Need a new sofa - best covering???

**kimlovescats** · 02-22-2006, 06:34 PM

Our couch has been WONDERFUL! We bought it 4 years ago when we moved into our house, and it doesn't have ANY picks!!! With all of our cats, that is miraculous!

I don't know how to describe it, except to say that it is a very tightly wound fiber. You can tell by rubbing it and scratching your nail across it, that it wouldn't "pick" easily. I will see if I can attach a picture that sort of shows the fabric.

OK, this one of Grace shows the fabric pretty well. This couch is an Ashley brand couch.

**Kfamr** · 02-22-2006, 07:48 PM

Microfiber is GREAT!!!
As you know, we have 3 dogs but we also have a microfiber chair & couch. Our dogs like to use the couch to ricochet off of while playing. They have not put one mark in it!

To clean it up, all you do is take a damp rag and wipe it. Liquids do not soak thru and fur is really easily vacuumed or brushed off.

I highly recommend it for anyone with pets or small children. Very durable.

Here's a picture of our's...

People always ask how we keep all of the fur off of ours, really it usually just ends up falling off. It rarely sticks.

**catnapper** · 02-22-2006, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by Kfamr

People always ask how we keep all of the fur off of ours, really it usually just ends up falling off. It rarely sticks.

You're right! I never saee hair on the couch! I was certain that it would be a huge hair collector, but quite the opposite.

**sirrahved** · 02-22-2006, 08:37 PM

Mom,

We LOVE our microfiber couch! Pet hair doesn't stick, nails can't scratch it, and it's WASHABLE! Leather is very nice, but it doesn't look cozy. I think for the front room, you're right, cozy would be better.

**G535** · 02-22-2006, 10:38 PM

Something in a dark velvet type material would show up the cat hairs to perfection!

Sorry, I'm no help at all, I haven't seen this microfibre stuff and around here the cat owns the furniture.

**Jayna78** · 02-25-2006, 11:35 PM

We moved into the house we bought in May 2005. When we moved in, we had one sofa, chair-and-a-half and a recliner, which was not enough for the many rooms to furnish in this house. So, around Memorial Day, we took advantage of awesome sales, and we bought a nice wine-colored couch and love seat in microfiber fabric. Not too pricey (less expensive than our old set of furniture, but it looks classier and seems to be holding up better), and it seems to be working out just fine. I will say that since it is a darker color, you can see cat hair on it (not the dark brown tabby fur, but the orange fur from Leo and the white fur from Claudia). Most of the time, it easily comes off with a lint roller.

Good stuff. Beats the heck out of chenille fabric, which is what our older set is made of (the recliner should be reupholstered or covered with a slipcover of some kind - never saw one for a recliner, though - it is in bad shape, because though our cats are usually pretty good, the scratched the heck out of it) - the couch & chair-and-a-half are still good fabric-wise, but fur gets stuck in those like crazy and is much harder to get off of there.

We love microfiber so much that we recently went to Value City Furniture and bought a couch and a loveseat for our 3-season room, which was in desperate need of furtiture other than collapsible tailgating chairs! This time, we bought a nice neutral light beige, and the furniture is just wonderful (and though it looks possibly more expensive & stylish than our other two sets, it's the cheapest furniture set we've bought so far).

The brown tabby fur from Leila & Bailey shows up on this furniture and Claudia & Leo's fur doesn't, but again, it's easily removed by the lint brush. You can always dress up a solid colored couch with throw pillows in different patterns/fabrics. Microfiber is a great choice!

**Maya & Inka's mommy** · 02-26-2006, 08:33 AM

Leather, no doubt about that! We have our set for 18 uears now, and it is still in good shape!!

**Don Juan's mom** · 02-23-2006, 01:22 AM

Originally Posted by Kfamr

Microfiber is GREAT!!!
As you know, we have 3 dogs but we also have a microfiber chair & couch. Our dogs like to use the couch to ricochet off of while playing. They have not put one mark in it!

Here's a picture of our's...

And how nice of the dog to let you use it!

Liz

**orangemm** · 02-23-2006, 05:45 AM

We reupholstered a couch of ours with a jazzy floral fabric 2 years ago because the original dark blue showed every single cat hair and they clung to the fabric.

The replacement fabric is very tightly woven, with a slight sheen. It's perfect, because the cats lounge on the back of it, yet the fur doesn't stick to it. It's not a plastic or vinyl; it's cotton, but somehow resists all that fur.

If you're shopping for a sofa, look for something like that, something with a tight weave. Ours has palm fronds and lavender flowers, but it isn't fussy, more tropical looking.

There's a picture of it somewhere; he's really proud of it because WE did the work! (I'll try to find it)

Kfamr....love the picture with the dog! Guess who is the boss in that house?

**prechrswife** · 02-23-2006, 09:53 AM

We bought leather a couple of years ago, and it is great as far as being easy to clean. It doesn't collect pet hair like our old furniture. However, we have had issues with scratches because of the cats leaping off of the furniture. Their back claws have marked it up quite a bit. We also have a micro-fiber rocker/recliner. It is GREAT!! It doesn't collect hair either, and they have not put a mark on it with their claws. So, I would agree with those who have suggested the microfiber furniture.

**QueenScoopalot** · 02-23-2006, 11:02 PM

I have always thought that microfiber would attract fur...guess I'm wrong on that one. I read some time back that a white heavy canvas cover is great for pet owners as it can be run through the wash w/bleach and come out looking great. I'm eventually going to be getting a new living room set (or second hand as things don't last long here