Obviously speaking, it’s always better to think about how durable you need your sofa to be before you purchase it. However, if you couldn’t resist that doggy in the window, right after buying your dream sofa, don’t panic; there are still ways to puppy proof your home!
Depending on your dog’s breed, or even its personality, your home life may already be a never-ending circle of sweeping up dog hair, or the remnants of your favourite pair shoes that have since become a chew toy. But, with sofas these days often costing thousands of pounds, it’s much easier (not to mention cheaper) to start getting into a few good habits that will keep years off your furniture. The guys at James and Rose have come up with a few pointers to get you on your way
Furniture covers
Now, most of you might shudder at the thought, but were in 2017 and not all sofa covers look like your grandma’s pastel coloured floral throw overs from the 50’s. Sofa coverings are a low cost and low maintenance option for keeping your seating protected and with thousands of options to choose from, there is something out there guaranteed to suit your style. If your living room decor simply won’t stretch to a complete sofa cover, you can also protect it using blankets or throws. Placing these over your sofa in the places your pooch likes to cuddle up most will protect your cushions from collecting dirt, hair doggy dribble and not to mention scratch marks, teeth marks and tears. If you are one for crafts and upholstery, create cushion covers out of your throws to bring your sofa back to life!
Rotate your cushions
Now this isn’t necessarily a tip on protecting your sofa, but if you dog has a particular spot on the sofa that they enjoy the most, rotating your cushions means that they won’t wear them out as quickly, because you are evenly distributing the load. So, any wearing or discolouration won’t be quite as obvious.
Keep your dog well groomed
Even though leather sofas are the most durable when it comes to pets, tidy nails can really go a long way in keeping your sofa free from scratches. Trimming your pet’s nails regularly will stop them from being able to dig their claws in and leaving a trail of destruction wherever they go. If you have a fabric sofa, you will know all too well how quickly smells can get embedded! So, make sure that you wash your pup regularly to stop any dirt and grime getting rubbed into the material and leave a stale smell behind – No one wants the smell of wet dog lingering around on a Sunday night in front of the television.
Removable Covers
If you have a pet, or even a young child, then investing into a sofa with removable covers will be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made for your home! Mess can often be unavoidable, so removable covers mean that you can pop them in the washing machine, or over to the dry cleaners, and have your sofa looking, not to mention smelling, as good as new within a couple of hours.
XOXO
Debbie
This is a collaborative post
