The keys to choosing pet-proof furniture

Living with a pet has great benefits: they improve empathy, reduce stress levels, and help us stay more active. But the advantages are reduced when we focus on its relationship with decoration. Keeping the house impeccable has never been more complicated than when cats and dogs also live in it. Not counting the signatures that both usually leave on the furniture in bd in the form of scratches with their claws and teeth, or as a hairy trail.

What bothers Spaniards who live with animals the most are the hairs that are distributed around the home (76%), followed by smells (36%) and mud and dirt stains (30%), as indicated a survey conducted by the online design and renovation platform Houzz.

The most suitable furniture and fabrics

In fact, the study indicates that 28% of owners have carried out some reform to adapt the environment to their pets in the last two years. 36% consisted of the redistribution of some space, 26% in making some type of improvement in the walls, and 25% in the creation of specific areas for their pets.

Another piece of information that confirms that animals leave their mark on the home. But there are fabrics and furniture that better resist its impact. Choosing materials well and seeking a balance between aesthetics and practicality are the keys to a happy coexistence.

Outdoor furniture (for interiors)

If your outdoor furniture can withstand the elements, your pets will survive too. The idea may sound crazy, but furniture designed for outdoor use is the best solution to facilitate coexistence within the home. Its fabrics integrate waterproof and stain and odor repellent properties, proof of any trace that animals want to leave on them.

Likewise, their structures are usually stronger against teeth and nails. The mood acacia, for example, applied in ship structures and is one of the most resistant to the like teak. The rattan, bamboo, and rattan are versatile and adapt both inside and outside the home.

The sofa, made of leather

Although fur is not one of the first materials to jump to the head when you think of animals, its resistance is surprising. If pets tend to get on the couch, leather (or its synthetic alternative ) is a great option because it doesn't trap hair. "It only needs to be vacuumed and use a commercial cleaner to keep it flexible," they recommend from the specialized portal The Spruce.

However, if pets tend to scratch the fabrics, it is better to avoid them, as they can leave visible scratches, and even small holes.

Microfiber resists everything

Another option is to choose microfiber sofas. Its advantages include that it does not break, or scratch, and it is easy to get rid of the fur left by cats and dogs with a simple shake or a brush. " Synthetic fabrics work well because they can be washed at a higher temperature, an important factor in terms of disinfection and cleaning, " says Houzz member decorator David González. In addition, this type of fabric does not retain odors.

Color counts

The first rule to get the color gamut right is that the home palette is assimilated to that of our pet, at least in those pieces in which it can or usually fits. As it is inevitable that they shed hair wherever they go (even if they are brushed frequently), the impact that a white cat can have on a dark gray sofa is enormous compared to that it will have on a beige one.

And if what we are thinking about is stains –another classic on surfaces cohabited by animals–, the rule is that very dark or very light colors should be avoided. "The ranges of toasted a little raised in tone, without reaching brown, are more and more frequent because they combine easily (also with the color of the animals) and are suffered by stains", comments González.

No silk, wool fabrics, or velvet

In order not to get upset, there are fibers that it is better to have as far away from pets as possible and that, therefore, it is better not to choose to decorate our home if we live with them. “ Silk stains and breaks easily is difficult to clean and does not resist moisture well; it is also expensive ”, exemplified from The Spruce. They seem more than enough reasons to keep upholstery with this fabric out of the reach of pets.

The tweed (wool fabric English) is not suitable for our furry companions. "Although it resists washing well, removing hair is a nightmare, because it is trapped in the uneven surface," add the experts consulted.

Textured materials and prints hide traces of dirt and hair

Velvet doesn't work either. Although it does not have the problem of hair being trapped, any stain can cause irreversible damage to its fibers since they are easily deformed when trying to clean them, leaving a mark.

On the other hand, the denser the fabrics, the better their performance with pets. “Claws are less likely to cause damage to them. In addition, the hair is easier to remove in a thick fabric than in a fabric with a looser weave ”, they assure from The Spruce. On the other hand, those textured or patterned materials hide any traces of dirt or hair shed by pets, a feature that is very useful to keep upholstery “decent” until they can be thoroughly cleaned.