If you don’t let your dogs and cats on sofas, you are not a pet-lover; you are a pet-keeper. However, if you let them sit on your couch, you have to pay the cost. It becomes challenging to keep your sofa safe from shedding fur, mud, dander, and odours. Also, pets’ sharp claws can develop scratches and even puncture the sofa fabric. Therefore, getting a reliable and easy-to-clean couch is the dream of every pet-lover.
No fabric is pet-proof in reality, but some work better against pets. Pet-proof fabrics develop scratches slower than other fabrics, don’t get stains quickly, and are relatively easy to clean. Knowing the prices of professional cleaning and upholstery repair, you need to invest in the best quality pet-proof material for your sofa or couch. We have researched to figure out some best sofa materials for pets. Here is a guide answering your question:
What Sofa Material Is Best For Pets?
Microfiber
Microfiber is the most preferred sofa material by pet owners. The fabric features various traits that help it withstand the pet’s rough behaviour and flea dirt, hair, and dander. What makes the microfiber best for cats and dogs is its loop-free structure. The sharp claws of pets and dogs don’t catch at the surface, keeping the sofa safe from scratches, cuts, and punctures.
Also, we recommend the micro-suede material to people having long-haired breeds as their pets. Microsuede is the least attractive microfiber for pet hair. Although microfiber is lop-free, pet hair stays on the weaves of microfibers. But the good news is that, unlike traditional fabrics, microfiber lets you easily remove the hair from the surface.
You can swipe all the hair from microfiber with the help of a lint brush. Also, you can use a roller brush or vacuum to collect the hair from a micro-suede or microfiber. Microfiber looks like suede and doesn’t catch and absorbs stains quickly. However, if a stain happens, you can easily clean it. More than 90 per cent of stains can be removed from the microfiber by applying mild soap and water with a towel.
Canvas
Canvas is the best option if you have messy pets at home that love to cuddle up on sofas. Canvas fabric is generally used to make sofa slipcovers. It is an affordable option that lets you keep your furniture safe and clean. Canvas fabrics feature a tight weave with 100% cotton contents, making it a great choice for pet owners. Unlike loosely woven fabrics like linen, this cotton fabric doesn’t trap the hair in between the loops.
You can vacuum clean the canvas surfaces or can simply use a lint brush to collect the hair. Also, it doesn’t absorb stains and odours very quickly. Stains stay at the surface for a very long-time. However, it is not a waterproof fabric, so you should immediately take action if the pets create any mess. For light stains and mud, you can use mild soap and warm water to clean the canvas sofa.
As canvas fabric is widely used as a sofa’s slipcover, you can simply machine wash them after a few days. The canvas covers are rugged and strong and don’t get torn and scratched easily. However, dogs with edgy claws can damage the canvas fabric quickly. Therefore it is a good idea to keep the dog’s nails trimmed.
Denim
Denim fabric with a tight weave structure is another great choice for pet owners. Denim is an informal upholstery option and is the best material for sofas in entertainment rooms, comfy living rooms where pets spend most of their time. Made from 100% cotton, the denim is one of the most long-lasting and durable upholstery fabrics.
The traits that make the denim ideal for pet owners are its tight-weave structure, ability to withstand the sharp claws of pets and resistance to stains. Being tightly woven, the denim doesn’t get scratches and punctures from the sharp claws of cats and dogs. Also, it is sturdy and rugged, and most of the scratches go unnoticed.
Also, you can vacuum the denim sofas to collect hair, flea dirt, and leaves. The denim fabric is sturdy enough to bear the force of vacuum without getting damaged. The denim material does not absorb stain quickly and is therefore pretty easy to keep clean. However, you can use a mixture of water and mild soap or baking soda to quickly get rid of the stains.
Leather
Leather is another famous upholstery fabric that is also a good choice for the pet-lovers. Leather is equally useful for formal and informal furniture, as it gives a fancier look and offers unmatched comfort. The feature that makes the leather ideal for daily use furniture is its durability. It can withstand the pet’s daily abuse and offers the best value for money.
If you have long-haired pets, leather is the best option. The hair and shedding fur don’t get trapped or stuck on the leather. You can vacuum clean the leather sofas to collect the pet hair. Additionally, leather is highly resistant to stains and dirt and hassle-free to clean. You can use a damp cloth to remove the dirt and stain from the leather.
Also, it is recommended to use professional furniture cleaners or mid-sop to keep the surface free of germs and allergens. The demerits of using leather sofas with pets are that leather easily welcomes scratches. Cats and dogs with sharp claws can scratch or even puncture the leather sofas easily. Therefore it is recommended to keep the pet nails trimmed or use a slipcover if you own a leather sofa.
Plus, it is available in a wide range of prices and colours and lets you select the products in line with your budget and needs. For instance, faux leather or plastic leather is an affordable option for casual use. It is not as durable as real leather but works great against pets’ daily abuse.
Outdoor Fabric/ Performance Fabric
Outdoor fabrics are nowadays widely used as indoor furniture upholstery. Also known as performance fabric, outdoor fabrics are available in different colours, patterns, and varieties and fit in almost every interior and design. The outdoor fabrics are strong and sturdy, with rugged surfaces giving the best performance against the daily mess and abuse your pets dish out. Also, they are very soft to touch and do not compromise your comfort in any way.
What makes the outdoor fabrics best for use with pets is their ability to repel moisture. These fabrics are made with polyester and acrylic, so they don’t absorb the liquids and odours quickly. Additionally, the cleaning process of performance fabric is pretty straightforward. You can wipe out stains using mild soap and water. Bleach is another option to remove stubborn stains.
Having a tightly woven and loop-free surface, the performance fabric doesn’t attract hair and fur. You can collect the pet hair using a brush or vacuum. Also, you can whip off the fabric with your hand to get rid of pet hair. Polyester fabric is also more resistant to punctures and scratches than leather and denim.
The tiny scratches on its rugged surface go unnoticed. Therefore you can use the performance fabric as a slipcover for your denim or leather sofa. Also, performance upholstery furniture is less expensive than microfiber and leather and offers great value for the money.
You can also learn about easy ways to take apart a sleeper sofa for moving here!
Things To Consider While Buying Pet-Friendly Fabric
- Always buy a loop-free and tight-weave fabric. Such fabrics don’t trap hair and fur and are also resistant to scratches and punctures.
- Good upholstery fabric also offers ease of cleaning. Getting dirt and stains on sofas is inevitable when you have pets in your home. Good upholstery material can be vacuumed or cleaned with water and a mild soap without getting damaged.
- Sofa material for pets should be odor resistant. Fabrics like linen and tweed quickly absorb odors and therefore are bad choices for pet owners. Outdoor fabrics are treated for moisture and odor resistance.
You can also learn about how to place a rug under a sectional sofa here!
