Your Guide to Pet-Friendly Sofas

Pets are an integral part of the family. Cute, lovable and entertaining, they never fail to spark joy and bring a smile to our faces! But, let’s be honest, it’s not always all sunshine and rainbows and they can wreak havoc on our beautiful furniture which can be a real pain.

At Swyft, we’ve made sure our sofas are as pet friendly as possible! So, if you’re buying a new sofa or want to try and preserve your current sofa from your pets, we’ve put together this complete guide to help. From choosing the best pet-friendly material and how to dog-proof your sofa to which fabric is best and why a Swyft sofa is a great pet-friendly sofa option. We’ve got it all covered here.

What to Consider when Buying Pet-Friendly Furniture

When buying furniture it’s always wise to keep your pets in mind and choose pieces that are durable and can withstand their fur and claws. By making smart choices and planning your furniture purchases, you can easily avoid any issues in the future, allowing you, your pet and your sofa to live in harmony. Some things to consider when buying pet-friendly furniture include:

• Choose the right fabric - you’ll want to opt for a durable fabric that won’t attract pet hair and transfer it to your clothes or damage easily
• Choose a sturdy design - if you have a large dog or multiple pets you’ll need to make sure your sofa is solid and sturdy to accommodate lively pets playing or jumping on it.
• Match your sofa to your pet - buying a sofa in a similar colour to your pet means you won’t be obsessing over every piece of fur shed as you won’t notice it as often.
• Patterned sofa - choosing a patterned sofa can help to camouflage any pet hairs, stains or even scratches and damages.

Why our Sofas are Pet-Friendly

Swyft sofas are durable, practical, convenient, comfortable and suitable for pets! As our mission is to make your lives easier, we studied the best materials on the market to use for our sofas and came to the conclusion that FibreGuard fabrics were the way forward. Using industry-leading, stain-free technology, each one of the threads in our fabric is stain resistant. Meaning no matter what your pets throw at it, you can guarantee all dirt and stains will lift easily, making your sofa look brand new again in no time.

The frames of our sofas are made out of solid hard wood and the fastenings between the arms, back and base are made of aluminium and steel and have passed the highest standards when it comes to usage tests. Basically, even elephants couldn’t break our Swyft-lok fasteners, so a few energetic dogs won’t do any damage!

Our sofa cushions are also made from a dual-layered foam and polyester fibre, making them extra durable while still looking and feeling soft and full. We believe in the quality of our sofas so strongly that we offer a 15 year frame warranty and a 2 year fabric guarantee so if anything does go wrong you can count on us to make it right.

What is the Best Material for Pet-Friendly Sofas?

Choosing the right material for a sofa that needs to be pet-friendly can be a tricky and even daunting task. But, there are many suitable options out there.

Synthetic Microfibre

Synthetic microfiber materials, much like our Linen sofas, are a dream sofa material for pets! Able to stand up to everyday wear and test, synthetic materials don’t rip or scratch easily. Pet hair can be easily removed with a lint brush, a dry microfiber cloth or even just your hands. And, most stains, dirt or any other spillages can be easily cleaned with water and a mild soap.

Velvet

It might surprise you to see velvet on the list, but it’s actually a very durable fabric. As velvet is very tightly woven, it’s practically scratch-proof as they have no loose threads or raised weaves for either cats or dogs to get their claws into and rip. While velvet does attract pet hair, it’s a very easy-to-clean material and simply needs to be hoovered once a week to get rid of any unwanted fluff. Both stylish and practical velvet sofas can stand the test of time and are a great option for pets.

Leather

The obvious and most common choice for any pet owner is a leather sofa. While often pricier than fabric sofas, leather is able to stand the test of time. They’re incredibly easy to clean and won’t retain any pet hairs - even spillages can be wiped away in no time. Leather can also handle minor damage but you’ll need to be careful and ensure cats don’t puncture the sofa. Generally, leather is a fabric that gets better with age, so a few scratches here and there or darkened patches will only add character!

Outdoor Fabrics

Using outdoor fabrics for your indoor furniture may not appeal at first, but, when you think about it, it’s the ideal choice for pet owners. Typically outdoor fabrics are mould and mildew resistant, can stand up to the harshest of elements, are stain and odour resistant and can repel moisture. So, you can be confident that this type of fabric can handle your mischievous pets!

Should you Allow Dogs on the Sofa?

While this is down to personal preference, many people decide against allowing their dogs on the sofa for a number of reasons. Firstly, pieces of furniture like sofas and beds are an investment, so of course, you want them to stay looking nice for as long as possible. Dogs can be messy animals and the last thing you want is them coming back from a muddy walk and immediately jumping up on the sofa! Secondly, giving your dog access to the sofa can result in some territorial issues later down the line and they could end up hogging the whole sofa. It may also lead them to believe that they are equal or even superior to their humans and any other pets you have.

But, by choosing the right kind of fabric, dogs shouldn’t be able to cause masses of damage and any mud they bring in should be easy to clean right off. Dogs love to snuggle up in soft, cosy spots on the sofa and they especially love spending time with their humans in their favourite spots.

How to dog-proof your sofa

If you want to have your furry friend up on the sofa with you, there are a few things you can do to dog-proof your sofa.

• Use covers - one of the easiest ways to dog-proof your sofa is to use washable blankets, throws and even slipcovers for them to sit on instead. If your dog has a favourite spot, make sure it’s always covered with a soft, cosy blanket that’s easy to wash.
• Regularly groom your dog - bathing and brushing your dog often will massively help in reducing shedding and keeping their claws trimmed will decrease the chance of them doing damage to your furniture if they scratch it.
• Give them chew toys - if your dog has a tendency to chew on furniture, make sure there are plenty of chew toy alternatives around for them instead. While they still might opt for the furniture, to begin with, patience and consistent training are key and eventually, they’ll chew on the toys.
• Give your pets plenty of exercise - pets, especially dogs, need plenty of exercise during the day to improve their physical shape, enjoy the outdoors and speed quality time with their humans. By taking them outside and playing with them, they’re much more likely to be relaxed and calm at home - giving your sofa a reprieve.
• Buy pet furniture - finding a soft, comfortable bed for your pet could replace their favourite spot on the sofa. Filling the bed with blankets, a few of their favourite toys and even a couple of treats will entice them to use it instead of the sofa. If you want to go the extra mile, you could even get a small pet sofa just for them to use!

How to Keep Your Sofa Clean with Pets

Cleaning and maintaining your sofa regularly will go a long way in keeping it looking and smelling fresh. Here are some of our top tips for keeping your sofa clean with pets roaming around the house.

• Hoover daily or weekly depending on how much hair your pets shed.
• Wipe or spray the sofa with a specially formulated pet odour remover.
• Regularly clean your sofa cushions and any scatter pillows, either by hand or in the washing machine if possible.

For more tips and advice head over to our guide on how to clean your sofa.

Need some extra help buying a new sofa? Take a look at our fabric sofa buying guide for everything you need to know about making the right decision.