Reliable fabrics
The durability of your furniture will rely heavily on the type of fabric you choose. Most pet owners have problems maintaining shedding, stains, and everyday wear and tear. These pet friendly furniture fabrics can help you keep these particular issues at bay without compromising your sense of style.
Upholstered
For those who have their sights set on a beautifully upholstered piece of furniture, try to choose from fabrics that are tightly knit. By doing so, you can avoid having visible puncture marks from it coming in contact with sharp claws. Tweed, polyester, and tight weave patterned fabrics are some great selections to choose from. Available in a wide selection of colors and designs, tightly weaved fabric can be treated with stain resistant solutions to withstand everything from spaghetti spills to a sick pet.
Leather
Treated leather furniture can be a fantastic selection to choose from. Not only can leather last for quite some time, but you also get the beauty that comes from the look of a properly upholstered leather piece. Leather becomes softer over time with use but can maintain a classic look to your living space. Spills and potential stains can be wiped away and treated by using leather-safe cleaners and darker finishes can hide any sign of fine imperfections.
Microfiber
If you have a pet who is longhaired or who simply sheds a lot, you will be thankful for microfiber fabric. It’s easy to clean with just a few simple steps. Since microfiber has a minimal thickness to it, pet hair sticks less to it. When it is time to clean up, you can start by using a lint roller or compact vacuum to remove any loose dirt or hair that is present. Next you can spot treat with a gentle fabric cleaner. After you have let that dry completely, your sofa will look good as new. Some microfiber furniture even has removable covers you can simply throw in the washer and dryer before resecuring to your couch. Microfiber comes in a number of exceptional colors or patterns to match your personal sense of style.
Outdoor material
Outdoor furniture is usually made up of polyester, a man-made polymer performance fabric that is made to survive extreme circumstances like rain or snow. The best part about this type of fabric made for outdoor furniture is that it is able to handle whatever is thrown at it indoors too. Tough stains? No problem! Playful pets? No worries! Look into outdoor furniture fabric and see if you can bring it indoors for your living room furniture. Outdoor fabric is easy to clean and can survive heavy use.
Additional home tips
In some cases, pet proofing is a must. You can preserve the look and feel of your furniture by taking a few preventative measures when your new furniture gets set up.
For cats: There are a ton of products out there that can keep kitty claws from ruining your brand new furniture. Although plastic coverings can work to prevent scratches, scratch pads are specifically made to keep the knife-like claws of your cat away from furniture. Simply place each pad on the spots your feline is most attracted to (corners, edges, bottom) and move forward.
For dogs: Some dogs can get the urge to chew on whatever looks appealing, and sometimes that means your furniture. Wood legs can look great on a modern style couch but might be enticing to your four legged friend. One thing you can do is opt for metal legs on your sofa or chairs. If you love the look of wood, protect your wood legs with bitter sprays or even a clear, adhesive covering.
For both: To better protect your furniture, you should look into making sure you have machine washable furniture covers, pet deterrent sprays, or soft blankets that provide an extra layer of safety. Using essential oil infused sprays—in scents like orange, lemon, and lime—can keep your beloved pet from chewing on and scratching up furniture surfaces. You can easily find premade deterrent sprays for an affordable price online that have a strikingly bitter taste to them that most pets do not like.
If you have concerns about finding pet-friendly furniture, visit us at Texas Furniture Hut and speak to someone in our Design Center about finding the fabric that’s right for you.
