We all love our pups! But admit it, you’ve wished (more than once) those good boys and girls would just stop shedding dog hair all over the place, right? Us too. And now that our furry friends can come with us to more places than ever — breweries, outdoor patios, the list goes on — our cars are full of hair, too.
That’s why we’ve compiled our favorite hacks & helpful tips for cleaning up dog hair, no matter if you’re looking to regain your car seats, your couch, or anything in-between. You might be surprised to find that it’s easier than you think; the real trick is maintenance so that it never gets too out of control.
How to get dog hair out of a car?
- Seat covers. Prevention is better than cure, and for certain dog breeds, even constant brushing won’t stop the sheds, making opting for car seat covers an great option. Seat covers will keep the hair off your seats, and contain it to one area, making it much easier to address. At the end of the ride, simply vacuum the hair off the cover, or pop it out and into the wash. In a pinch, you can even use an old beach towel as a seat cover.
- Balloons. The power of static, at work for you! Simply blow up a balloon, rub it over your car seats to create a static electric charge, and watch the dog hairs be lifted right off the upholstery. As hair gathers on the balloon, simply wipe it off and repeat until your seats are clean again. This method works great for loose hairs, but isn’t strong enough for embedded hairs.
- Lint roller. If you’ve had a dog for any length of time, you know the power of a lint roller. Keep one in your car’s console for a quick fix for dog hairs after every trip. Simply expose the surface of the lint roller, and run it over your seats, picking up loose dog hair as you go.
- Fabric softener spray. Not only do they make your clothes soft and smell nice, but fabric softener contains ingredients specifically designed to loosen hair. It’s a no-brainer for use in your car. Mix 2-3 teaspoons of your favorite fabric softener with water in a clean spray bottle. Spray the mixture onto your car seats, then wipe with a paper towel to loosen any stubborn hair. Finish with a quick vacuum, and your car will look (and smell) like new. Pro-tip: this method works best with upholstery, but not with leather car seats.
- Vacuum. Sometimes, the obvious solutions are the best. Run to the car wash up the street to use their high powered vacuums, or invest in your own auto vacuum. Just be sure to find one that has an attachment with rubber bristles, as these are most effective at removing hair.
How to get dog hair out of furniture and bedding?
- Cover it up. Just like we did with the seat covers in your car, covering your favorite couch or bed with a large, washable blanket, just might be the simplest solution. While this technique is admittedly not the most aesthetically appealing, there’s a reason that everyone does it. You can simply toss that blanket straight into the washer every few days, easily managing dog hair build-up.
- Anti-static spray. Static electric charges are what cause all that dog hair to stick to your fabric surfaces in the first place. Lightly mist your couches (or any other upholstered surface where your dog likes to hang out) to stop the hair before it sticks, or use it to help unstick hair that’s already present.
- Give your couch the spa treatment. Throw on some damp rubber kitchen gloves, or use a moist sponge, to help coax dog hair off of fabric surfaces. The moisture will cause the hair to clump together, making it easier to remove—either by hand or with a vacuum. Just be sure not to drown your couch, and let it air dry before sitting again.
- Use a humidifier. Running a humidifier in your home not only adds moisture to the air, it can help prevent dog hair from sticking to fabric surfaces. And, your interior plants will love it too.
- When in doubt, vacuum. Many varieties of vacuum cleaners come with specific attachments for upholstery or pet hair. Finding an affordable solution that works for you just might be the play.
- DIY solutions. Dampened dryer sheets, lint rollers, even duct tape, can be effective solutions for quickly removing pet hair in a pinch.
How to get dog hair out of carpet?
- Invest in a spray bottle. No, not to spray your dog! Rude. Vacuuming obviously helps with dog hair, but there’s another trick: using a spray bottle, lightly mist your carpet with water. Then, use a broom to sweep up clumps of hair before running the vacuum. The moisture causes the hair to stick together, and a stiff bristled broom will pull it right up. If you’re worried about carpet odor, sprinkle some baking soda on the carpet after sweeping, and then you can clear it out of the way when you vacuum.
- Switch up your vacuuming. Vacuum dog hair in alternating directions yields the most effective results (and you can make fun carpet art patterns to confuse your family or roommates).
- Grab a squeegee. Yep, that kind of squeegee. Even for carpet. Not only do they remove wet nose prints from windows and screen doors, you can also use them to rake pet hair out of carpet. Run your squeegee over the carpet just like you’d do a window. The friction between the rubber blade and carpet will cause pet hair to lift out in tufts you can easily remove by hand or with a vacuum.
How to get dog hair out of hard surfaces? (hardwood or vinyl flooring, countertops, desks, fans) etc..
- Daily maintenance. Obviously, the best way to mitigate pet hair is through daily cleaning and maintenance of your home—dusting, sweeping, vacuuming and mopping. Making a point to do your daily chores (we know, it's not the most exciting part of your day) ensures hair doesn’t quickly build up in your home.
- Bring in the big dogs. No pun-intended, but sometimes, you need a little extra help to tackle all that pet hair. Some of our favorite tools to make cleaning go faster are:
The Swiffer Heavy Duty Pet Dry Sweeping Cloths, which are perfect for quickly sweeping without having to mess with a dustbin since the dog hair sticks directly to the cloths, which you can then remove and toss straight in the trash when you’re done.
The Swiffer Heavy Duty Pet Wet Mopping Cloths saves you the trouble of having to haul out buckets of water and detergent, providing a hassle-free solution to floor mopping. They’re safe for all types of finished floors. The wet mopping cloths are also disposable, leaving your floors hairless and your hands-free when you’re done. Also great for pet messes!
Being a dog owner is all about those sweet dog stares, goofy pooch grins, sloppy kisses and puppy tail wags. Put our helpful hints to use, & you’ll spend more time there,& less time worrying about the hair in your home.
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