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How to remove pet hair from every surface

We all love our furry companions but what we definitely do not love is the massive accumulation of fur that always appears no matter how much you beg your loyal pets to—please just this once—not to shed all over your things.  Although no two shedders are created equally (you can see where your pet ranks here) we know it’s never a good experience to find fur around the home.

Even though some loose fur is a small price to pay for a seemingly never-ending source of unconditional love, we understand that finding white fur on your black suede couch will always be a source of frustration, and ironically, grey hairs.  Because pet hair is an unavoidable consequence of living with your furry friend and, let’s be honest, is totally worth the constant admiration and companionship that pets bring, we’ve put together a guide of the best ways to remove pet hair from ANY surface.  This way, the next time Spike leaves you a furry present on your favorite rug like you know he will, you’ll be prepared to deal with the downside of making friends with “man’s best friend”.

How to remove pet hair from pets

Curbing the fur before it even gets to the ground is the best way to prevent headaches, and in a perfect world would be the only step in this guide.  We know that you love your pet as much as you hate shedding; because of this, we put together a comprehensive pet shed solutions guide with our friends at PetMD and Pet360 to help you take the steps necessary to cut down on shedding as much as possible.  Going through this guide is a great first step towards living in a fur-free world, and doesn’t that sound nice?

Here are a few highlights to help you remove fur from your pets and maybe a little hassle from your life:

  • Preventing and treating any pre-existing skin diseases can help decrease shedding, which can be a side effect of common ailments.  The best way to do this is to keep the fleas off and provide a diet full of necessary fatty acid supplements.
  • Cutting off excess hair can be a solid shedding solution, pretty simple right? Groomers are well-versed in the best cuts for heavy shedders so they may become your next best friend, watch out Susan.
  • Brushing is considered the classic when it comes to shedding prevention and for good reason.  Not all brushes are created equally though, our personal favorite is the Furminator but matching the style of the brush to your pet’s hair length and texture is still necessary to get the most out of this process.
  • Bathing can also be a godsend to owners of heavy shedders, although you may have to combat a protesting cat and invest in extra-strength drain cleaners, but it’s one of our favorite methods to cut down on shedding (and your pets will come out smelling like fresh rain, bonus!)

Check out the full guide for more solutions to tackle and prevent shedding.

How to remove pet hair from clothing

Anyone with a pet and a favorite black pair of pants knows just how easily it is to go from fresh out of the laundry bliss back to pet-hair reality.  To combat this use these tips to get the hair off your clothes and the headaches at bay.

  • The classic lint roller is effective for getting small batches of hair off especially if you’re in a hurry or on your way out the door.  Keep a roller in your bag or by the door to make sure you’re never caught off guard.
  • If you have time, simply washing your clothes with a bit of white vinegar (about ½ cup to ¾ cup should do the trick) can be an effective and easy way to make sure your clothes come out of the laundry pet-hair free because nothing is more frustrating than finding fur in your clothes even AFTER you’ve done laundry.  Everyone deserves to enjoy clean clothes, you know until your dog jumps into your lap after going for a run outside.
  • Get rid of pesky static cling by throwing your laundry in the dryer with a dryer sheet for ten to fifteen minutes. Less is more, make sure there is plenty of room in the dryer for the clothes to move around and for the loosened hair to fall into the lint trap.

How to remove pet hair from upholstered furniture

Unlike some of the other surfaces on here, upholstered furniture has a few simple tricks that make cleanup a breeze!  Follow these tips so you don’t end up like this guy!

  • A lint roller or handheld vacuum makes spot cleaning super easy.  Any time you see some hair just run the vacuum or roller for instant satisfaction.
  • Don’t have a lint roller or vacuum on hand? A fan-favorite online is to run rubber gloves or sponges over the surface of the furniture for a surprisingly effective life hack.  Run the gloves or sponges through a little bit of water beforehand to increase their effectiveness.  Either way, it feels a bit like magic and seeing the pet hair disappear is sure to bring a smile to your face.

How to remove pet hair from non-upholstered furniture

Wooden and other non-upholstered furniture are also subject to fall victim to pet hair.  The good news?  In one simple step, you’ll be like the Terminator and say “hasta la vista” to that hair (although just like the Terminator, they’ll be back).

  • Use the power of static electricity to your advantage! The same thing that zaps you when you’re dragging your feet along the carpet will now be your best friend. To do this, run a microfiber cloth along the surface of your wooden furniture. Seems simple right?

How to remove pet hair from car interiors

If you love your pets as much as we do, sometimes that means bringing them with you on family trips (because we can only stand so many judgmental looks when we tell people we Skype our pets).

  • As you’ve probably noticed is a common theme, a lint roller or small handheld vacuum can be a lifesaver when you’re in a pinch.  Lint rollers to the rescue!
  • When a lint roller is just not enough we turn to an unlikely solution, pumice stones.  Pumice stones are another fan favorite for removing fur from car interiors, particularly fabric seats.  Simply run the stone over the surface of your interior, but make sure to practice caution and be gentle on carpets (it is a stone after all).  You can find pumice stones at your local beauty supply store and the best part is they pretty much last forever and don’t rely on electricity to function.

How to remove pet hair from hardwood

Hardwood looks beautiful and you would think it would be immune to pet-hair deposits compared to carpeted floors (which we go over below) but that’s not always the case.  In fact, if you don’t clean hardwood correctly you may be digging yourself into a hole because most methods just push the hair around instead of capturing it.  Try these tips out to make sure in the battle of you versus hardwood, you always come out on top.

  • Use a microfiber dry mop to capture the hair on your hardwood or other non-carpeted floors.  Using a standing vacuum generally leads to just blowing the hair around, and in our experience, some pretty serious headaches.
  • If you’re finding that pet hairs tend to get caught in the cracks of your hardwood, you may want to consider reapplying a coat of sealer to eliminate cracks and make the chore of cleaning that much easier.  It’s a hassle at first but it’ll save you hours of bending over and picking out stray hairs one by one.

How to remove pet hair from carpet

Carpets are the motherland of pet-hair frustrations.  It’s almost like they were invented to add to pet owner’s stress levels.  But we have to admit, it feels nicer than hardwood when you’re running around in your socks or bare feet so we’re not going to get rid of them…yet.  Because of this we work around their propensity to build up fur, and you can do this too with these tips.

  • Rubber brooms may cause backaches but they’re an undeniably effective way of gathering fur that has nestled itself in your carpet.
  • If brute force isn’t your style Neato’s line of robot vacuums are consistently the best vacuums for pet hair.  This is because they’re designed with your furry companions in mind as well as the non-furred members of your family.  Not to mention the robot in robot vacuums means the fur can be picked up without you having to do anything (you had me at not having to do anything).
  • To boost the power of vacuuming, sprinkle baking soda over your carpet before you get to work.  Do you know that stuff that keeps your fridge smelling nice even after you forgot to throw out that carton of milk?  Turns out it can also help loosen the hair from the fiber and get rid of any odors that may be lurking around those fibers.
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