10 Simple Tips for Cleaning Up Dog Hair

Cleaning up hair after your furry friends is a full-time job. Especially in the warm season when dogs (cats, rabbits, chinchillas anyone?) start changing their winter fir for a simmer one.

Fear not: with our ten simple tricks, it will be easy as never before.

Tip #1 Dampen carpet and use rubber broom with rubber bristles

If you have got hardwood or linoleum floors, cleaning them is easy with a damp mop or a squeegee. Another issue is carpeted floors, usually you can use only a vacuum on them. But there’s a trick involving a broom which can do a better job. Prepare your carpet by dampening it and then use a rubber broom with rubber bristles. Damp hair will loosen up and the broom will collect it into clumps for easy pickings. Once you’re done, if you want to get rid of pet odor, sprinkle baking soda on the carpet while it’s damp and let it sit there for several minutes and clean it up.

Tip #2 Rubber gloves

Rubber dish gloves work like dog hair magnets. Actually, they do the double job as they also protect your hands from bacteria that may live on dog hair. On Amazon, you can even find special pet grooming brush gloves that will work even better.

Tip #3 Duct tape

This is not a pretty method but consider it as a temporary fix. Simply wrap some duct tape around your hand and go over the furniture slightly tapping the surfaces. Obviously, you can’t cover large areas this way, so it’s more for furniture or certain spots.

Tip #4 Paint roller with duct tape

For this, you’ll need to prepare a little. Wrap a stretch of duct tape around a paint roller, the sticky part out. Then you can start rolling all flat surfaces like sofas, carpets, and floors.

Tip #5 Rubber broom with squeegee

Vacuums can’t pick up hair that is stuck firmly on furniture. In this case, sprinkle some water on the work surface. Take a squeegee broom, the rubber lip of the squeegee will pick up the hair and accumulate it, you’ll just need to remove it by hand.

Tip #6 Humidifier

Chances are those of us in cold climates already have a humidifier at home to prevent our skin and lungs from drying. Somewhat unexpectedly, humidifiers can help with pet hair, too. They prevent fur from sticking to surfaces which makes them easier to remove.

Tip #7 Pet hair handheld vacuum

You’ll get in places you couldn’t with a regular vacuum. These specialized handheld vacuums often come with two nozzles to best target places you’re aiming to clean. A rubber one to attract hair and dirt and a suction nozzle to pick up tiny trash like pieces of paper or dog food.

Tip #8 Robot vacuum cleaner

These robot vacuums have powerful suction and brushes that’s why they do such a good job on pet hair. They will pick up hair you didn’t know was there. When choosing a model, look for a vacuum equipped with brushes designed to pick up pet hair – this will prevent hair from getting tangled. Another handy thing is a virtual wall – a magnetic strip that stops the vacuum when it comes close to items like dog bowls and prevents it from knocking them over.

Tip #9 Furniture covers

To prevent dog hair from sticking to your furniture in the first palace, cover them with pet-friendly covers or blankets or special non-slip furniture protectors. If you’re opposed to this idea, consider covering at least your dog’s favorite spot. Make sure though your cover has a tight weave. Covers will also protect your sofas and chairs from dirt and other stains.

Tip #10 Dryer sheets or balls and tumble your clothes clean

If that’s your clothes that got their share of dog hair, throw them into the dryer with a bunch of dryer sheets. Mind though, dryer sheets have some pretty nasty chemicals in them. Instead, you may use dryer balls. When the clothes tumble in the dryer, the balls create static electricity and collect pet hair.