The Waterproof Couch Blankets We Use With Pets and a Baby
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.When we moved into our new apartment, one of the bigger purchases we needed was a couch. We ended up choosing a light tan one, and my mother-in-law made a comment that we might regret going so light.
It was a fair point. We have a dog, two cats, and now a baby who is only going to get messier as he gets older. A dark couch probably would hide a lot more.
But after living with it for a few months, I’ve actually realized that’s exactly why I like having a light-colored couch.
I don't necessarily want the mess hidden.
If one of the pets tracks something onto the couch, leaves behind a little surprise, or there's a spot that needs to be cleaned, I want to see it. Especially now that we have a baby who is already rubbing his face against the couch and mouthing it. If his face and mouth are going to be on it, I'd rather know exactly what needs to be cleaned.
Of course, wanting to see the mess doesn't mean I want it soaking into our new couch.
That's where our couch blankets have come in.
Why We Added Waterproof Blankets to Our Couch
Our couch gets used by everyone in the house, including all three animals.
Our dog loves being on it. He licks and cleans himself there, naps there, and occasionally launches himself across the cushions when something exciting happens outside. He also has a habit of barking out the window and sometimes leaving behind one of those unmistakably stinky dog smells afterward.
Then there's our older cat, who every once in a while manages to leave a tiny poop streak somewhere she absolutely shouldn't.
Add a baby to the mix and we now have spit-up, drool, and the possibility of diaper leaks too.
Basically, our poor couch has a lot working against it.
I wanted something that could act as a barrier between all of that and the actual upholstery, especially because this is a couch we'd like to keep for a while.
We ended up buying the Ameritex Waterproof Blanket Reversible Dog Bed Cover Pet Blanket for Furniture Bed Couch Sofa from Amazon.
I Wasn't Sure I'd Like the Fabric at First
Originally, I pictured putting really soft, plush blankets over the couch. I wanted something that would protect it but also look and feel cozy.
These aren't really that.
The fabric has a much smoother feel, and when they first arrived, I wasn't sure I was going to like them as much because they didn't have that fluffy, cozy-blanket feel I had imagined.
After actually using them, though, the texture has turned out to be one of the things I appreciate.
They're surprisingly cooling rather than warm and heavy, which is a definite plus here in Southern California. Our pets are comfortable lying on them, we're comfortable sitting on them, and I don't feel like I've added another thick layer to the couch when it's already hot outside.
The smooth surface is also really practical when something small gets on it.
Not Every Little Mess Means Doing Laundry
This might be my favorite part.
With a plush blanket, I feel like a mess can disappear down into the fibers pretty quickly. With these, I can actually see what's there and often wipe or spot clean the surface without immediately needing to throw the entire blanket in the washing machine.
Obviously, if something really gross happens, it's getting washed.
But a little dirt, a spot from the dog, or another minor everyday mess doesn't automatically have to turn into a load of laundry.
That's also part of why I chose the light color. It blends nicely with our light tan couch, but more importantly, I can tell when it's dirty.
At this stage of life, I'm much more interested in knowing a surface is actually clean than having a dark fabric that makes it look clean.
Get a Bigger Size Than You Think You Need
If you have a calm pet who delicately climbs onto the couch and curls up in one designated spot, this may not matter quite as much.
That is not the dog I have.
Ours runs across the couch, jumps around, looks out the window, and generally treats the cushions like an extension of the floor when he's excited.
Because of that, I intentionally bought large blankets that give me enough extra fabric to tuck them down into the couch cushions.
That has worked much better for us than simply laying a blanket across the top. There's still some adjusting involved because nothing stays perfectly positioned with animals running around on it, but tucking the excess fabric in helps keep much more of the couch covered.
It also gives us better protection along the places where the cushions meet, which are exactly the areas where I don't want mystery liquids finding their way down into our couch.
How They've Held Up to Washing
We've washed the blankets in our regular washing machine and they've come out well so far.
I am a little careful with how I wash them because of the protective layer inside. I wash and dry them on gentle rather than treating them like a regular cotton blanket and blasting them with heat.
The product itself is marketed as a waterproof blanket, although some of the listing information describes the outer microfiber as water resistant with a waterproof TPU layer inside.
So far, they've done what we bought them to do. They've given us an extra layer between everyday pet and baby messes and the couch underneath.
I wouldn't use that as an excuse to leave a puddle sitting on one for hours, but for our real-life use, I've been happy with the protection.
A Practical Choice Over My Usual Fabric Preferences
When I'm shopping for our home, I usually try to look for more natural materials when I can.
This time, practicality won.
We had just moved and were buying what felt like a million things for the new apartment. I needed multiple large blankets to cover the couch, and I didn't want to spend a fortune on something that was specifically being purchased to take abuse from three pets and a growing baby.
These were reasonably priced, washable, and designed for exactly the kind of messes I was worried about.
Sometimes that's the balance.
I can be mindful about the materials we bring into our home while also recognizing that not every single purchase is going to check every box.
Would I Buy Them Again?
Yes.
They're not the plush, beautiful throw blankets I originally pictured draped across our new couch, but I think they're actually better suited to what our household needs right now.
They're comfortable without being overly warm, they're easy to spot clean, they've washed well, and they've already dealt with the reality of sharing a couch with a dog, two cats, and a baby.
And strangely enough, I'm still happy we bought the light tan couch.
Between the light upholstery and the light blankets, dirt doesn't have many places to hide. I can see what needs my attention, clean it, and feel better knowing our baby is already rubbing his face against the couch, mouthing it, and generally interacting with it in all the ways babies somehow manage to do.
Our couch doesn't need to look clean.
I want to know that it is.
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