The Best Upholstery for Dogs
If your dog is your best friend, you likely allow him to play with you inside and cuddle with him on the couch. And even though your doggo might be the cutest guy out there, they all come with messes. Whether that be tracking muddy paws onto the furniture or leaving behind a furry mess, it all comes with the package. Because we know that you want to spend more time playing and cuddling on the couch with your pup rather than cleaning up, here are some pet-friendly upholstery tips to consider.
What is the Best Upholstery for Dogs?
The best couch fabric for dogs is going to be those fabrics that are resistant to scratching, dirt, and stains. Of course, you will also want something that isn't a fur magnet. When buying furniture or reupholstering, there is a range of fabrics to consider, but here are three that score particularly well with pets.
Leather
In addition to the good looks of this quality material, leather is an upholstery fabric that gets comfier as it ages and is very very durable. Without the fibers found in many other cloth coverings, leather is particularly resistant to pet hair. Because pet fur won't hold onto the surface of this fabric, leather is a great hypoallergenic choice of furniture. Cleaning up after your furry pet with leather furniture can be as easy as running a vacuum over the surface. The only downside to this fantastic choice of fabric is that it is not scratch resistant - although some would argue that scratching on leather can actually be a bonus because it enhances the overall aesthetic of a piece of furniture.
Stain resistance: depends entirely on the color and quality of the leather. Darker higher quality leather will always have a higher resistance to stains.
Scratch resistance: 3/5
Cleanability 5/5
Microfiber
Furniture made with Microfiber makes for the best couch for dogs - that is runner up to leather of course. The fibers in this fabric are so tightly woven together that it creates a semi stain-resistant surface. When something spills on this fabric, the tightly knit fibers will give you more time to wipe up a spill before it sinks in and sets into your couch. Microfiber furniture also makes for potentially hypoallergenic surfaces. Scratching is also not a problem with microfiber because of its loopless surface. Clean up for this dog-friendly couch will be as simple as using a soft vacuum brush or a lint roller to run over its surface.
Stain resistance: 4/5
Scratch resistance: 5/5
Cleanability: 5/5
Velvet
As surprising as it may be, this luxurious couch fabric is surprisingly resilient. Its tight weave and short pile make it relatively easy to clean and very resistant to scratching. And a simple protective coating will increase its resistance to stains.
Stain resistance: 4/5 (with a protective coating)
Scratch resistance: 5/5
Cleanability: 3/5
Other Pet-Friendly Furniture Tips
Get furniture that has removable cushions. Removable cushions are lifesavers for two different reasons. First, they will help extend the life of your furniture through the ability to rotate the cushions. This is great for those who like to snuggle up in the same spot causing wear to happen faster in one place. Simply rotate the cushions to even out the wear. Second, removable cushions make cleaning up pet hair that falls between the cracks much easier.
Apply a protective coating to your furniture. Having a dog running around your home every day, applying a protective coating on your furniture once a year will keep it looking its best. Before you have that protective coating applied, make sure to have your upholstery cleaned by Zerorez®! Otherwise, dirt particles and stains might get sealed into your furniture rather than be kept out!
