Raising a family and keeping a beautiful home is no easy feat. There are days when your furniture will be jumped upon, launched from, hidden behind, pushed, shoved, and rearranged into pirate ships and fairy castles. Your children and their pets will make glorious memories playing on your couches despite your best efforts to keep everything clean. Eventually, we all accept the chaos and clutter as a part of family life.
However, that doesn’t mean abandoning order forever. Investing in kid- and pet-proof furniture can help you restore messy rooms to their pre-playtime glory without much effort. Kid-proof and pet-proof furniture is rugged. It’s sturdy, durable, and can withstand a constant onslaught of crumbs, crayons, juice spills, paw prints, and pet hair. Here’s how to find the most family-friendly furniture for your home.
Choose Durable Furniture Materials
The first rule of furniture for pet owners and parents is easy cleaning. The second is to choose materials and fabrics that can handle rough use without slipping, sliding, scratching, pilling, or downright disintegrating.
Fabrics for Kid-Friendly and Pet-Friendly Couches and Chairs
What makes a sofa pet-proof and kid-proof? Fabric with a smooth surface and tight weave. This type of upholstery has little to no spaces between the individual fibers, so it won’t trap dirt and hair as quickly. Pet-friendly furniture fabric examples include microfiber, denim, canvas, twill, nylon, or acrylic. Synthetic fabric is typically the best couch fabric for dogs because it is more durable and easier to clean, with the exception of leather.
Genuine leather makes for an exceptionally pet-proof and kid-proof couch. Its smooth surface is easy to wipe clean and ages well even with rough use. However, you should avoid soft, texture-treated leathers – these are not as durable and are prone to scratches and tears (especially if you have cats).
Couches treated with Crypton or Scotchgard are a safe alternative to kid-friendly fabric. These products provide a protective outer layer that makes your sofa more resistant to spills, stains, and odors, making it a more dog-proof couch.
Durable Table and TV Stand Materials
When it comes to hard surfaces, the most durable materials for kid- and pet-friendly living room furniture are metal, rigid plastics, and wood laminates. These materials are largely scratch resistant and easy to wipe clean. If you’re looking for a slightly more expensive kid-proof dining table with a high-end look, opt for solid hardwoods like walnut, maple, or oak. These strong, dense woods are difficult to scratch and can withstand rough use.
While glass may be easy to clean, most parents and pet parents avoid it for safety reasons. A dog-proof coffee table should be heavy and sturdy, especially when your pet gets the zoomies.
Stain-Resistant Rug Materials
You may want to pair your kid-friendly couches with a cozy area rug to keep their feet warm and provide a soft landing zone. Unfortunately, it will also be a magnet for sticky spills and dirty paws. The most durable fabrics for family-friendly rugs are cotton, acrylic, and wool because they are relatively easy to clean. Another tip is to look for short or medium pile rugs. Long, shaggy carpets can trap dirt and debris, making cleaning nearly impossible.
You’ll want to avoid silk rugs (these stain incredibly easily) and jute or sisal mats (the large holes and rough texture tend to trap dirt). Finally, opt for a busy pattern that can hide the inevitable stains that come with keeping pets.
Consider Child-Friendly Furniture Designs
Material choice is only one element of choosing kid-friendly furniture – design and construction are equally important. Pieces joined with cheap or flimsy fasteners may break and cause safety concerns for your family. Instead, look for furniture that passes a basic strength test in the store. Something that feels wobbly or unstable likely won’t last in a household of active toddlers and playful pups.
You may also want to look for child or pet furniture with rounded edges instead of sharp ones, soft surfaces where practical, and darker upholstery colors. The best couch color for pets is dark brown, which hides dirty paw prints well. However, lighter colors may be preferable for white or gray cats and dogs. Always match the sofa color to your pet’s fur to avoid a constant battle with pet hair.
Choose a Dedicated Doggie Couch
Sometimes, the best couch for dog owners is one they don’t share with their pets. For example, the Home Zone dog couch is a pet-friendly sofa with a removable fabric cover for easy cleaning. It’s a low couch easy for your dog to climb onto without straining its back – an easy upgrade from the humble dog bed. A separate dog sofa in your living room keeps your main couch clean without excluding your pets from family movie nights.
Cleaning and Maintenance Tips for Family-Friendly Furniture
Buying kid-friendly furniture for your living room is not a silver bullet for keeping mess at bay. When you have children or pets, you’ll still have to regularly clean your couches, dining tables, and chairs. We recommend doing a professional deep clean with regular at-home cleaning sessions at least once a year.
- Use warm water and upholstery cleaner to spot-clean spills and marks.
- Always clean the mess immediately (don’t let it dry) to prevent stains.
- Always use a clean cloth so dirt doesn’t spread.
- Dab at spills rather than wipe them.
- Vacuum once a week to remove dust, crumbs, and debris.
- Always vacuum before wet cleaning, which can create mud on your rugs and upholstery.
Finally, the best cleaning tip for families is to be proactive. For example, getting your kids to take off their shoes and wash their hands before sitting on the couch can help minimize the spread of dirt and prolong your furniture’s lifespan.
Shop Pet-Proof and Kid-Proof Living Room Furniture at Home Zone
Home Zone is all about family; we love helping parents and pet owners find durable, stylish home furniture. Shop our range of high-quality, kid-friendly and dog-friendly couches, ottomans, dining room sets, and TV consoles online or visit one of our Texas furniture stores for friendly, in-person service.
