Nowadays, pets are members of the family. We receive unconditional love and emotional support from them. It doesn’t matter if you’ve owned a pet for a long time or you’re just starting out as a pet parent; sharing furniture is part of our daily lives. Even though they don’t intend to damage your belongings, they may cause damage to your furniture. Fortunately, this situation can be prevented by using the best pet furniture protectors. Here are the ways to protect your couch and other furniture from pets.
Why You Should Protect Your Furniture From Pets?
An investment in hardwood or leather furniture is a good one. Therefore, it is important that you devote time and effort in protecting those items, especially if you have pets. Your furniture can last for years if you take the right care of it. Your belongings can be damaged by the following situations if they aren’t protected:
- Impacted comfortability
- Stains
- Reduced quality and worth of the furniture
- High costs linked to constant repairs and restoration
- Longer cleaning routines
- Shortened furniture lifespans
- More foul odors
- Unattractive appearances
Due to continued daily use, furniture gets worn out over time. So, it shouldn’t be surprising to see some stains and rips. Your pets will accelerate this process. Below are some ways that can cause damage to your furniture.
Scratching The Surfaces
If you have a new puppy or kitten in the family, it is quite common to have scratches on your furniture. Because training your pet takes time.
Chewing On Hardwood Tables
All dogs exhibit this behavior at some point in their lives. Dogs benefit from chewing on objects because it relieves stress and keeps their jaws strong, among other things. The bite marks on our sofa can cause the couch to wear out faster, such as the holes getting bigger in a short period of time. If a dog chews on a sofa, it will always return to chew on it more.
Accidental Furniture Stains
Accidents can cause stains on the couches, chairs, and other furniture in your home. It’s essential to prepare your furniture for the arrival of a new pet because puppies and kittens can get messy while they’re learning the ropes.
Muddy Paw Marks Of Pets
If you own a garden where your dog loves to run and play, it is likely that you are familiar with dirty paw prints. A carpet or fabric couch that has dirt, mud, or debris can be labor-intensive to clean. If left unattended, it can create some unsightly stains. If you are planning to remove stains from your furniture caused by your pet, one of the best ways to do so is to dog-proof your home. This will reduce the time you have to spend cleaning and keep your furniture safe from damage.
Shedding Hair
Unless you have a hairless dog or cat breed, it is likely that you are constantly cleaning up hair as part of your daily routine. Dogs and cats shed their dead hair constantly. A lot of that hair ends up sticking to our furniture and even our clothes. There are breeds that shed all year round and some that shed only once or twice a year, but shedding can’t be avoided in either case.
Licking Furniture
Although licking is a natural habit for both dogs and cats, it leaves bacteria on our furniture, causing stains and odors. In general, licking can mean your pet has anxiety or is bored, so it’s best to consult a veterinarian if your pets are excessively licking. Make sure your pets are active by exercising or stimulating them in other ways.
This behavior can be attributed to a variety of reasons, so it’s crucial to analyze your pet’s behavior. Reasons may include:
- Exercising insufficiently
- Lack of stimulation of the mind
- Stress or Anxiety
- Teething
Pet-friendly solutions such as increased activity, regular training, and chew toys, as well as preventative measures to protect your furniture from pets, can help minimize damage and extend furniture life. Also, it’s wise to choose furniture that’s especially durable for the rooms where your pets spend most of their time. A dog bed made from quality materials will be more resistant to damage, for example.
How To Protect Your Furniture From Dogs?
Getting cozy with your dog on the couch is the best feeling in the world. But with that comes hair, drool, dirt, unpleasant odors, scratches, and chew marks.
We are now going to present some of the best ways to protect your couch from a dog.
Provide A Comfortable Bed For Your Dog: Various materials can be used to make dog beds comfortable, including faux suede, flannel, and fleece. With this cozy spot made especially for your dog, he will never want to leave. There are many styles of dog beds to suit your furniture taste, and some even have a dog retreat.
Brush And Wash Your Dog: It’s important to wash your dog with a dog-friendly, antibacterial shampoo just as you brush it. Your dog’s fur will look healthier and odor-free if you regularly wash it. In addition, the act of brushing and washing not only removes dead hair, but also keeps debris off furniture.
Set Up A Mudroom: You should dedicate an area of your mudroom to your dog, especially if you love the outdoors and your dog enjoys swimming. The mudroom can be simple or elaborate, and it can include features like dog showers or built-in cabinets, depending on your lifestyle. Alternatively, you can keep towels in them to dry your dog’s paws.
Install A Dog Gate Or Door: Clean-up and installation become easy with these additions. It’s helpful to use dog gates to section off certain areas of your home and block furniture pieces, especially if you’ve just purchased a solid wood dining table or leather couch and don’t want them chewed up. To keep your house clean, using dog doors is the best. These dog doors help prevent dirty paws from spreading all over your house.
How To Protect Your Furniture From Cats?
If you own a good-quality piece of furniture, this isn’t a good combination since cats have incredibly sharp claws, and they love to scratch at it as well. Cats can reach more surfaces, and they have more opportunities for scratching, poking, and ripping than dogs. Luckily, we have some tips on how to cat-proof your tables, chairs, cabinets, bookcases, and even walls.
Buy Your Cat Scratching Posts or Pads: You should place these objects near pieces of furniture you want your cats to stay away from. This will encourage them to use the posts or pads instead. It is even possible for you to build your own uprights or horizontal posts. You can also try to train your cats by simply placing them near their post or pad or by simply giving them a catnip. This technique reinforces good behavior and keeps them from destroying your furniture.
Keep Your Cat’s Claws Trimmed: The benefits of nail trimming extend to you, your family, and your cat as well. It is a fast and effective way to cat-proof furniture. Keeping their nails trimmed once or twice a month will prevent scratches on furniture, although cats’ temperaments vary. Getting their nails cut professionally might be the best option since trimming their nails can be challenging.
Use Repellent Sprays: Repellent sprays for cats can also be very effective, just like they are for dogs. Citrus-based essential oils and apple cider vinegar are unappealing to cats. It only needs to be mixed with water and sprayed on surfaces. Instead of looking for ways to protect your leather or solid wood furniture from pets, you can put such sprays on your furniture.
Closing Words
Through the best pet furniture protectors, you can ensure that your wood furniture pieces, sofas, and even your wood floors are protected. To keep your furniture safe, your pet does not need to sacrifice the freedom to roam around your home and spend time with you there.
