Getting a sofa tested for harmful chemicals

Shagger

Does anybody know if (and how) I could get my new sofa tested for harmful chemical emissions? It sounds crazy but from the day it arrived there's been a strong, sickly chemical smell so bad that the first evening after it was delivered I had a banging headache and felt sick and dizzy just from sitting on it for a few hours. These symptoms continued for a couple of weeks and now, 6 weeks later, the smell is still there albeit not as strong. I'm now suffering with what I can only describe as how I'd imagine the beginnings of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome must feel though: I regularly get headaches, I feel constantly tired and light-headed and I'm incredibly physically weak with almost no energy. It might just be coincidence but this all started when the new sofa arrived and I'm concerned that maybe there have been some nasty chemicals used during the manufacturing process that are damaging my health which, up to fairly recently, was very good.

DKLS

The technical textiles dept at Leeds uni used to test things like this, see if your local uni has a textiles dept and if they do tests, and what they charge.

But also if you have a gas boiler and or fire that gets checked out as well, just in case it isn't a coincidence about the new sofa. Your symptoms where similar to a friend, who when the gas man did come round he condemned her gas fire and said its amazing your still here, she thought she was working and studying too hard and needed new glasses!

tomtontom

Good advice from DKLS, especially about the boiler. Do your symptoms get better if you are away from the house for a period of time?

Shagger

I've had a carbon monoxide detector in the house since I first moved in and it's never gone off. The boiler is pretty new and is serviced every year and although the gas fire is probably pretty old I very rarely use it anyway. I'll double-check that my alarm is still working though as I haven't pressed the tester button it for a month or so.

Since the new sofa was delivered I haven't been away from home for more than a day but my symptoms have been pretty constant regardless of where I am. Even sat down at work I feel like my head is swimming slightly.

I'll start contacting universities to see if I can find one that will run tests on the furniture. It'd be well worth paying for even if I can rule it out and have peace of mind. It's the fact that it made me feel so ill to start with that concerns me and it makes me really angry that they'd be allowed to use anything in the manufacturing process that would do that. A piece of furniture going in someone's home should not be drenched in toxic chemicals. In any other situation people would have to wear a respirator if they were going to be exposed to anything that could do that, yet my sofa didn't come with any health warnings.

Poppie68

Who did you buy it from, what did they say when you reported the problem? Have you checked if anyone else have complained by searching Google after all yours won't be the only one effected if it is down to manufacturing.

cono1717

Did you get the furniture scotch guarded at all?

Shagger

I bought it from Sofaworks. When I rang them they just casually put it down to a bit of 'new sofa smell' and advised me to air the room out a bit (in the middle of winter!) as if it were nothing more than a minor inconvenience that would quickly resolve itself. I pointed out that 'new sofa smell' shouldn't be akin to spending a day working with industrial solvents in an unventilated room with no breathing apparatus, but I think they just thought I was being a drama queen.

I've Googled the problem and there are a lot of people in the same situation, but none that I could find specifically mentioning Sofaworks. However it seems to be a global issue spanning all sorts of furniture items from all sorts of manufacturers, the common link being the use of cost-cutting manufacturing methods involving formaldehyde-based adhesives, and also the use of various (and particularly nasty) fire retardant chemicals, some of which I'm staggered that they'd ever be allowed remotely near to someone's house having read the data sheets and long-term health problems associated with them. I'm not one for hysteria or paranoia but some of it makes scary reading, even more so when you consider the scale on which these chemicals are being used.

No I didn't have it Scotch Guarded. I've actually used Scotch Guard in the past on other items and I can say that it smells like an idyllic Alpine meadow in comparison to the stink that was coming off my sofa! I'm thinking that if I can go back to Sofaworks with concrete evidence that it's off-gassing something harmful to my health then they can't just fob me off saying it's 'new sofa smell'. And best case it's harmless and these weird symptoms I'm having are just coincidental, although that will then mean a visit to the doctor to find out what's wrong with me.

Poppie68

Have you been to see your GP, tests can be done which may confirm your suspicions and help your case....Also as already mentioned try local uni's or colleges that could help, or a local upholstery business maybe able to offer advice?

photome

You havent said what type of sofa

I had exactly the same problem as you back in September

The day the sofa was delivered I ended up in bed I felt so ill.

The smell was unbearable, I got them to come out and see what they thought of it, the guy they said dismissed it out of hand.
I asked for a copy of his report but he wouldnt give it to me or even let me see what he had written.

4 months down the line the smell is still there but bearable

Mine is a la z yboy leather sofa

Shagger

Mine is a fabric corner sofa but I've read about people having the same problem with leather ones too. I can't believe this is allowed to happen in the day and age where you have to fill out a risk assessment and go on a training course before you can even use a stepladder at work :mad:

Have you suffered from any ongoing health issues after yours arrived or was it just initially whilst the smell was at its worst?

photome

Shagger wrote: »

Mine is a fabric corner sofa but I've read about people having the same problem with leather ones too. I can't believe this is allowed to happen in the day and age where you have to fill out a risk assessment and go on a training course before you can even use a stepladder at work :mad:

Have you suffered from any ongoing health issues after yours arrived or was it just initially whilst the smell was at its worst?

Not sure about ongoing health issues

For the first month I didn't want to go in the room, then in Oct I got a bunged up nose ( although feels like someone has punched me in the nose rather than just blocked)

It is still the same now, going to docs next week about my nose