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Thrifted Sofa

October 7, 2011 By Sage 8 Comments

I mentioned the other day that there was a fabulous thrifted treasure being delivered on Wednesday. Well, it’s here!

It’s a new to me vintage sofa with red velvet cushions!!!


And I love it!

It’s replacing the daybed, which was always meant to be a temporary solution until the perfect sofa came along.

There’s only one slight issue, it smells like attic. As a seasoned thrift shopper and vintage aficionado, I have my own steam cleaner, so it’s gotten two thorough steam cleanings. But that hasn’t helped the smell :(

They don’t sell Febreze in Denmark and I actually abhor the scent of it, but desperate situations call for desperate measures, so I bought a bottle of fabric softener, mixed 1 part to 2 parts water, and sprayed it onto the sofa. The attic smell is gone, but now it and my entire place reeks of fabric softener. I cannot stand scented laundry soaps and fabric softeners, so I should’ve known better.

I’ve been misting it with straight white vinegar, which I’m hoping will cut down on the fabric softener scent, plus it’s a disinfectant, and never hurts to disinfect furniture of unknown origins. I need my place to stop smelling like a laundromat!

If I can’t resolve the smell issue, I may need to donate it back, which will break my heart. If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them :)

P.S. I still haven’t picked a paint color, but now with the red sofa cushions, I’m leaning toward red more than ever.

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Filed Under: Bohemian Decor, Frugal Living, Home, Secondhand Finds, Simple Living

Comments

  1. Lisa says

    October 7, 2011 at 12:25 PM

    I’m sorry, I have not ideas about getting rid of odors like that. (a baking soda and water solution, sprayed on?) Anyway, I still would like to see a golden yellow – like your kitty!
    The daybed is very nice – are you keeping it?

    Reply
  2. Sage says

    October 7, 2011 at 1:01 PM

    Hi Lisa,

    Thanks! If the vinegar doesn’t work, I’ll try baking soda & water. I’m not giving up until I’ve tried everything I can think of.

    The daybed is going to be moved to my bedroom. I’ve been borrowing a bed all this time and now I can return it! Or if the sofa wins and I have to donate it back, the daybed will once again be my sofa. Hopefully it won’t come to that.

    I love the daybed, but it always seemed sort of messy looking for the living room.

    ~ Sage

    Reply
  3. Anonymous says

    October 8, 2011 at 2:34 PM

    You could also try this: first wet the couch a little (with plain water), then apply dry baking soda or ground coffee to soak up the moisture, and hopefully also the odor.

    Reply
  4. Anonymous says

    October 9, 2011 at 11:18 PM

    You could try “homemade Febreeze”…1/2 water, 1/2 cheap vodka in a spray bottle. Drop or two of a favorite essential oil is optional.

    Reply
  5. Anonymous says

    October 10, 2011 at 2:49 AM

    Sorry Sage, I don’t have a solution but you should know that regular* fabric softeners (incl. dryer sheets) are horribly toxic. Some of the common ingredients are known carcinogens, neurotoxins, cause CNS disorders, and are dangerous as inhalants and/or via skin contact. You don’t need that for you or Opie… or anyone else if you can’t clean it up.

    *By “regular” I mean other than specifically green, non-toxic brand products.

    Reply
  6. cmg says

    October 13, 2011 at 3:55 AM

    I was also going to suggest vodka and water mixed!

    Reply
  7. LadyJayPee says

    October 17, 2011 at 2:44 AM

    There is a “recipe” to make your own Febreeze at http://fakeitfrugal.blogspot.com/2011/07/fake-febreeze.html I haven’t tried it yet, and it DOES call for fabric softener, but if there is a green fabric softener out there and/or an unscented one, maybe you could add your own essential oil scent?

    Reply
  8. Sage says

    October 20, 2011 at 11:13 AM

    Thanks for the suggestions. The baking soda made a big mess, mostly because Opie wouldn’t stay away, so I’ve placed a bowl of coffee grounds under the sofa and kept up with the steaming and vinegar. Now every time I sit on it, I get an intense coffee craving :)

    The fabric softener scent is gone, and the attic scent is back, though not as strong, so I’m going to keep at it for a bit before investing in a bottle of vodka (there is no “cheap” vodka here).

    ~ Sage

    Reply

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Once upon a time, I had the chance to move to the happiest country in the world!

My restless Aries spirit liked that idea, so I did what any girl in my position would do… I grabbed my cat, booked a one-way ticket to Denmark, and became an expat!

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