Sure, we all love our pets, but we can all admit that dealing with their hair is no fun, right? Our furry friends have a special talent for getting their hair virtually everywhere inside our homes and cars. It’s a small price to pay for all of the benefits that go along with owning a pet, but it’s still a pain to deal with.
But don’t despair….I’m here to share some good news! There is an abundance of great products on the market these days designed to help pet owners keep all that pet hair in check.
But before we talk about solutions to your pet hair problems, let’s talk about prevention.
Mom always said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and it’s no different with pet hair. One way to reduce the amount of shed hair that ends up on your carpet and upholstery is to make sure your pet is eating a high quality food. Pets whose diets include the recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals will shed less hair than pets getting less nutrients.
Another way to reduce shedding is to brush your pet regularly with a good quality pet brush. Deshedding brushes have teeth that reach down through the top coat of hair to the undercoat, and loosen and remove hair from the undercoat before it has a chance to get on your couch. Regular brushing is also good for your pet’s skin, because it distributes their skin’s natural oils and helps promote good circulation.
Many dog owners swear by the Furminator dog brush, but its pretty pricey for a brush! I noticed there’s a very similar tool on Amazon called the DakPets Deshedding Tool. It has great reviews, can be used on both dogs AND cats, and best of all, it’s less than half the price.
I’m sure we all have the best intentions to brush our pets regularly, but let’s face it, sometimes we forget. So let’s explore some solutions to existing pet hair problems!
Pet Hair Vac
Handheld pet hair vacuums are becoming an increasingly attractive option, as prices go down and power goes up. This Dirt Devil Total Power Pet vac has a roller brush attachment with rubber teeth on the front, which is perfect for getting pet hair off your car seats, floor mats, carpeted stairs, and upholstered furniture. It also makes a great hand vac for small messes too!
Other popular pet vacs include the Bissel Pet Hair Eraser, the Shark Pet Perfect, and the Eureka Easy Clean.
Lint Rollers
If you have a pet, you probably already have several of these, but I think they’re worth mentioning. Lint rollers are a must-have for pet owners, since they’re the easiest and quickest way to de-hair your outfit before walking out the door or getting out of your car. At home, you’ll want a big lint roller that’s extra sticky, like the Evercare Extra Sticky Lint Roller. (One of my pet peeves is lint rollers that are only sticky for the first pass over clothes, so this is my lint roller of choice!)
But when you’re on the go, you’ll probably want a more portable option. Mini lint rollers are the way to go, because they’ll fit just about anywhere. You can keep one in your purse, at your desk, and in your car, so you’re always prepared to tackle unexpected pet hair. :-)
Rubbery Tools
Rubber is pet hair’s kryptonite. Rubber tools grip pet hair better than just about anything, making it so much easier to remove and clean up. There are a lot of great rubber pet hair products on the market these days, so I’ll just highlight a few.
- First, there’s the FURemover Broom, a combination broom/squeegee that’s designed to get stubborn pet hair out of carpet. It can also be used to sweep up spills, as well as wash windows and cars! (I’ve also used regular squeegees to get pet hair out of carpet, with great results.)
- For a portable, handheld pet hair remover, there’s the CarPET Hair Remover. It’s rubber teeth work in the same way as the broom mentioned above, but it fits in your hand. Plus, it can fit in a drawer rather than taking up closet space, which is always at a premium in my house!
- Finally, there’s the good ol’ rubber glove. A rubber glove can be just as effective as the tools mentioned above for grabbing and collecting pet hair off of various surfaces, and you may already have one at home!
Sweepers & Dusters
But what about pet hair on hard floors, rather than carpets? “Dry mops” with a removable microfiber or cloth pads are great at snagging pet hair, dust, and dirt off of solid surfaces. Some options have disposable pads like the Swiffer Sweeper, and others, like the Bona Floor Mop and the Libman Floor Mop, have washable microfiber pads that you can use over and over again.
For surfaces that don’t require a tool with a handle, like furniture, treated dust wipes are becoming quite popular. An added bonus….surfaces treated with dust wipes will repel pet hair for a while, meaning less for you to clean next time! If you’re interested in dust wipes, try out Clorox Triple Action Dust Wipes or Pledge Dust Cloths.
Regardless of whether you tackle pet hair with a vac, a lint roller, a rubber glove, or a dust cloth, it’s important to be consistent with your cleaning. You don’t have to do it every day, but a thorough weekly cleaning of the spots where your pet usually hangs out will go a long ways towards keeping your pet hair situation under control.
How do you handle your pet hair issues?
I love this article! So helpful! Not only does it help me and my7cat..but I’m a janitor at a local grooming shoo too!
However…
I have a question about the wipes.
EVERYTHING is going to wipes these days. I worry if they’re actually biodegradable or recyclable.
Think there a way to reuse them?
For instance, I use Mice load water facial wipes every day (they’re recycled cotton)
and a lot of kitchen wipes. I’d like to think they’re cutting down town n waste, but are they really?
How can we recycle them or reuse them?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks and Blessings
Drea Gaines
Another good tool for removing pet hair off furniture is a big ole RUBBER sponge. Just pass it over the fabric and it pick up an amazing amount of hair! For those pets who don’t like to be brushed, try COMBING them. My pets prefer that. I use the little combs with the short teeth on both sides of the comb – I think these are made for removing lice, but my kitties love them.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Pat, this probably sounds dumb but where do you buy a rubber sponge? I don’t know if you’re referring to the small round cosmetic ones or something else? I’ve got two English Bulldogs and the shedding – especially this year – has been AWFUL. I’ve tried everything and the only that works is the Dyson. I’m sick of pulling that out four times a day!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Kelly,
Most large pet stores carry them.
There is a gizmo called ShedEZ that is made for horses (yes, they blow their coats in Spring… big-time!!) that looks great. It looks like a big squeegee with a wooden handle. They make them in dog and cat size too. They are getting great reviews and I’m planning on getting at least one for the horses. I have a dog that is blowing his coat now, so these are great ideas. I’ll come back with a review on the ShedEZ when I try it out.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The ShedEZ is AMAZING! Works absolute wonders on my German Shepherd. But definitely does better on meatier dogs, as the squeegee you are talking about is actually a set of metal teeth that can be rough on the skinnier ones.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How do you get dog hair off of fuzzy-type blankets? Washing does not remove it – neither does leaving it on the line to remove the hair. I’m at my wits end. Both of the blankets I use on the couch are covered in dog hair (I KNOW —- I shouldn’t let them up on the couch, but…..)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks.
Sheila, after I wash my animal ‘cloths’ I usually hang them outside, a breeze helps. Then to remove more hair, I put them in the dryer on air dry for 20 mins or so. And try to rem to reset the dryer after I remove them so for the next load I don’t dry a load of wet clothes on air dry for 30 mins! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Betty
For my “pet cloths ” and bedding, I first brush it with a bristle brush. A cheap little purse size brush from the dollar store is ideal. Then I put it the the dryer on air/fluff for half an hour, then wash. Add a tiny bit of softener to the wash water to lose the hair plus regular softener in the rinse cycle. Dry with softener sheets. Granted, some if the hair just won’t come out, but they’ll be A Lot better and cleaner too!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hope this helps!
Drea Gaines.
I’ve used a squeegee on pet hair and was amazed at how much I picked up, even *after* vacuuming. The squeegee works!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hand held car cleaner sounds great! Thanx
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If your pets don’t like a brush, you can get grooming gloves with rubber nubs. I have the Furbuster by Petmate. My cats love it (it’s 6.99 on amazon right now) I bought the “dog” version since it’s more hand shaped than the “cat” version. I’ve had it for a year and it’s held up really well.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have those! Great on my short hair kitties, but not on my Maine Coons. I have to use a metal dog comb for them. Wish I could find something that would dig deep into their under coats without hurting them. They mat up so bad in spring and Autumn when they grow their winter coats.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I vacuum my dogs. They think it is a spa treatment. But I shed enough hair to make up for them.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Adorable! And tidy :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You mention that dust wipes repel pet hair. My go-to for repelling pet hair is to rub an unused dryer sheet over my furniture. As a bonus this also prevents static electricity from shocking your husband when you get up from the couch and give him a kiss. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Perfect! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I also rub a used softener sheet over my cats back when her fur is full of static. Just the back where she can’t reach well to lick.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Good ideas. I tried brushing my cats fur when we had her. She would just fight me and would only take so much before trying to bite. Its amazing how much hair a short haired pet can shed. I guess you probably have to start brushing their fur when their babies to get them used to it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The rubber broom works amazingly well! I’m now considering that small hand held rubber thing for the car. Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I don’t have pet hair but I have threads in/on my sewing room carpet. There are long handled, wide rollers you can buy for this purpose but I just use a paint roller with an extension pole so I don’t have to bend over. I put 2 regular sticky rollers on it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That’s brilliant! Good suggestion! Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What a clever idea Karol!!
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