The Best Type of Sofa Fabric for Pet Hair

Leather

• Leather fabric offers durability and longevity, as well as adding beauty to your living room. Leather is a good choice for pet owners because its tightly woven natural materials make it practically tear and puncture resistant. Pet owners with long-haired animals don’t have to worry about fur collecting on the sofa. Kathleen Squires, in her book Real Simple Cleaning, says that vacuuming the sofa on a low setting cleans the sofa, and a damp microfiber cloth removes stains and dirt. The one problem that pet owners may have with leather is punctures caused by jumping cats and dogs.

Microsuede

• Microsuede, a man-made fabric, consists of 100 percent polyester fibers designed to look and feel like suede. The material is pet friendly because it resists urine stains and hair doesn’t stick to it. It is easy to clean, as well as less expensive than real suede. Softly vacuum the sofa the sofa for routine cleaning and remove hairs or stains with a damp cloth. If the sofa has cushions, remove the microsuede coverings, machine wash in cold water and air dry. Microsuede, with its tightly woven threads, discourages cats from sharpening their claws on the sofa.

Patterns and Colors

• Patterned and colored fabrics hide dirt, stains and pet hair better than sofas covered with solid colors. Pet owners should pick colors close to a dog or cat’s coat to minimize visibility. According to Kimberley Seldon, writing for the HomeEnvy website, no matter what kind of fabric is used on the sofa, mid-tone colors make stains less noticeable. Vacuuming on a low setting removes dog and cat hair, and Scotch Guard makes it easier to clean urine or dirt. If pet owners do not want to purchase patterned sofas, slip covers are inexpensive solutions. Cotton slip covers are machine washable.

Crpyton

• Crypton fabric, engineered in the 1990s, has a nonporous surface and is used in cruise ships, hotels and health-care facilities because of its durability. Dog beds, too, come in Crypton fabric. It is stain and odor resistant, and it repels moisture, mildew and bacteria. According to the Crypton website, it comes in more than 20,000 patterns. Slobproof furniture company makes sofas, sectionals and chairs constructed using Crypton. To clean small stains, all pet owners need is a damp cloth. Larger stains may require cleaning with an enzyme laundry detergent. The Crypton website says to mix five parts water with one part detergent, using a soft brush to clean a stain. Let it sit for a minute and blot it with a white towel.