How to Keep a Light Colored Couch Clean With a Shedding Dog

 

I bought a cream colored couch the same month we adopted a dog. Yes, I know. Everyone warned me it was a bad idea, and for about three weeks they were completely right. By week four the couch looked like it was wearing a fur coat, and I started finding reasons not to have people over.

It took some trial and error, but I now have a couch that looks good even on a Tuesday after a full week of shedding. It comes down to three small things, and none of them take much time.

Step One: A Cover That Actually Stays Put

My first cover slid around and bunched up every time the dog jumped on, which looked messier than the fur did. What fixed it was choosing a couch cover for dogs with a strap that holds it in place.

I went with the Sofa Shield reversible couch cover. It's reversible, so when one side gets a little grubby I just flip it. It's also stain and tear resistant, and it goes in the washing machine, which matters more than you'd think.

Step Two: Two Minutes With a Roller

Even with a cover, hair finds its way everywhere. The ChomChom Roller is what I reach for. You just roll it back and forth over the fabric, the hair collects inside, and you empty it when you're done. There are no sticky sheets to run out of, so it actually gets used every evening.

Step Three: Wash It on a Schedule

This is the boring one, and it's the one that keeps everything feeling fresh. Pull the cover off and toss it in the wash on a regular schedule, before it looks like it needs it. A clean cover keeps the couch underneath looking new, and the whole thing takes less time than making coffee.

Now when someone tells me they love my couch, I just say thanks. I don't mention the dog asleep right behind them.

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