Best sofa material?

14816 Views 15 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Sinatra-Butters, May 23, 2012

Jennn

Discussion Starter · May 21, 2012

It's only been 5 years and it's time to retire the microfiber sofa. I have one old cat with issues urinating in places he shouldn't, including the sofa. I have another, that despite years of effort changing food again and again because of his extensive allergies, he continues to vomit everywhere. My sofa has been through so much;most of the original pillows have been destroyed by urine, and the fabric is getting stained by all of the vomit and urine and enzyme cleaners.

My cats have all of their claws, and despite this, they don't scratch the sofa. So glad for that, but they do like to knead and dig in their claws when jumping. The microfiber held up perfectly for that, but not the rest.

I do have a cover that I keep on the sofa but its not enough. Whenever it's being cleaned it's like the cats know and that's when they do their worst. I plan to get a second cover, so I don't have to leave it uncovered while one is being washed.

All that said. What is the best fabric for my next sofa? I considered vinyl, but I'm worried about the claws. Leather seems like it would be awful to clean vomit and urine from. And microfiber doesn't seem to last long enough in these conditions (and it's an awful fur magnet too).

Suggestions?

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

Viljaana

· #2 · May 21, 2012

How about one with machine washable cover? Attleast Ikea sells them.
Make sure the are no loops on the surface of the fabric and the weaving is tight. It lasts longer under pawns.

bkitty

· #3 · May 21, 2012

Look at the tightest, thread per inch fabric you can find & afford; then invest in Scotchguard. If you have kids who insist on using dribble glasses or furkids that dribble or puke - make sure the cushions have zippers so you can wrap the seat foam under the upholstery with plastic. Then you can shampoo without destroying the seat foam or stuffing. Vinyl will poink mark & tear, leather will mark up. Microfiber and the faux suede is popular but does tend to stretch & collect furrbies. If you can find a furniture store that offers custom upholstery ask a sales person for information on the different fabrics. With shopping zeal you should be able to find a fabric that will suit your decor plus be nail resistant & stain resistant & the furniture sales are coming up. I went with the tightest weave brocade I could find & even with multiple cats, kittens & a dog or 2 it has survived for the last 12 years.Plus it even maintained being ivory. I just shampoo as needed with a little green shampooer & redo the scotchguard yearly (spraycan from Wallyworld).

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Nan

· #4 · May 21, 2012

I bought one with what I thought was a tight weave & The front of the arm sections still have little pick marks on them...but it's better than a what a looser weave would be, where they could catch their claws. I did buy the sleeve covers, and so I turned them so the long part of the cover is over the front of the couch instead of mostly on the arm & that seems to work. I also leave a doubled up throw across the couch cushions to limit the hair.

I know there are some really nice couches out there that use covers as part of the design. I think the material is canvas. It would be expensive, to get one with two covers, but you could also change the look of the room with different covers.

PB Basic Sofa - Brushed Canvas | Pottery Barn

IKEA would be a lot less expensive if there is one anywhere near you.
EKTORP Sofa - Blekinge white - IKEA

cinderflower

· #5 · May 21, 2012

rattan, wicker, wrought iron or wood with linen covered pads/cushions. futons are not expensive and you can get several covers.

and ALWAYS have two slip-covers--you never leave anything uncovered while you're washing it. don't throw away the one you have that's worse for wear, keep it for your back-up cover when you're washing the good one.

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Fran

· #6 · May 21, 2012

Just a note on leather - Gracie never touched our leather couch, even as a new kitten when we first let roam into the living room. I think it is due to the construction of the sofa, more than anything else.

The whole sofa is kind of long and low, so the sides, at the arms, are not tall enough to give her a full stretch if she did put her paws up on them. The back of the sofa is much taller, but it slopes back rather than being straight-up-and-down, plus the way it is constructed the leather in the back is just stretched across the frame and has no firm stuffing behind it. If you put your hand on it the leather moves. I imagine it would feel all wrong to a cat who wants to stretch and pull...

All of this is my wordy way of saying - there are a lot of ways to assess how furniture might appeal or not appeal to a kitty!

Fran

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MowMow

· #7 · May 21, 2012

I would not go with rattan or wicker. I think that is going to encourage destruction. My mom tried over and over to have nice wicker furniture outside and between the domestic in/out cat and the feral cats that would hang around the farmhouse it was always destroyed. They seemed to enjoy clawing and chewing on that stuff.

When I moved out I bought some (since we only had dogs initially) and sure enough my ex husbands cat went nuts chewing on it once he moved in.

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Penny135

· #8 · May 21, 2012

I was just looking at petfurniture at Petco.com. They have a cloth/tape and its clear that you put on the couch where the cat scratches. Like arms and sides. It is suppose to be un noticeable and tough enough that a cats nails wont go through it.

Hope you find some sort of solution. I know it would frustrate me.

catloverami

· #9 · May 21, 2012

I think leather is great.....no cat hair sticks to it, and it's a cinch to clean up anything spilled or thrown up. Leather is waterproof so nothing soaks in. The best material I've had for a sofa is Olefin, tough and doesn't snag, never had a cat that wanted to scratch on it....they tried it but didn't like it.

cinderflower

· #10 · May 22, 2012

MowMow said:
I would not go with rattan or wicker. I think that is going to encourage destruction. My mom tried over and over to have nice wicker furniture outside and between the domestic in/out cat and the feral cats that would hang around the farmhouse it was always destroyed. They seemed to enjoy clawing and chewing on that stuff.

When I moved out I bought some (since we only had dogs initially) and sure enough my ex husbands cat went nuts chewing on it once he moved in.

lol i knew as soon as i said that there would be at least one person with a cat who had made shrapnel of it. i have a wicker chair (granted, i don't like it all that much and it's not in a very convenient place to scratch) and my cats completely ignore it. i can't even speak of them ruining a leather sofa because i was terrified to buy one after what they did to my smaller-less-expensive-than-an-entire-sofa things.

okay, then wrought iron.

(and i dare someone to say, "my cat peed on mine and rusted it LMAO). actually, even wood can be risky, again my cats care nothing for it 90% of the time BUT i have a weird, like clothing bench? (it has racks on it, it's sort of like a coat rack only waist-high) and one cat started the gnawing years ago so i guess it's attractive to chew on one end. and when baci was a kitten, he literally opened the sink cabinet doors and swung on them with his teeth. they are completely chewed up. also a kind of plumbing pipe (at least i think that's what it is) that's over the kitchen cabinets. they only go half up to the ceiling so it's literally a cat walk up there and i don't mind a bit, except someone has been chewing on the pipe and it looks really weird.

if i could be sure my cats wouldn't scratch it, i'd love a leather sofa for all the reasons someone listed above--and my main one is that cat hair doesn't stick to it.

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razzle

· #11 · May 22, 2012

Concrete would be the best. Indestructable but kind of hard on the butt.

Kathy

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cinderflower

· #12 · May 23, 2012

lol. never underestimate a cinderblock.

Beckie210789

· #13 · May 23, 2012

A couple of years ago, the SO and I bought this sofabed/sectional from Ikea (MÅNSTAD Corner sofa-bed with storage - IKEA) As far as fur goes, yes, it gets fuzzy, but the color (we got the beige) hides it, and my Shark cordless pet vac cleans it up nicely. We've had a few pukey accidents on the sofa, and it's cleaned up nicely, just watch what cleaner you use, some can discolor a bit (still nothing noticeable) IT's held up great, no pulls from their claws when they go too long between trimmings. I would imagine, if you scotchguarded it, it would be even more stain resistant. I have a can, bought it when we got the couch, never got around to using it. (I'm very much a procrastinator)

kty78

· #14 · May 23, 2012

I haven't read all the replies, but I too have a microfiber sofa, it's beige, and we've had it for 7 years. I'd like to retire it. We're moving in a year and I'll wait til then. I hate the way anything wet that gets on it makes a spot, and if you clean it it makes a bigger spot unless you clean the whole cushion.

My style is very informal and I'm thinking a denim covered couch with removable washable covers would be nice, with my kids and the cats. Finding one might be a challenge though. Maybe I can find slip covers and just go that route. Washable is key, for me.

MowMow

· #15 · May 23, 2012

I have a microfiber and I quite like it, but then I keep it covered at all times unless company is coming over. I have an old beige colored king size blanket that covers it and the matching chair has a matching twin size blanket on it.

It's not to bad to clean if a spot does get on it. I use alcohol in a spray bottle and a nail brush. The alcohol dries quick enough not to leave a water mark and the nail brush cleans gunk off and fluffs up the nap.

Sinatra-Butters

· #16 · May 23, 2012

We have leather and it is ruined because the cats accidentally scratch it when they play on it. Good thing Eric's parents gave it to us! Lol!

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