Small Children and Buying a New Sofa- Advice

We used to have leather and it was great b/c of easy clean up but unless it is a very good quality, it can be somewhat uncomfortable to lay on, especially in the summer. We have had microfiber for about 3 years now and it is soooo comfy and cozy. My kids are very young and very messy and I never have a problem keeping it clean!

Dear I.,

We have a leather sofa, loveseat and a big chair, all in leather and we love it. We have grandchildren all under the age of 9, and it is really easy to keep clean. MY daughter has a red micro fiber and it`s easy to clean as well , but what she does is keep a large bed sheet on it , just in case. Little fingers are greasy, dirty , etc. When she gets company she just takes the bed sheet off with crumbs and other stuff on it and then washes it. H. this helps.

H.

I have a leather couch, a 4yo, and no stains. The microfiber/faux leather couch before it had a few. I felt like I was always cleaning it but the leather one doesn't absorb spills.

My only advice is to buy one with attached cushions. All six of the cushions come off our sofa...and if I have to reassemble the sofa one more time I might scream and not stop screaming!! It is so annoying...the bottom cushions can be pushed off the frame by two small kids but it takes an adult to put them back on.

We are working on stopping the behavior...but the tents they build out of the cushions are creative...anyways...ATTACHED CUSHIONS!!!

Hugs!!

We bought a beige micro fiber sofa set last year. It has really been put to the test. My 22 month old and 3 month old grandsons live with us, my 11 month old grandson stays for weeks at a time and I took care of a baby from the time he was 6 weeks until he was 1 year old. Through all of this my couches still look great. It seems you can't stain them. They have had: formula, spit-up, drool, all different colors of juice, coffee, tea, all kinds of food, milk, ink, etc get on them. All I use to clean them is hot soapy water and a rag. The one thing I want to warn you of is that you have to clean them a lot. If your child drools on them it will leave a dark spot when it dries. You will have to at least clean it with water and a rag. The good thing is that nothing will soak through into your cushions. Everything stays on top. We replaced our old cloth couches because it seemed that everything that had ever spilled on them was still trapped in the cushions. I LOVE MICRO FIBER!!!
BTW...we got ours at Rooms to Go. We went to about 8 different stores so we could get the best bang for our buck. My advice is to shop around. AND I agree with the woman who said that you need to make sure that the furniture has a metal frame instead of wood. Good luck to you.

My daughter and son in law bought a used sofa, which was well made. They still have it 10 yrs later. It has stripes cotton ticking, like denim. It is not the prettiest. Baby's throw up, toddlers have accidents so don't frustrate yourself with a new sofa. When the kids were 6 and 3, my daughter went out and bought a gorgeous leather sofa. The next week the 3 yr old wrote on it. Fortunately, she has bought the insurance and had it replaced. The other sofa is now in the TV room and still serviceable. A well made sofa is more important that the fabric as someone else has pointed out. I think the tightly woven cotton will work out better than microfiber.
K.

We bought leather this time around with my second child and I love it! If it gets dirty, I just wipe it off. We bought ours at Sofa Mart and they have great service. They have a lifetime warranty on everything as long as you own the couch. Our cushions started to sag a little and they came out and replaced them free of charge. You pay a little bit more but if you are going to have kids crawling all over them for a long time, it's totally worth it.

We replaced our dark green microfiber sofas with dark brown smooth leather. The microfiber didn't hold up to our dogs. Then we had a baby. We joke regularly that the leather sofas have been our very best purchase EVER. These jokes usually occur after our kid smears food, vomits, or poops all over the sofa. It wipes up like a champ and I can even disinfect.

i bought a microfiber couch set when my daughter was 6 months old i was told that microfiber is the easiest to care for ....well that advice was wrong in my experience as we no longer have the couch after only 2 short years we sold it to my mom who now just cover it...when we would try to get a stain out it would just make it worst!! if you can spend the extra money and get a comfotable leather couch i would go that route or we just bought a chinelle* SP fabric couch and so far so good!! Godd luck with your purchase!

Hi, you have lots of advice already but I just wanted to tell you we have 3 children and have had great success with dark leather. We have a dark brown leather sofa and loveseat that are 10 years old and we are just now starting to notice some signs of wear and tear, and it was not a 'high end' set of furniture to begin with--I think we paid $2000 for both pieces at JC Penney Home. We had a chenille scotch-guarded chair and a half with ottoman for about a year and a half, it was very comfy and nice but the stains were terrible. When I tried to clean it I was left with dark blotches all over the fabric that never went away. I will never have anything other than leather as long as I have children in the house. Good luck!

Hi I.,

I would recommend the leather rather than microfiber for your new family sofa. We have two children and the leather has by far, held up much better than the microfiber.

Note: We had our leather sofa "treated" (they added a protective leather spray/cream on it at the store for an aditional cost.)

The microfiber looks great at first, but with kids,it can get dirty very quickly. Even though my kids aren't allowed to eat in the livingroom, the microfiber recliner always seems to attract dirt.

Also, we chose a more relaxed leather (not the super shiny/perfect leather)in almost a cherrywood color that has stood up to the children's jumping, finger prints, occational food and artwork mishaps, etc...

I think we bought our sofa about 8 yrs. ago (with a then 2yr. old & a 6 yr. old) and it's still looks pretty good; while the microfiber recliner (in a deep tan color) was filthy within a the first year.

My husband cleans the recliner 3 or 4 times a year while we just go over the sofa with the protective leather cream every year or so.

We bought a Mitchell Gold couch a few years ago and spent the extra $80 or so to have it stain protected. They spray something on it that bonds to the fabric instead of laying on top of it like Scotch Guard. It's a microfiber beige couch. We have a 19 month old who had serious reflux issues early on, and everything always wipes up clean. If it leaves a stain, all you have to do is wet a wash cloth and rub in the water a bit, and the stain still comes out. So, if you go with a fabric couch, just make sure you spend the extra $$ for the stain protection. I was expecting the stain protection to wear off over time, but after 4 years...so far so good!

You already know the answer. Get a kidproof/spillproof sofa with a pattern that will not show it ! Kids are only young once and should be free to make spills without feeling bad about it afterwards. Leather is for after they have grown up and know how to use scissors and markers correctly....or get a black or brown one that is not new. Enjoy your children while you can....they grow up quickly ! Have fun.
Grandma K.

I have 3 boys and will never have anything but a leather sofa. Spills just wipe off and I do not have to worry about stains. Our own body oils help keep it supple and shiny. I also have leather in my car...

Lovin' the leather! Very easy. BUT make sure you do not get "natural" leather. It will absorb every stain and will need constant conditioning. Get the dyed, sealed stuff.

Any porus fabric will stain. I'll never get another fabric covered piece of furniture again. When I can afford it, I'm having to get 2 chairs recovered. I'm going to stick to leather type coverings b/c I can clean them very easily. A lot of the times, there are cleaning instructions that come w/the furniture, like sofas. What I'd do is see what others here hafta say & also do some research on each type of fabric & its care. If you really like the microfibre then go w/it, it's I think supposed to stand up good w/stains but I've never owned any microfibre anything so I'm not really sure about it. W/each type of fabric there are pros & cons. I do know though, with leather, since it's a natural substance, you have to keep in mind that it may mold or dryout so you need to watch for that b/c if it drys out, it usually cracks, not like vinyl would crack w/sharp edges but hairline cracks, like car upholstery would do. Pleather does the same thing but not as bad I think. As for mold that may show up, as long as it's cool in the area it sits & not 'humid' (like a basement or attic) you should be fine w/that & if you do see some, a leather cleaner should work fine. Good luck!!

Microfiber is fine ( We have beige microfiber) Just make sure that it says something in the information about "stain- resistant" Ours came that way. If not, it will need to be treated. A sofa cleaning company will do that for you. Regardless of if you buy it treated or it is treated post purchase, after about 3 years, the stain resistant coating will wear off and it will have to be redone.

Buy something that has the back cushions attached... the throw cushion type will always look messy. Beige unless it can be washed, is an invitation for obvious stains. Consider covering it with a sofa cover and uncovering it when children aren't around or when company comes over. Buy a style you like that you'd be willing to re upholster. Investing in the style you like is more important than the covering which will wear out. Love new furniture!

When the boys were 1, 3 and 4, we bought new furniture. We bought sturdy, upholstered sofas and chairs. It is not the prettiest. We found a nice red and navy plaid (with a little tan in it) for 4 different pieces. Heavy fabric, almost like denim.

But we have the middle child now getting ready for college at age 18, and we have the same furniture in the family room!
NOW, I can go get microfiber or leather furniture like I want! We have saved tons of money by buying something that lasted for 15 + years---has been cleaned 3 times.

Hi I.,
We just moved to the Spring area and for some reason my husband wanted new sofas with a potty training 2 yr old. We chose brown microfiber on the arms and chenille for the cushions. We did get it scotchguard. We have had a few accidents, one milk from a non spill sippy cup and the other has been a diaper leak. Fortunately it was on the same cushion. We just had it replaced. I keep blankets over the sofa unless we have guest. That seems to help tremendously. Along with new sofas, we purchased a coffee table too. I kept a table cloth over that as well. Now she's used to it and doesn't see how loud her toys can be when she bangs them on the table. We have 2 nicks in the table that a brown marker will fix. I won't even start on having carpet with a baby/toddler. LOL! Goodluck on sofa shopping!

Sincerely,
J. M
http://www.Best4MyKids.com

Our sofa is from Lazy Boy (not a recliner) and is kind of a velvet fabric. It is fabulous!!! They put a guaranteed stain guard on all their fabrics and it definitely works. My son eats @ the couch quite often and I've never had any issues with cleaning up spills. We have a microfiber rocking chair from them also that lived in his room until he was 2 and I also never had any cleaning issues.

Good luck with the beige!

If its a reputable furniture store that sells good quality furniture & if the couch you pick out doesn't have stain guard from the factory, you can pay a little extra & get the stain protection sprayed on it before it leaves the store & you can purchase a warranty. The warranty should cover any stains that you cant get out yourself, any tears etc. If you report a claim on it for anything, they will send out a furniture repair man & if he cant get the stains out, fix the tear etc then the couch will be replaced with a new one. I have the warranty on all my living room furniture & have had to use it. My kids sat a glass of "something" on my coffee table & the ring would not come off. They replaced it with a new one, no charge! I bought my furniture at Ivan Smith Furniture in Louisiana (before we moved to Texas) but just ask the sales person about stain guard & a warranty that fixes & or replaces it if something should happen.
i must add this, I have a few pieces of furniture i bought before I bought the new set. If it gets spills or whatever on it, I soak it in oxy clean spray for several minutes & then wipe it all up. It may take two or three times of spraying & wiping, but that stuff is amazing! I use it in my carpet on my car seats etc! Not to mention I spray all the stains on our laundry before I was it.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

My Aunt visited us for the first time last year. (at our new place) She looked at my leather couch and said, "My, what a nice couch...when did you get THAT!!?!"....I said, about 10 years ago. ....hmmmm?...been married 4....yeah, about two boyfriends before that!!!..I believe the one BF helped me pick it out...I think he's married now with kids of his own!!

Point is....leather couches look good for a very LONG time. Just keep it wiped down with some sort of conditioner about once a year...I use Leather Wipes...Easy Cheesy!!!

I will NEVER do cloth/microfiber again...

Margaret :)

I just purchased my second couch set since my twins were born.

I originally had the microfiber. Yes, it cleans off really well...However, while I had a nice set with a darker color to mask any stains that did not wash off so easily, The set was destroyed within a year of my children learning to walk. No matter what we do (time outs, no sitting on furniture, spanking, etc) our children STILL are found jumping on the furniture. The microfiber set broke within a year of this. They were in such poor shape that they were not even donatable...

I would also suggest veering from leather due to the upkeep of the material required. With two so young, you may find you do not keep it in the condition it needs to be in to preven drying and cracking.

However, any furniture with metal framing for whatever reason (pull out couch, reclining chairs, etc) will last you far longer regardless of the material you decide to use. I realize that the cost of couches with these items built in is a bit higher, but I promise you, with two little one (my twins are 4 yo) your furniture should not need replacing before YOU are ready to replace it... ;-)

Good Luck...

Mico fiber is good but leather will last you longer. Micro fiber will be more comfortable as leather tends to be hot in the summer against your skin and cold in the winter. However, I have had my red leather sofa for over 17 years and it is still in great shape. Just make sure that you buy quality furniture. Price does not mean good. Check the materials, ask the clerk how the sofa was made, and most of all what warrenty comes with the sofa. Good luck!

I always think it is better to buy something you won't be devastated to see ruined when you have young children. It isn't worth getting angry at them about or constantly guarding. I would think that microfiber would be your best bet. Little finger nails scratch up leather and it can be punctured or torn more easily. But it does wipe clean more easily. So go with the least expensive and save your dream couch for when they are older, or better yet, when they have moved out...:)

I have both microfiber ( taupe colored )and leather (pecan colored )furniture in my home. My nephews ages 3-5 lived with me for 2 years and jumped, turned flips, and placed sticky wet hands often on both types of furniture and I have been able to wipe clean. My 14 year old son plays x-box nonstop while eating snacks when he arrives home from school.

For the leather I used pledge leather cleaning wipes whenever I noticed a stain. The wet hand marks actually would disappear on their own.

The Microfiber also has held up well with the kids and couch potato husband.

Unfortunately I do not remember if I had the furniture pre -treated to repell stains when I purchased them.

The furniture is 7 years old and still looks great. It was a good investment because I really didn't want either intially as I wanted a more formal look.

Hope this helps.

I.,

We bought a new microfiber set last year and it has been great! My 3 year old drew on the ottoman with a pen and it came out no problem. I love the microfiber because a simple cloth and soapy water gets everything off, including greasy hand prints, drool, and various spills. We have 14 year old, 12 year old and now 4 year old boys:)

Another benefit is that the microfiber is also cheaper. We bought it on sale at Star Furniture almost 1 year ago. I imagine they are probably having a 4th of July Sale.

Good luck!
C.

We have a honey brown leather sofa and love seat and we were just commenting on how well they have held up. We've had them for about 6 years and they still look pretty good (especially considering we haven't been great about doing the conditioning treatments they recommend). We have 2 cats, 2 kids and a set of in-laws (yes, the in-laws have written on our couches twice with ink! they're worse than the kids!). They aren't in mint condition anymore, but I think if we replace them, we would get leather again for sure.

Oh sister...Invest in a slipcover immediately for the new couch. Scotchgard the heck out of it. No matter what I said about the furniture, the minute my back is turned the kids are not following the rules. Buy one with a sturdy frame, durable fabric and attached cushions. I have boys so sometimes I feel like I am in the monkey house at the zoo. Anything not nailed down either gets lost, thrown or broken. Good luck to you!

We have sofas in light tan and black leather along with 2 chocolate brown recliners. The chairs have survived hurricane katrina, a move to San Antonio, 2 dogs and 1 child. The couches have survived 1 child and friends, 2 dogs and 1 cat. We haven't had any stains although lots of milk, juice and food along with some other less pleasant fluids. My friend told me I had too much leather and needed to get a fabric ottoman or something - I just laughed.