How to Remove Pet Hair From Every Part of Your Home

There’s nothing quite as relaxing as lounging on the sofa with your cat or dog and watching a movie. But, when the final credits start rolling and you look around you, it’s pretty obvious that your pet has been there … because their hair is everywhere. Your sofa, your clothes, your floors, are all covered in fuzzy remnants of your beloved pet. The good news is that this “look” isn’t permanent, and there’s plenty you can do to keep your furry friends close while keeping their fur at bay. Here’s how to keep your home (and your clothes) fur-free.

Rugs and Floor

If it regularly looks like a furnado has blown through your home, it may be worth investing in a vacuum with pet-hair-specific features, like stronger suction, a brush roll designed to prevent hair tangles, and a HEPA filter. The suction part is key for removing fine hairs embedded in the
carpet or between tiles or floorboards. For even more muscle, try a silicone broom with rubbery bristles that attract hair like magnets and massage fuzzies out of the deepest pile rugs. Sweep hair into one area, then vacuum it up, brush it into a dustpan, or grab it with a used dryer sheet. These sheets are meant to absorb static electricity, so they also help gather tumbleweeds of hair!

Furniture

To clean Hairy Potter’s favorite couch, pull out your vacuum. Use the brush attachment to go over the upholstery and under the cushions, where fur balls seem to somehow multiply in size. This will give you a good start on de-fuzzing, but you’ll need to get what the vacuum leaves behind. For that, you can grab a specialty tool, like the Lilly Brush, which is essentially a squeegee for pet hair. With the brush in hand, make raking motions to comb the hair into one area, then grab and toss. No brush? You can also put on a pair of rubber dishwashing gloves and wipe your hands along the fabric, working in a circular motion. That rubbery material is so handy! (See what we did there?)

Clothing

Nothing accessorizes a black outfit quite like white fur. Kidding! For clothing, you can’t beat a good old-fashioned sticky lint roller. Roll it up and down your body at least twice—don’t forget your butt. Duct tape and those rubber gloves we mentioned can also work in a pinch; give yourself a rubdown, being gentle with delicate materials, like cashmere. If none of these methods are working for you and your outfit is dryer safe, toss it in there for a few minutes for a quick shake. Note: Clean the lint trap before each cycle and the exhaust vent at least once a year.

When it’s time to wash your garments, remove as much hair as you can before putting them in the washing machine. (The water can lodge the fur deeper into the fabric, making it harder to remove later.) And toss a FurZapper into each wash and dry load; the silicone puck helps pull lingering hair and dander off your clothes. While you wait for the dryer to finish, go give Furcules a snuggle. It’s not his fault he’s so fuzzy!