Keep your home and clothes pet-hair free with these handy tips
Owning a pet can be a joy, but chores like picking up after dog poop and cleaning those pesky pet hairs that get everywhere certainly aren’t. Pet hair can stick to your clothes, furniture, floors, and fabrics. While you won't be able to eliminate it from your home altogether, you can follow these tips to keep your surfaces as fur-free as possible.
Most cats and dogs are continuously shedding, and house cleaning with pets can be a challenge. Keeping up a regular vacuuming schedule with a model that has excellent suction and tangle-resistant brushes is one of your best lines of defense for keeping hair at bay.
Also, "vacuums that have pet hair attachments are now common and a great tool for combating pet hair on furniture, floors, curtains, and even clothing,” says Asya Biddle, Angi Expert Review Board member and manager of The Dust Busters janitorial company in Williamsport, PA.
You can also use a vacuum attachment to clean your baseboards, so dust, dander, and pet hair don’t accumulate for long.
Robot vacuums are popular for constant pick up and save you a daily chore, but you do have to help your pets adjust to them (not every cat is destined to be a robotic vacuum-riding internet sensation). Plus, they don’t have the additional attachments that can be useful for vacuuming sofas and other upholstery.
If you have hardwood, laminate, or other uncarpeted surfaces, try going over the floors with a microfiber dry mop before vacuuming. These electrostatic cleaners attract pet hairs rather than blowing them around as a vacuum can do.
For removing hairs from clothes, sofas or other furniture, invest in a specific pet hair removal tool. Unlike traditional lint rollers, you won’t have to replace the roller, and they’re often small enough to fit in a bag so you can catch any stray hair you find on your suit before a big presentation.
If you don’t want to use a pet hair remover, you can use tools already around the home. Dampened squeegees and rubber gloves work wonders at lifting hair off furniture and clothes.
Inexpensive, widely available, and effective, the lint roller has long been a staple of many pet owners' cupboards. You simply roll them over the fabric you want to remove the hair from and then remove the adhesive strip from the roll once it has lost its stickiness. “Lint rollers are a cheap and easy way to combat pet hair on any fabric surface,” says Biddle.
Winding some sticky tape around your fingers (sticky side up) can remove pet hair in a pinch. It’s not quite as effective as lint rollers or other pet-hair removal tools, but you probably always have it on hand.
Another emergency option is to use a damp microfiber cloth. This trick won’t be a magical solution, but it’ll lift some hairs from your clothes or furniture fabric.
For deeply ingrained hair that hasn’t fully lifted after vacuuming, try using a pumice stone. This tip is helpful if your pet always settles in one corner of the carpet. The exfoliating texture can penetrate the carpet fibers and hook up those stubborn hairs. Just be careful not to rub too hard or for too long, and don’t use it on delicate materials.
If you have dryer sheets, try using a damp one on fabrics to lift pet hairs. Their antistatic properties help loosen stubborn fur. Wiping them over furniture may also reduce static and minimize the amount of clinging hair.
For clothes or bedding covered in pet hair, pop them in the dryer for 10 minutes on the lowest heat setting. This tip will loosen hairs and pull them into the dryer filter, so just be sure you clean it after.
Using dryer sheets or dryer balls can help to loosen even more hair because of their antistatic properties.
For washing pet bedding, you could add half a cup of white vinegar during the rinse cycle. This solution acts as a natural fabric softener and can help free trapped hair. You can even add tools like lint-removing balls during the cycle to help with this job.
Ideally, though, you’ll want to remove as much pet hair as possible before putting items in the wash. Pet hair can clump when wet and clog your drain.
Try mixing a solution of three parts water to one part fabric conditioner in a spray bottle. Although not a miracle solution, you can apply this to furniture to act as an antistatic repellant. You can also spray it lightly on carpets before vacuuming as it can help loosen ingrained hairs.
Always follow manufacturer directions for fabric care and test on an inconspicuous area first.
If you have a low-humidity home, investing in a humidifier benefits you in all sorts of ways, including helping to minimize the number of hairs that cling to surfaces because of static buildup. Air purifiers help trap pet hair and dander through the use of HEPA filters.
Neither will completely eliminate pet hairs from the environment. Still, they can be helpful additional tools if you’re already considering them for other reasons such as allergies or respiratory conditions.
Taking steps to reduce the number of hairs that get trapped on your clothes, furniture, and floors in the first place will make the job of cleaning them up that much easier.
Regular brushing with grooming tools designed to tackle shedding should be part of your routine. As well as minimizing the amount of hair in the home, a good brushing will prevent matting, remove dirt and debris, and distribute natural oils to help keep their coat in good condition.
Nothing beats regular brushing, but when you give your pet a bath, using a deshedding shampoo can help to lift loose hair and strengthen the hair and follicles.
When investing in new floors or furniture, you probably take your own tastes into account, but you should also consider your pet. Surfaces you can wipe clean, like hardwood flooring or leather sofas, will be easier to keep fur-free than carpets or velour upholstery.
Investing in some throw blankets to cover your sofa or other spots where your pet likes to relax will be a worthwhile investment. They will keep pet hair off furnishings and carpets. Plus, popping the throws in the wash when they get smelly can help maintain your floors and comfy couches more easily.
