Is Your Sofa Going to Survive the Season? How to Child-, Pet-, and Generally Winter-Proof Your Couch to Avoid Festive Nightmares
With kids, pets, and snow, celebrations can get quite messy. Here's how you can protect your couch from the merry madness
In many ways, the holiday season is a dangerous time for your sofa. There's red wine, sticky fingers, and just generally more people squishing in. Of course, that proverbial splash zone becomes even bigger when you take kids and pets into account.
Now, if you're a Livingetc reader, you're probably an excellent and frequent host. Which means you'll be looking to protect your sofa from life's four-legged and two-legged troublemakers ahead of an inherently messy season. Luckily, we've rounded up some tips for keeping your gorgeous, expensive, and, of course, stylish sofa as clean and protected as possible during the holiday season. When looking at where to buy a sofa, you might have considered a particularly durable fabric, but it's not the case for every home.
Considering everyone's home life is a bit different, we broke these tips out into three scenarios: those who plan to host this holiday season and have a little bit of time before the day, those who are hosting within the week, and those who are hosting in a few hours and need some seriously quick-fix solutions. Whichever situation most describes you right this moment, you'll find helpful tips on protecting your sofa during the soirée and season beyond, each suggestion catered to the time you likely have allotted to "fix" the scenario.
Scenario #1: I'm Hosting Tonight
Alright, alright — let's say you need to start protecting your sofa ahead of a party you're hosting, but you don't have much time to do anything. Enter: throw blankets.
"A high-quality, washable sofa cover or oversized throw is a simple but powerful protection layer," Marta Balazs, founder and interior designer at Embee Interiors, tells me. "It takes the brunt of spills, muddy paw prints, and snack-time accidents, and it can be tossed straight into the washing machine once guests leave."
Of course, you can leave a throw draped on your sofa for protection all season long, but you can also toss one on the bench seat in times of need. Whichever route you choose, try going for "cotton, washable wool blends, or soft knits that can go right into the washing machine after messy hands, pets, or holiday cocoa moments," Mackenzie Collier of Mackenzie Collier Interiors, adds.
Not only is this cherry red the perfect holiday touch, but it's also machine washable. Perfect for the wishlist, and perfect for your coach all season long.
Yes, this gorgeous wool-blend blanket looks fabulous, but I can attest that it actually is—I bought it for myself. It's held up great over the year, adds wonderful warmth, and feels soft to the touch.
Ok, this beauty truly stopped me in my tracks. I will admit that it's probably not as practical as you might want for a kid and pet-filled home, but it would look so good laid across the sofa.
Mackenzie is an award-winning entrepreneur, interior designer and business coach. As the founder of Mackenzie Collier Interiors, her unique approach to design and business sets her apart from other business owners as she leads with her core values of community building, positivity, and integrity. Now that her business is well-established, she has expanded to offer business coaching as well.
Scenario #2: I'm Hosting in the Next Few Weeks
If you don't have a heap of time, but do have a big enough pre-hosting window for an order from Amazon, I'd recommend trying something like Scotchgard or another stain-guard treatment as a means to protect your sofa this winter.
"Applying a professional stain-guard treatment is one of the simplest ways I always advise for my clients with kids and pets to dramatically increase their sofa’s durability," Marta suggests. "These treatments create an invisible barrier that prevents liquids from absorbing into the fibers, giving you crucial extra time to wipe spills before they leave a mark. It’s particularly effective for homes with young children or pets, where accidents are more frequent and harder to control." Just be sure to spot test the treatment on a less-visible section of the sofa first to be sure there are no problems.
Although this is less of a proactive protective tip, Mackenzie also reminds me that you can very easily refresh your sofa ahead of seasonal hosting — whether it's looking a bit dingy from pet hair or errant road salt — by simply "vacuuming between the cushions, rotating pillows, and fluffing inserts so everything feels supportive," she says.
"A quick lint roll [shop on Amazon] for pet hair and a spot clean on any small stains makes a big difference," she adds. "This tiny routine helps your sofa look polished for guests and also extends its life. It is a simple habit that pays off during the busy season."
This powerful product aids repellency to protect against spills, and won't change the feel or breathability of fabrics when used correctly. Better yet, it dries quickly. Good for a somewhat last-second fix.
Easily vacuum up those errant flecks of dirt from puppy paws or the Cheerios that missed your toddler's mouth with a handy dandy cordless hand vacuum. A simple and quick refresh that you can go back to over and over.
It's not the most design-forward buy, but this lint roller is designed with extra sticky sheets to pick up pet hair, specifically. And keeping your couch free of such dander will not only keep it looking good, but also extend its overall life.
Scenario #3: I'll Be Hosting in the Future
Let's say you are planning to have people over to celebrate the festive season, or maybe the new year, and you have some time to get your couch care in order. Perhaps you even have the time or the desire to get a new couch entirely.
In that case, experts suggest that you first and foremost look for a couch that's upholstered in performance fabric, like "stain-resistant polyester blends, Aquaclean, or velvet with a tight pile," Marta Balazs tells me. Materials like these "repel spills, resist scratches, and are easy to spot-clean," meaning you can recover from a dog or toddler-related emergency with ease.
Sofa color trends are also your friend, adds Mackenzie Collier. "Mid-toned colors or subtle patterns naturally hide small spills and daily wear," making them a great choice for family homes, she says. Bonus points if you select a performance fabric in one of those shades.
If you're willing to spend a touch more, you could also rock with the great family textile: leather. Because it patinas over time and is easy to wipe and clean, a leather sofa is a wonderful choice for a family home in all seasons of life — but especially the winter and festive season.
And, as a final bonus tip, see if you can find an extra set of the cushions made specifically for the couch you're buying (or already have now). You can keep this extra set stashed away and use it specifically for parties, so that the wear and tear of the primary cushions isn't so apparent.
Our editors rated Habitat's Ayr' 4-seater one of the best on the market. And even more enticing, the company offers five different performance fabric options, which means there is no need to sacrifice style for utility.
Although it was the American version, I have sat on this sofa and can confirm it's one of the best overall couches I've had the pleasure of trying. Just the right amount of plushness, a solid construction, and a great seat depth.
If a Chesterfield sofa has been on your wishlist, try this budget-friendly option from Wayfair. High class at half the price, and the leather (albeit faux) should prove easy to clean should your doggo track in some extra dirt.
Embee Interiors is an award-winning boutique interior design studio based in London, all about creating timeless and balanced spaces that are authentic to our clients and their lifestyles. Founder Marta Balasz built her career working in various roles at well-known design studios & retailers as a B2B Home Furnishing Consultant, Retail & Commercial Interior Designer, Project Manager, and Remote Residential Interior Designer.
Bonus tip: Create a Designated Space for Pets
Not interested in all of this hullabaloo, at least as it pertains to your furry friend? Consider skipping it all entirely by setting up an equally enticing designated area for your pets to curl up on, rather than leaving them to the allure of the couch.
"Sometimes the best way to protect a sofa is to make sure pets steer clear of it," notes Joyce Huston of Decorilla. "I find carving out a little spot for them is a great way to do that. A comfortable ottoman or chair made of waterproof and scratch-proof material that they can curl up in is a great solution. It also creates a sense of belonging for your furry friend."
As Marta mentioned, velvet can actually work as a pet-friendly fabric when it's in a tight pile. This bubble chair could be perfect as a little cat/dog throne for both that reason, as well as the low profile.
This cuddle chair is still somewhat low-profile, but the arms make it a bit different than the other two options. And I think the price for the reviews and the overall style is a fair deal. Such a deal!
Don't have the space to designate an entire armchair to your furry friend? (Fair enough!) Thankfully, there are plenty of stylish pet beds on the market, including this multi-colored design from HAY.
Now, what do you do if you need to winter-proof your couch, and make it comfier? Well, we have tips for that, too. Don't say we never gave you a holiday gift.
