In this guide, we look at how to deal with problem pet hair.
We outline how to prevent pet hair becoming a problem, and also how to remove pet hair from different surfaces like carpet, hard floors and tiles, clothes, furniture and home linen, washing machines and laundry machines, and cars.
Let’s get into it.
(NOTE: this is a general information guide only, and is not professional advice, or a substitute for professional advice. A qualified vet or animal expert is the only person qualified to give you expert advice in regards to your pet/s)
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The Best Solution To Problem Pet Hair Is … Preventing It From Becoming A Problem In The First Place
Prevention is the best solution to dealing with pet hair.
Pet hair usually becomes a problem when a dog sheds (drops it’s fur), and the hair drops directly onto a surface, or it is carried from one surface to another.
So there’s a few ways to reduce or minimize the amount of pet hair that is dropped around the house, or in other locations:
– The Type Of Dog
It’s not realistic to pick a dog based of how much hair they drop. But, it is worth mentioning that different dogs shed and drop a lot more hair than others. Some breeds drop a lot more hair than others. And, dogs with a double coat tend to shed a lot more too.
If you understand how much hair a particular dog might shed before you buy or adopt them, it can help far better set expectations and responsibilities of dealing with pet hair for owners.
– You Can Separate The Dog From The Area That You Don’t Want Hair Being Dropped In, Or Put Sheets Or Barriers Down
The areas where a dog spends the most time are the areas where they are likely to drop the most hair. Some people don’t want pet hair in their car, so they don’t allow their dog to ride in the car.
Another option for an area like the car is to make sure the entire area your dog will be sitting or laying in is covered by a removable sheet that you can remove and wash or clean as required.
– Regular Brushing Of A Dog’s Coat Can Significantly The Amount Of Hair They Drop
Regularly brushing a dog (once a week, or once every few days, depending on the dog) outside can severely reduce the amount of hair they drop inside the house.
It won’t completely stop hair being dropped in the house, but it can definitely reduce it.
A deshedding tool like the Furminator Deshedding Tool (on Amazon), and a slicker brush like the Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush (on Amazon) can work well in combination to remove both surface/outer coat hairs (and matting), and undercoat hairs.
Even With Prevention & Removal Of Hair … Set Realistic Expectations For Pet Hair
Often there isn’t a perfect tool or method to completely prevent pet hair from being dropped around the house or car, or remove pet hair from different surfaces.
Some surfaces are far easier to keep clean and pet hair free than others too.
Set your expectations to accept that some pet hair may end up in the car, in the carpet, or on your clothes, and it’s often impossible to remove every hair (at least in the short term). That’s just part of having a dog.
You may very well find a way to remove a majority of it though.
The Different Tools & Methods For Removing Pet Hair
There’s different tools used for the removal of pet hair. Some of those might include:
Pet Brushes
Lint & Sticky Hair Rollers
Regular Brooms & Broom Pans
Rubber Squeegees
Rubber Brushes, Combs, & Brooms
Rubber gloves
Duct tape
Vacuums
Damp Cloths
Static, sticky/grippy, and slightly damp materials and surfaces tend to do best at gripping, and sticking to pet hair.
With brushes and brooms, thick and semi rigid bristles tend to do well so the hairs don’t pass or fall straight through the bristles.
With vacuums, obviously higher suction can help in sucking hairs up.
How To Remove Pet Hair From The Carpet
The best way to remove pet hair from carpet might be a two step approach:
– Step 1
Use a rubber squeegee, or a rubber bristled broom or comb, to pull the hair out of the carpet. Rubber is a stickier material than plastic bristles, and can build up static when rubbed against another surface (and attract hair).
This combination of features can be good in getting out hard to remove pet hair from carpet. Just make sure the rubber is non marking rubber so it doesn’t mark your carpet.
One example of a good rubber brush tool might be this Carrand Lint & Hair Removal Brush (on Amazon).
Something to note with rubber brushes is to make sure the rows of bristles are thick or solid, and not thin and flimsy. If they are thin and flimsy (or there’s not many bristles), the brush won’t be as effective at trapping and removing the hair between or in front of the bristles.
– Step 2
Run over the carpet with a vacuum to get the remaining pet hair and debris
How To Remove Pet Hair From Hard Floors & Tiles
It’s generally far easier to remove pet hair from hard and sealed surfaces than surfaces like carpet that .
A two step approach might be:
– Step 1
Sweep over the hard surface or tiles with a thick and soft broom, and sweep the hair into a dust pan (which you can empty into the bin)
– Step 2
Vacuum over the surface with a vacuum to get rid of remaining pet hair and debris
You can also use a damp micro fiber cloth for corners and hard to reach places – such as the AmazonBasics Blue and Yellow Microfiber Cleaning Cloth (on Amazon). You could also use a vacuum with a small/tight areas type attachment.
How To Remove Pet Hair From Clothes
Some clothes materials are just going to be really good at trapping pet hairs, and are going to be hard to remove unless you pick them out with your finger nails or a set of tweezers.
A good tip is, if you need clothes to wear to work or a formal dress type event, keep them in your room away from your pet, and don’t let your pet jump on you or go near your before you leave the house. If you need to go in the car and there is pet hair on the car seats, clean them, and put a cover over the seat before you sit on it.
In general, for removing pet hair from clothes, you might try:
A lint/sticky roller, such as the Scotch Brite Lint Roller (on Amazon)
Duct tape or sticky tape – dab it on the clothes, so the hair sticks to the sticky side of the tape
A clothes brush with bristles that won’t damage the clothing material, but will be thick enough to pick up hairs from the clothing fabric
Rubber gloves that are slightly damp – creates static when you rub them against the clothes, and can pick up hairs
Put the clothes in the wash, and let the washing cycle remove the hairs
How To Remove Pet Hair From Furniture, Couch, Blankets & Bed Sheets
A brush/roller hair remover tool can sometimes work for furniture and bafribs around the house.
One example is the ChomChom Roller Dog Hair, Cat Hair, Pet Hair Remover (on Amazon). This tool might be better for flatter surfaces though.
One problem with rollers, and lint brushes with fabric though, is that the fabric on the roller/brush can fall apart after a few months of use. So, be aware of this.
How To Remove Pet Hair From Laundry Machines & Washing Machines
Generally with washing machines and laundry machines, you can:
Wipe the inside of the washing machine barrel with a damp cloth to pick up loose pet hair
Clean out the washing machine lint and hair filter as required
How To Remove Pet Hair From Car (Car Seats, Car Floor, Etc.)
In the first place, you can buy a cover or blanket for your dog to sit or lay on to reduce pet hair from falling on seats and the floor.
But, for pet hair already in the car, you might try:
Step 1
A rubber pet hair removal brush for car seats.
You could try a lint roller or a pet hair roller/remover tool for the car floor.
Step 2
Go over both the seats and the car floor with a vacuum to pick up remaining loose and surface pet hair.
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