Keeping Furniture Looking Great in a Pet Friendly Home

Family pets can cause daily wear and tear to your furniture, from scratches and tears caused by claw sharpening and scratching to stains left by urine, feces, or vomit. However, you can minimize pet damage and keep from having to replace furniture by following these handy tips.

Damage Prevention

• Keep your cats’ and dogs’ claws or nails trimmed neatly. Provide outlets for their restless energy – for dogs, regular exercise and for cats a scratching post.
• Have your furniture treated with Scotchgard™ or a similar type of protectant. This will cause the fabric or leather to repel many stain causing fluids and solids. Most furniture stores offer a variety of options.
• You can also use furniture covers if desired to limit the amount of fur, hair, dander, and grime that gets transferred to your upholstery.

In Case of Accidents

• Keep a close watch out for accidents so you can treat them immediately. You should carefully remove any solids (don’t scrape or rub the upholstery), and blot wet spots with a clean white cotton towel.
• You can make a homemade odor neutralizer by mixing ¼ cup vinegar and ¼ cup water together. Just use the mixture to dampen another clean cotton towel and dab the affected area gently (don’t scrub). Blot with a dry towel, then repeat until as much of the stain is removed as possible.
• Your handy vacuum attachment or shop-vac is ideal for going after dirt, dander and pet hair. You can follow up with a quick wipe down using the same vinegar-water solution to remove lingering odors. Add a little lavender water for a nice touch.

Regular Maintenance

• Once or twice a year, call The Dry Guys. We will gladly come out and use the Von Schrader Dry Foam Extraction System to carefully and deeply clean your upholstery. This method uses a dry foam that is safe, non-toxic, and hypoallergenic to whisk dirt and grime right out of the upholstery and leave your furniture looking, feeling, and smelling like new.

The Dry Guys can also treat your carpet for pet spots and stains, so don’t hesitate to call in the pros when your pets cause damage to your furniture. We can have it looking, feeling, and smelling fresh in next to no time.