If you’re a pet owner, you’re privy to occasional claw marks, clinging hair, and dirt stains on your couch–and pretty much everywhere else in your home. If you are looking for the right kind of heavy-duty fabrics to use for your sofa upholstery, this guide is for you. Here, we will look at some great pet-friendly upholstery options you can choose from.
Great Pet-Friendly Sofa Upholstery Options for Your Pets
Say Yes to Leather
Leather fabrics are a godsend for pet-friendly upholstery. This fabric actually improves with time and heavy usage. Plus, it is extremely durable in nature and is easier to maintain than most fabrics. You can get rid of any kind of dirt by simply wiping it off and using sudsy water. Additionally, you can also choose from a wide selection of colours and price points, depending on your budget. The only downside is that it is not scratch-resistant. So, to get rid of scratches, you may need professional help.
Say Yes to Microfibre or Microsuede Fabrics
Microfibre is essentially a synthetic fabric, which looks very similar to suede fabric. This material too is easy to care for (you just need a little soap and water) and wears wonderfully. Additionally, microfiber fabric is definitely more cost-efficient than leather fabric and is available in a wide variety of colours. Since the microfiber fabric does not have any loops, it too is scratch-resistant. Moreover, your pet hairs will virtually go unnoticed in this fabric, making it a favourable choice for pet owners.
Pro tip: The best part of using microfiber fabric is that if you brush it one way, you’ll get a lighter hue of the fabric and if you brush it in the opposite direction, you’ll get a darker hue–making it ideal for stains and spots.
Say No to Fabrics with a Loose Weave or Loose Strands
Always opt for fabrics that are woven tight such as canvas, denim, and man-made microfiber. If they have a complicated and loose texture such as the one shown in the image above, chances are they’ll wear out more easily as your furry friends sit or jump on them all day long. Plus, open weave fabrics are like a magnet for trapping pet hair and all sorts of dirt. All in all, you should avoid fabrics such as tweed, corduroy, etc. at all costs.
Say No to Silk and Velvety Fabrics
While silk and velvet couches offer a luxe look to your living room, they’re a strict no-no for your furry pets. First off, they require extremely high levels of maintenance. Secondly, velvet too attracts pet hair, making it a pain to clean from the inside out. The same goes for silk. Avoid both these fabrics for your sofa upholstery as they are expensive to buy and maintain.
Say No to Suede Fabrics
Suede sofas add an effortlessly sleek look to your living room but can be extremely difficult to maintain. For example, getting rid of water spots on suede couches is not an easy ask. If you do want to go for this fabric, then make sure to get sofa covers made so that the fabric stays protected from all kinds of wear and tear.
General Recommendations
- Do not go for light-coloured fabrics for obvious reasons. Instead, choose dark-coloured fabrics such as charcoal grey, brown, or even camel.
- Go for a patterned fabric as opposed to a solid colour so that stains and pet hairs are naturally less visible.
- You can also buy a comfortable cotton throw which covers the entire sofa. This strategy is really helpful for people whose pets are in the puppy stage. You can get rid of the throw once the puppy has matured and is relatively more well-trained.
- Enquire about stain-resistant fabrics from the store personnel.
- Avoid coarse and lumpy fabrics if you have cats as they love to scratch against these kinds of fabrics.
- As a thumb rule, steer clear of gentler, more fragile fabrics such as wool, linen, silk and so on.
- Train your pets to demonstrate good behaviour such as not jumping on the couch or scratching it.
When it comes to maintaining your upholstery, especially if you have pets running up and down the sofa all throughout the day, it makes sense to go for the right fabric–one that can provide you with extra durability, sturdiness, and strength. Claw marks, dirt, and stains are an everyday occurrence with pets. So, make the upholstery fabric choice wisely. For more practical ideas, head over to HomeLane’s rich repository of blogs and find wide-ranging topics on home care to choose from.
