Great sofa.

I use nice white quilts to do cover the body of my white sofas (the arms remain bare) because dark-colored pet hair was ruining them. They have a nice texture and they are much easier to wash than slipcovers.

OR: Have slipcovers made to order. It's not that expensive. The fabric usually costs more than the labour. It's lots cheaper than a new sofa and, because it is made to order, you will be able to maintain the nice sleek shape of your sofa.

Also, I assume you've talked to Crate and Barrel. They may have a resource.

Its actually much cheaper to just get someone to come and professionally steam clean it. It will look like new...

Is the entire sofa getting wrecked or are only the cushions getting dirty?

For the former I'd have slipcovers custom made.

If the latter, I'd be brave and wash the cushion covers. I've done it with a few sofas - including mine - and it always works out well. (use cold water and delicate cycle ) I also use the upholestry tool on my rug scrubber for touch ups to the arms/backs.

I have this exact fabric on a pair of white sofas with loose cushions from Macys. I HATE HATE HATE it.

And I hate sheets and blankets over couches, which is what we did until we finally gave up. I'd get a professional cleaning and/or try putting the cushion covers in the wash if they're removable. Just make sure you use a front loader and not a machine with an agitater. If you have pets, you might then cover it with a quilt of some sort (white) and try to tuck it around the cushions to look tailored.

We actually bought the cleaning warranty for ours though, and I would highly recommend it for anyone else considering this couch and fabric. They came out 3-4 times to clean cat puke off our couch, and they've sent us 4 new cushion covers (so far). The last time, a huge glass of red wine ended up splashing over both of our couches. I cleaned the arms with OxyClean since I figured we didn't have anything to lose. (These warranties don't cover normal soilage though - just major stains.)

If you have even minimal sewing ability, this is probably the simplest beginner slipcover project you could ask for. The straight lines make it easy! There are lots of good how-to books out there.
http://inspiredroomdesign.com

Try Todo Es online. My sister had some custom slipcovers made by them for a couple of sofas with curved backs and roll arms and they turned out great! I have made tailored slipcovers with welt myself and I'm pretty critical of most commercial slipcovers, but these were very well made and they fit nicely. And the prices were very reasonable.

They offer a nice range of durable, washable cotton fabrics in neutral colors. You do have to take a lot of measurements but your sofa will be easy to do since it's so boxy.

http://todoes.com/dressupssofas.html

I'm not sure what the point of slipcovers are if they're not washable! If you're worried about shrinking, wash in cool water and line dry, or at least take them out of the dryer while they're still a little damp. Most shrinkage occurs in the dryer as the fabric is getting totally dry at the end of the cycle.

I have the same couch, with the same problem.

Talking to Crate and Barrel is useless. They say just use water to "blot" up the stain. That's a bit hard when it's dirty dog paws, and general use.

The covers of the cushions are NOT removable, thus I can't use the washing machine. You would have to remove & re-sew all the buttons.

I've tried all types of fabric cleaners - pro steam cleaners, the Bissel, plain soap and water.

Unfortunately, the only thing that I have been able to get to clean the fabric back to it's original white is Bleach, in the shower. Pour on bleach, wait 30 seconds, hose off. I then place it in the sun to dry. It will take days to dry. I'm probably killing the fabric by doing this though.

I've looked into getting a new couch. Or having this one reupholstered in a medium grey, or darker, to hid the dirt.

Thanks guys - I submitted this question and I've been feeling a lot like fillectrique. I have pretty much regretted buying this couch the entire time I've had it. The fabric pickes up everything and there's no way to remove the cushion covers with the buttons (although there is a zipper as if we could - a cruel tease!). I think for now I'll take the quilt adivce and look into websites. And perhaps down the line I'll trade in for a newer, darker couch.

I wish I could remember which design blog I saw this on...but someone purchased the Karlstad cover from Ikea to cover the Petrie. I don't think it is an exact fit so you may have to do some adjusting, but it looked great in the picture. It's worth investigating.

fillelectrique,

You might want to try OxyClean in the future - it seems to be a little gentler and yellows less than using actual bleach. When we had our red wine disaster I mixed up a a pitcher full of Oxy and warm water and liberally saturated the stains. They turned a scary grey/green at first, but they eventually came out. I figured in our case, I didn't have anything to lose.

Might want to still rinse with a hose though - the arms of my chair where I used the Oxy are a bit crusty feeling... I didn't have a really good way to rinse them.

Having a professional upholstery cleaner come into your home is ALWAYS the best solution. This is not a DIY project. The manufacturers of all sofas recommend that you do this once a year, to protect your investment. I don't understand why so many consumers are not willing to do this. A white sofa could stand professional cleaning every six months.

you could see if the jasper slipcovers @ room and board would work. If you have the 86" then it should fit.

I have the same couch. I totally sympathized and Im also trying to find alternatives. I tried soap and water, while it does get some of it out it still shows. I have white plush blankets. I loathe it. Sometime in the next year or two, Im going to have to get it reupholstered with a darker fabric. No more white couch for me :(

"Having a professional upholstery cleaner come into your home is ALWAYS the best solution. "

I agree - Just call Coit.

http://www.coit.com/

Otherwise, both Bissell and Hoover make carpet cleaning machines which also work on upholstery.

2 YEARS AGO I BOUGHT A CRATE AND BARREL USED SOFA IN GREAT CONDITION EXCEPT THE COVER WAS FADED. THINKING I WAS GOING STRAIGHT HOME AND ORDER WHITE SLIPCOVERS.... WAH...WHA.....THEY DON'T MAKE SLIPCOVERS FOR THEIR SOFAS.HEY..CRATE AND BARREL,POTTERY BARN MAKE SLIPCOVERS WE CAN AFFORD WILL YA!THERE'S BUYERS OUT HERE! IS THIS A PLOY TO MAKE US BUY ANOTHER SOFA? NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN THIS DAY AND AGE OF CREATIVE CONSUMERS.COME ON PEOPLE aka COMPANY'S YOUR LOSING MONEY AND OUR ALIGENCE.Ok, my spelling sucks but you get the point.THIS IS A WIN/WIN ! So go make us some slipcovers.One of us will kiss you on the lips if you do!

I also have the same couch in white. I went to C&B yesterday to discuss my issue with them, and was shocked to find out that: 1.they now offer this couch in leather (!!) 2.they do not re-upholster this couch or make a slip cover for it because the fabric is sewn on to the arms, etc.

I'm pretty confused by this: does this mean that no company can reupholster this couch?

ugh, what a headache...I wish I could just get it reupholstered in leather through C&B.

You can remove the covers. If you pull hard on the buttons, you will see that each one is a little hook. They are very difficult to unhook, but it can be done, and you can wash the four cushion covers (I just did it). Your fingers will hurt, but well worth it. You can also use dryel dry cleaning cloths from target to 'wash' the arms and body. Mine's looking so much better than it was before cleaning it!

Additional notes about cleaning the covers - I washed in warm water and rinsed in cold. I put them into the dryer for just a few minutes and then laid them flat to dry, pulling them slightly to shape them. I put them back on the cushions when they were slightly damp, to be sure they would fit (they did shrink a bit). It was difficult to get the buttons back through - it will make sense when you do it - when the cover was halfway on, I pushed a skinny metal crochet hook through the hole on one side through the hole in the cushion to the other side. I then captured the piece of string that connects the two buttons (with one button already on it on the far side), pulled thorough the string using the crochet hook, and attached the second button on the near side.

As for the Dryel - when you rub the soiled arms etc, they will look not-so-good from the dampness of the Dryel. Just rub all the soiled areas, and be patient. When it dries it will look much cleaner than you imagined it would.

All of this being said, I am going to have a custom slipcover made for this sofa (I've done this with plenty of other furnishings in the past). I have two kids, two cats, and a dog and it's just too hard to clean this piece. I have previously had pottery barn sofas with cotton slipcovers which I washed frequently, and I miss that ease. The slipcover likely won't have the button detail, but I'm looking forward to having something easy-to-remove and washable!

Hey there,
I have the white petrie sofa from crate and barrel too and want to order the 86" Jasper couch slipcover from Room and Board to protect it. Has anyone done this? How well does it fit?

I'm pretty positive they are the exact same dimensions, but its non-returnable if its not (unless you order the blue slipcover).
We have a kitten that is ruining our white couch.

To whomever suggested the Oxy clean - Don't do it! It made a pee-looking stain. Not preferable to the original problem.

Obviously I have the exact same problem. After reading this post, I got the $50 Ikea slipcover in a white twill and then bought three yards of white twill-not an exact match but you really can't tell. Used a seam ripper to get out the middle back panel of fabric and replaced it. This is essential because the Petrie has a higher back. It looks made to order and the cushion covers fit perfectly. [Note:I have remedial sewing skills, I know how to work a machine and have watched some project runway. It really isn't too hard, but you do have to tailor the piece to fit.]

The only thing-it looks more shabby chic meets mid century modern and definitely more generic. Time to get out the awesome pillows.

Kaite1- I'm really curious if you did buy the Jaspar cover in the end? I am almost sure that the Petrie and Jaspar are the exact same sofa except for the buttons. They are both made by a company in North Carolina and have the same proportions and legs.

I also want to get the Jaspar slipcover and my concern is that the buttons will look strange underneath the cover. I also have a grey Petrie, so I'm not sure how the white will look over the grey, either.

I bet the sales people at Room and Board would be willing to find out. Otherwise, it might also make sense to order and return the stock cover just to try it out before buying a special order cover.

Would love to know what you did.

wow, all these responses are super helpful.
i own 2 of these petrie bad boys and they're both yellowing from general use and too much soap and water. i called sears to professionally clean and they basically got out some dirt, none of the yellow water stains. will try some of these ideas, especially removing the cover from the cushions.
ps: the tag on the sofa says armrest covers are suggested, but C&B does not sell them?!

kville- I have not yet bought the 86" jasper cover, but the idea keeps coming up as a solution to protect this couch. My boyfriend wants a white slipcover, so maybe I'll order the blue one first then return it for the custom made white one if it fits.
I'll let you know how it goes when I finally order it.

If u have a 76" one, order the west elm Henry sofa slipcover.
I just received mine and it fits perfectly.
And it's on final sale now.
Order it before they are gone.
Good luck.

I finally started my petrie sofa slipcover. I still need to make the cover for the cushions. It was back breaking work! I put a picture of the main slipcover up on my blog.

http://castawayknitting.blogspot.com/

I probably shouldn't admit this online, but I work for C&B. The suggestion to get the Petrie professionally cleaned is absolutely the best option for you. Spot cleaning is just for that very thing, if you get a spot of something on it and need to, not as a solution to clean an entire piece. The fabric is a wool blend so professional cleaning is a must. With proper care it can last for years.

While C&B doesn't sell slipcovers for all the sofas we carry, we can and do make them for any sofa that originally came with one (we sell about 4 or 5 slipcovered sofas). You can even get a slipcover made for sofas that we no longer carry, as long as we can find your original sale so we can be sure to get the right frame style number for the vendor that makes the cover for you.

Good luck to you!

Seeing all these comments about the Petrie sofa makes me feel a little less insane, but this sofa has been driving me crazy since my cat made his first claw mark 30 minutes into owning it. I had no idea that the fabric would be so susceptible to snags due to its lose, basket-weave design.

After thinking that I can't afford to replace it and looking into slipcovers, I'm probably just going to replace it and not have to worry about it anymore. I'm going to get a leather sofa, and, no, it won't be the leather Petrie. And, no, I won't be buying my next sofa from Crate and Barrel. The lack of support from the company despite an investment of more than $2000 in this sofa and the footstool has definitely hurt my 'relationship' with the company.

Can anyone (esp. MADKNITTER) share their experience with cleaning the white Petrie sofa in the upholstery from the OLD vendor? I bought mine in 2008. It was originally made in 100% cotton fabric w/ stain-guard, but C&B changed fabric vendors for this item ca. early-mid 2010 (the fabric currently used is a poly/cotton blend, which is not nearly as nice, and the cleaning requirements are completely different). I have been going nuts trying to figure out how to clean the WHOLE sofa (I'm fine on the spot cleaning - soda water and a white washcloth work wonders). The cleaning code is SW, which I'm told means neither steam cleaning nor dry cleaning are recommended. So what are my options, then? For MADKNITTER, can you (or anyone on here) recommend what I should do? I want to leave it to the pros, but I've already scared one of them away w/ my worrying. I was afraid that steam cleaning would shrink the cotton upholstery, and dry cleaning would get rid of the stain guard. HELP!

Apart from that, I love, love, LOVE the sofa, little cat claw marks aside. :-(

I wanted to come on and share my experience. I bought a white petrie sofa on Craigslist today for only 180 bucks! Well I am pretty good at removing stains and figured I screwed it up, 200 bucks wasn't too much to lose trying! I've learned quite a few tricks over the years. I'm a bit of a sofa whore.

After my day long learning experience I'm going to let you in on how to clean your sofa.

1.Removed the bottom cushions and wash in COLD WATER with Clorox Bleach.

You'll have to remove the buttons. Mine were already removed by the former owner. (I accidentally washed them in hot water and they shrunk a bit and I spent all day stretching them out!)

2.Take the back pillows to the Laundromat and wash in a 60lbs industrial wash machine in COLD WATER with Clorox Bleach. You can also remove your agitator from your machine or use a front loader. Just make sure the bleach is making good contact with the fabric.

you could also spray bleach/water mixture directly on fabric then launder.

3.Use Oxy Clean to pretreat soiled arms and stains.

4.Use Bissel Little Green Machine to shampoo the sofa with regular carpet shampoo.

5.Use DISH WASHING MACHINE detergent on the seems on the arms. Scrub it in and let it sit.

6.Take steam cleaner and spray a constant stream of water on/into the arms (put a towel on the floor) until it looks as though the dish detergent is washed down.

7. remove excess water all over whole sofa

8. Spray 3% hydrogen peroxide directly into dirty discolored seems.

9. Spray 3% hydrogen peroxide all over whole sofa.

10. Let air dry, the hydrogen will take a half a day to really brighten the fabric. But those dirty arms will look new again!

I triple checked that the fabric is made out of a cotton-synthetic blend so you will not have much problems with discoloration. I suggest you use a fabric softener on cushions. It relaxes the fabric.

11. SCOTCH GUARD!!!

PS, hydrogen peroxide works awesome on pet stains on synthetic carpets as well! NEVER put Hydrogen peroxide on wool! It will turn orange/yellow.