How to Choose Pet-Friendly Furniture

When you have pets—whether they are dogs, cats, or rabbits—it is important that the furniture in your home is able to stand up to the challenges of pets. True pet-friendly furniture should be able to withstand accidents, scratching, digging, chewing, and of course, pet hair and dander.

Finding the perfect furniture that is pet friendly can be a challenge, but we’ve compiled some questions to help you find the perfect piece for your home and family.

Is your furniture made of durable and sturdy material?

If your dog is a heavy chewer, make sure the legs of your chairs and your sofa are made of stainless steel instead of wood. For a lot of pets, wood legs scream “chew me!” Legs made from steel will not invite as much chewing; and are also tougher. Be on the lookout for material that is scratch resistant, because dogs love to dig and cats love to scratch. It is best to find a material that has a tight weave. Material ideas for this include olefin and heavy denim.

Another way to keep your furniture protected is to make sure that you keep your pet’s nails trimmed short and give your cats plenty of scratching boards or furniture to get their scratching energy out.

Is your pet-friendly furniture easy to clean?

Upholstered furniture should have removable covers. When picking the fabric for your upholstery, there are a few things that you should consider. Think about the color of your pet’s hair and determine how the fur will show up in contrast to the upholstery color.

Additionally, think about how hard it will be to remove pet hair from the upholstery – will it end up getting stuck in patterns or the weave of fabric? A plus of adding removable upholstery is that it should be easy to clean. Consider how it will show pet stains and how easy it will be to spot clean it.

When looking for a pet friendly upholstery, microfiber is a great choice, because hair can be removed with a lint roller and pet scratches will likely not be seen. This fabric is also soft to the touch and comfortable for you. Other great options for upholstery fabric include leather, wool, nylon, and polyester.

Try to avoid wall-to-wall carpeting if possible; and opt instead for washable area rugs. You should look for a rug that is durable and machine washable for the easiest clean up possible. Washing rugs will also help reduce pet odor drastically. Consider getting a rug with a low pile, which will reduce the urge for digging or scratching and will also attract less pet hair.

Is the furniture fabric easy to care for and able to repel hair?

When making the selection of what fabric will be on your furniture, try to avoid delicate fabric like silk or velvet. Also, it is best to avoid textured fabric, because pet hair can get stuck between the fibers. Instead, look for a fabric that is tightly woven. Consider getting a slipcover for your furniture. Slipcovers can be easily removed for washing and are durable, stain resistant, and pet hair can be brushed right off.