DO put washable fabrics on your bed.
If your dog or cat sleeps with you there will be accidents. "Cats barf a lot," Julia Szabo says. "Deal with it."
Protect your mattress from the inevitable by covering it with a thick pad. Use cotton bed sheets, preferably in a medium color or a pattern that can hide the pet hair and stains between washings. For bedspreads, duvet covers work well because you can take them off and wash them regularly. Delicate–looking matelasse coverlets are surprisingly durable; their tight quilting resists pet toenail snags and repeated washings.
Read on for more pointers on making your home a showplace fit for a pet.
