Finding Pet Friendly Fabrics for Your Home

For those of us with pets, our home can sometimes feel like a battleground. We love our pets; however, keeping our upholstery and fabrics clean can sometimes feel like a constant struggle, even if you do not allow them on the sofa and chairs. Having pets means a lot more wear and tear on our furniture as well. We have some tips to help win that battle with your pets and still maintain a beautiful home.

1. The Best Options for Pet-Friendly Fabrics
The easiest ways to protect your furniture from the stains and scratches that your pet can cause is to find durable leather or a washable slipcover. With leather, you can have a fabric that actually looks better with age. Leather is one of those great fabrics that it is easily wiped clean. The one drawback to leather in a pet-friendly environment is that it can scratch easily. That being the case you want to make sure your pet has their nails and claws trimmed.

Pet-friendly fabrics that many owners use on their furniture are slipcovers. A simple tailored slipcover in either denim is an easy and inexpensive way to make old furnishing look new again. The advantage to having slipcovers is that you can remove them and have them washed when they get dirty or stained. If you decide to make your own slipcovers, be sure to wash the fabric first so that it is preshrink and will fit correctly.

2. Fabric Treatments for Your Pet-Friendly Home
Using the proper upholstery and fabric treatments in a pet-friendly home can extend the life of your furniture. Consider using any of these three methods to treat your fabrics. For a nontoxic and environmentally friendly fabric treatment, try using Coitgard. It's protective coating will help to repel spills, and it great on carpets and area rugs. Another great fabric treatment for pet-friendly homes is Customgard. This fabric treatment seals in a transparent antimicrobial solution that protects your pet-friendly furniture. Lastly, there is Scotchgard from 3M, the most common of the fabric treatments on the market.

3. Pet-Friendly Homes Need High Performance Fabrics
In a pet-friendly home, you need to be particular about the fabrics you use. For both indoor and outdoor uses for fabrics, look for those that use synthetic materials and that have been specially created with technologies that can resist stains and fading.