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I test home products for a living and this $30 pet blanket has saved my sofa
L.L. Bean to the rescue! This super soft, machine-washable find is a game-changer.
Dogs: They're a person's best friend until they destroy your furniture, am I right? I adore my rescue pup, Frankie, but I will admit I had a little less love for her the day I realized she was ruining my treasured velvet sofa. It was the first piece of furniture my husband and I bought together and it took months for me to choose (as a home editor and design obsessive, I treat buying furniture like some people treat buying stocks — I carefully study the market and mull over the options. It's a process).
This cuddly, waterproof dog blanket has saved my sofa from all kinds of messes.
First I noticed the scratches Frankie had made on the seat cushion, then I realized the once lustrous upholstery had lost its sheen. Frankie's fur had also become embedded in the velvet and was very difficult to remove. Using the Bissell Little Green Cleaner helped, but I needed something that would protect my sofa longer term.
If you haven't researched the world of pet blankets, let me tell you, it's not very pretty. The blankets marketed as furniture protectors tend to look plasticky and are made of industrial waterproof fabric that's uncomfortable to sit on. The cozier, non-waterproof pet blankets are either very furry (also, not a material I want to sit on) or made from fleece and have silly patterns. And the simpler, classy looking ones are expensive.
Then I found the L.L. Bean Fleece Dog Blanket. It's hardly a stunner, but it has many great things going for it: It's extremely soft, waterproof and reversible — and it costs less than $30. One side is a tan low-pile fleece; the other is a cream sherpa-like material that looks very on-trend.
Despite the fact that the blanket is light-colored, it seems impervious to stains. And Frankie loves it so much, it's one of her few belongings she hasn't nibbled on. (That, and her favorite pet bed.)
Frankie and I are just two of the many fans: The blanket has a nearly perfect 4.8 rating on llbean.com. "Well made, not flimsy, washes easily, and great neutral color. Best dog blanket I’ve ever purchased ... by far!" wrote one shopper. Others seconded using it to protect furniture: "I initially bought this blanket to use when we take our foster service dogs in training to events and other places where they routinely lay down. So happy I bought two because the second one works great as a comfy furniture cover when they're home!"
The medium blanket measures 30" x 40" - which fit my sofa well, but there's a also a large size (40" x 60") for $40.
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
