Pillow Covers – Porter Lane Home on etsy
- Pillow Inserts – FJÄDRAR inner pillow from Ikea
- Grey Plaid Throw – similar here
- Oversized Clock – Fulton St. Wall Clock from Wayfair
- Grey Knit Poufs – Addison Pouf Ottoman in Grey from Wayfair
- Chandelier – Hampton Bay Heritage 6-Light Iron Chandelier from The Home Depot
- Large Square Coffee Table – DIY Brickmaker’s Coffee Table found here
- Large Square Tray – Homesense
- Large Vase – Walmart
- Faux Pink Stems/Flowers – Michael’s
- Electric Fireplace – Canadian Tire
- Corner Floor Lamp – Logan Floor Lamp from Wayfair
- Leaning ladder – DIY Ladder Made with 2”x4”s found here
(Our source list contains affiliate links. That just means that we make a few pennies at no extra cost to you, should you purchase anything via one of the links. Thank you for helping to make this site possible! )
Thank you for sharing the truth. You just saved me lots and lots of money. I have looked at white slipcovers and longed for white slipcovers, but we live in my ur living room. When the grandchild is here you have to say at least once, ‘Don’t walk on the couch.’ When my husband gets off the tractor and is full of dust, the couch is where he pulls his boots off. It would have made me crazy. Thank you for saving my family.
Yay for saved money!
I am a ‘newbie’ and found you thru Pinterest, but LOVE it already. You sound like my kind of lady…fun and REAL!!
I do love white, but I agree with you and your readers, the gray is much better. I love gray, it works with sooo many colors. I am in the process of painting our new home, so far–2 rooms are light gray and the kitchen is blue/gray with cobalt accents—have lots of blue bottles.
And I appreciate how you personally answer all of your commenters. Great job! I look forward to being around for a long time.
Aw thanks! Glad to have you join our little community!
Thanks for your honest take on the white slipcovers! I was afraid I was going to fall victim to the white slipcover trend I was seeing everywhere! It was too good to be true that even with kids, bloggers everywhere were raving about white slipcovers. Glad you pulled me back to reality! Honestly, the gray ones look so much better!
Some people can make them work and I truly wish I could. But alas, white slipcovers were not meant to be for me!
Shannon, I to felt it would be to much work even though everyone claimed they weren’t bad at all. I to have the gray and mine has gotten so fuzzy looking. I am curious to see if yours will get fuzzy. Did the white ones get fuzzy?
So far it’s been fine. We’ve had just the tiniest bit of piling. But a razor should take that right off. Have you tried that?
THANK YOU!!! Haha, look at all these comments! I’m so happy you said this because I’ve been thinking it for YEARS! I refuse to buy white slip covers and now I know I made the right decision, lol. Thanks again 🙂
Lol. Yeah, it seems to have stirred up a great conversation. I love it!
I bought an Ektorp set 2 years ago and wanted the white slip covers but couldn’t commit so I got the light beige/khaki color which I really like. I even bought an extra set so that when one set is in the wash, the others will be in use. Well, 2 years later and I haven’t washed them yet and the extra set is still in the boxes. I can’t believe how well they spot-clean! Now, granted, we’re empty nesters, but we have a dog and 4 toddler grandchildren who are over a lot! Love your gray set- maybe I’ll get those next- and your pillows are awesome!
P.S. Wow- no ads!!!!!
You think just like me! A huge part of the reason we bought the Ektorp was so that we could have back up slipcovers!
You’re the first honest blogger I’ve “met”.. I have the white slip covers & sometimes question why I EVER thought it would work. They are a TON of work! Thanks for being “real”?
Thank you – and I’m sorry you’re struggling too!
Preach! I am baffled by the white slipcovers trend for practical, everyday use. I have the Ektorp sofa and chair and bought the khaki slips at purchase four years ago. We’ve washed the seat cushions and backs a few times – and wrestling those suckers back on is a workout – but they’ve held up well. I LOVE the gray slips you have and dream of the day when we can lounge in blissful ignorance of the black dog/cat hair and related paw prints that adorn our current slips. 🙂
Lol. Well I could always use the workout. But I agree, the white was so stressful!
Thank you for writing this. I KNEW IT !! I have two beige couches covered with throws ,sheepskins , you can hardly see the stupid couches under them all and they still get dirty. The covers don’t come of these so it’s tough. I want to get a couch with slipcovers next time and it wont be white. I love the look of the white but it would not be good for my health or anyone’s safety if I got them . x
Lol. Too funny!
Totally agree! Although we have no pets we do have two boys – white slip covers would be destroyed! We have the exact same grey slipcover from Ikea and love it!
Awesome!
Yeah, I actually bought a whitish couch without slipcovers a few months ago! I die a little every time someone sits on it.
What a way to put it! But YES!
I have a white french provincial sofa I bought second hand (probably cost less than Ikea slip covers without the sofa and it came with 2 chairs) . I keep a drop cloth on it, which I wash frequently, like every time one of my dogs sits on it or looks at it. I can’t imagine if it were slip covered.. I too bow to anyone who keeps white furniture clean.
I know, right. I know friends who do the same (put blankets on it and then remove them when people come over). But with three kids and a dog and myself home everyday all day for work and homeschool, that’s just not practical for us.
I gotta agree with you. After a few years the novelty of white slip covers has worn off. They do get grubby. They do take forever to wash and dry. And they do show all the dust and pet hairs. I’d love a grey set, if they weren’t so expensive! One day. 😉 Love your honesty. xx Julie
Do you have an Ikea couch? We actually bought our grey set on sale for $185! So not too bad compared to other slipcovers or a new couch!
Yep. We have the two and three seater Ektorp. Here in Australia, the grey
two seat cover is $299 and the three seat cover is $329. So not cheap at
all!
Ack! I’m sorry!
I keep my white slip covered sectional covered all the time unless I’m taking pictures, because I do think white furniture with pretty pillows looks good on film. But in reality … I keep it covered. All the time. It’s such a pain to wash the white slip covers (I actually break into a sweat trying to put all the white covers back on). Love your new gray slip cover!
Thanks, Jennifer. I know a lot of people do that, which works for them. But since the kids and I are here all day everyday (work and homeschool) that wouldn’t work here. Thus the change to grey.
I absolutely love this post because it’s so true!! I have the white slipcovers and they’re horrible. I absolutely love the look of them but every aspect you talked about is exactly how it is in my home too lol. Yours look beautiful now, it definitely makes me think about changing the colour of mine!
Yup. The white was pretty tricky!
I am going through the exact same scenario. I bought some lovely white slip covers after reading tons of blogs and researching for months. Now 3
Months into it, I have found that my slipcovers that are supposed to be “stain resistant” and “easy to clean” are not exactly that…so I’ve been contacting the manufacture to get a replacement and I am thinking a dark gray as well 🙂
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Ugh. I hear you.
Are the gray slip covers as soft/similar feeling to the white?! I noticed the fabric is a different blend so I’m nervous about ordering it without testing it out first! Thanks 🙂
They’re not exactly the same. But the grey is comfortable. You just aren’t supposed to wash it – dry clean only. Can you pop into an Ikea to have a look at all the fabrics?
I totally agreed. I bought the white slip cover after reading all the reviews on how it is easy to clean and manage even with kids and dogs. I felt like such a failure. We even scotch guarded it like crazy and within a week I lost my mind. I’m going back for the Gray ones today. Thank you for posting this. I’m glad someone else’s family is not as perfect like mine. Here’s to making Gray the new white 😉
Ugh, right?! I know. I was so disappointed! BUT we do LOVE the grey one – I hope you do too!
Washed mine following all directions,spray and wash ,pre soak, then wash,turned yellow everywhere i pretreated ugg,now going to get gray one
Oh no! I’m so sorry! That’s terrible!
Hi. I never had white covers…. wanted to try…just never got to it… yet. However I have had same ektorp couch with grey covers for the past two years. The fabric has some polyester in it, so it feels hards and scratchy. However I have successfully washed my cover at 40C numerous times and put them on wet to stretch them and they always came put like new. So absolutely no need for dry cleaners and all the chemicals. The color is very practical , even though my five kids so eat on the couch when I don’t see them….lol. any and all stains came right off with stain remover and 30 min wash at 40C. Hope this helps. irena