Updated by Matt Clayton 1 Week Ago
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Here's the deal: Whether you own a golden retriever or a short-haired chihuahua, it almost seems impossible to leave your house without your clothes littered with dog hair.
Especially when you're trying to make it out the door to an office meeting, the last thing you want to do is double back for the lint roller because you have to shed dog hair of your own—from your work attire.
However, there are times when a lint roller isn't available, or you just can’t seem to find it, or honestly, it just doesn't get the job done as well as it should.
Don't worry, there are a few ways you can get dog hair off your clothes without using the lint roller. Here are a few—some more practical than others:
Part One: 7 effective tips on how to remove dog and cat hair off clothes without a lint roller
1. Use Damp Hands or Rubber Gloves
Whether you're using your hands or have slipped on rubber gloves, you can quickly get rid of pet hair on your clothes without much more than some cold water. Run your hands or gloves through a bit of water and wipe across your dog-hair-infested clothing. As long as you keep the motion directed downwards, the hair should start to ball up, making it much easier to clump, remove, and throw away.
2. Sprinkle a Little Vinegar
You can take out the pesky pet hair problem by not doing much, at all. Since you already consistently wash your clothes, all you have to do is add a little extra something in on the next laundry day.
By inserting only 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar while you're washing clothes, you can stop the dog hair from sticking on. The vinegar inserted into the wash will then reduce or eliminate the static that is usually in your fabrics.
That vinegar will then react with the fabric and create a non-sticking environment for your dog’s loose hair. Not only will this help keep pet hair from sticking on, but it will also keep lint off, too.
3. Keep the Closet Door Closed
Even if you haven't used the jacket since winter last year, somehow Charleigh’s strands of fur are all over it. You thought your clothes were safe from your pet’s hair stowed away at the back of the coat closet—but almost nowhere is safe from your dog’s fur.
The enemy hairs seem to find their way onto your clothes through any slick opening. The problem here is that not only is the hair wherever Charleigh walks, it’s also launched into the air you breathe.
Once that pet fur and dander is in the air, there’s no telling where it may go. However, if you keep the closet and dresser doors closed, you'll have a better shot at shutting out pet hair, too.
4. Duct Tape Solves Everything
You can also use packing tape, as well. Since lint rollers only work to a certain extent or they only last a few rolls, having cheap packing tape in your corner can help lift the pet hair off your sweater. Just wrap the tape around your hand and start padding your clothes. The hair will stick to the tape and voila!
5. Get Rid of Pet Hair in the Air
Since we’ve already mentioned the lingering pet-hair-in-the-air-problem, you might as well address it in your own house. There are several ways you can try and remove or reduce the amount of pet hair in the air. You can vacuum the floors, vacuum the upholstery, use an air purifier, sweep, and Swiffer.
6. Use Dryer Sheets
These are handy slips of good-smelling-goodness to whip into your batch of laundry when you want everything to smell nice and clean. However, you can easily use the dryer and dryer sheets to help get rid of unwanted pet hair.
You can either run a fabric softener dryer sheet over your dog as or after you brush them. The loose, lingering pet hair will be sucked right up by the dryer sheet.
If you are struggling with your favorite shirt right before a big date, toss it in the dryer really quick. Slip in a dryer sheet and run it on cool makes for the perfect solution. You can also add some wet, microfiber clothes and set the dryer on tumble for an easy pick-hair-up.
Especially for jackets or bedding that somehow ends up with a whole layer of dog hair, the secret here is to pre-dry.
Before you wash, run the bedding through the dryer on a “cool” setting before throwing it into the washing machine. This simple action can loosen the hair and trap it into the dryer filter before you even wash.
7. Use a Balloon
If you're feeling comical or have a few spare balloons from little Tommy’s sixth birthday party, you can use the leftover party favors as a helpful pet hair remover. The static in the balloons can help attract all that pet hair and remove it from your clothes.
Just as balloons are used to make your hair stand up, the static will then be rubbed all over the pet-hair-infested clothes. The hair will then stick right to the balloon and boom—clean clothes and an entertained Tommy.
Part Two: 5 Preventative Measures to minimize the need to remove dog hair from clothes
Before you even get to the point of pet-hair desperation, there can be some actions you can take that can help reduce the amount of pet hair on your clothes and furniture:
1. Groom Your Dog
Not only should you bathe and brush them in basic grooming, simply running the brush through their fur (preferably outside) will help get all the extra pet hair off their back. Those lingering pet hairs that are just barely clinging on are ready to invade your personal space. A good brush can get them off and into the air of the backyard—ready to fly away from your clothes.
2. Set Up Velcro
If you can’t be bothered with lint rollers—especially paying for all the replacement sheets, you can easily get the same results from velcro straps. Even though it’s extremely annoying to clean out, you can quickly get pet hair out of clothes by using a velcro strap.
Using the rough side of the velcro, you can run and rub it over your clothes and watch as the fur will easily stick to it. You can affordably invest in the velcro from fabric or craft stores.
3. Cover It Up
Easier said than done and possibly not the best advice for interior design, you can eliminate a lot of the pet hair from gathering on those couch cushions or your bed by covering them with a blanket and teaching your dog to lay in that particular place. That way, they will only leave their fur behind in the blanket, and most of your home can stay hair-free. It's easier to pop that blanket in the washer than to clean your whole couch.
As for your clothes—definitely try not to leave them laying around. “Cover It Up” also means to cover up clean clothes and dirty ones. Not only should you keep your dresser drawer and closet door closed, but you should also find a way to keep dirty laundry stowed away. Invest in a laundry basket that closes at the top so pet hair can’t find its way in and infest all your dirty clothes.
Related reading: Best Couch Covers for Dogs
4. Pick Pet-Friendly Clothes
We know how difficult it is to weather in the summer months, however, just for you to be aware of what attracts pet hair and what doesn’t we left these notes for you.
Even though you shouldn't go so far as to let your pet have such an influence in your fashion sense, if you're out shopping for clothes and can avoid certain fabrics, it’s best if you keep them out of your hands—and closet.
You'll want to stray away from velvet, velour, wool, corduroy, and loose knits. Even though the synthetic material is not much better—it can still attract hair because of static—it’s best to try and wear synthetic materials in the house. As for leather, satin, and other shiny clothing, your dog’s hair can easily slip off of it.
5. Anti-Static Spray
Whether you've made your own or purchased one, this is a handy thing to have stocked up at all times. Especially if you have multiple dogs in your home—or cats. Spray the upholstery and your clothes with a mix of water and fabric conditioner, and then wipe it off.
This type of spray is homemade and easy to mix up. You can also purchase that particular product at a local pet store or fabric store. It will make it much, much easier to remove the pet hair after it’s sprayed.
Part Three: 7 best Products to help get Cat & dog hair off clothes (tried and tested!)
7 best products I rely on [with furry roomies]
I love my two dogs, but I also love a clean home.
These are my personal favorites:
1. Pet grooming gloves grab loose pet hair before it ends up invading your home - and my dogs love being groomed!
2. FURminator deShedding Tool is another fantastic way to reduce shedding.
3. The ChomChom roller removes pet hair from the furniture without having to buy new lint rollers constantly.
4. But I, of course, have an emergy lint roller in my car and my briefcase
5. Fur-Zoff Pet Hair Remover for a thorough cleanup of the car.
6. Dyson V10 – the ultimate pet hair vacuum that wipes out pet hair!
7. And to make it even easier for me, my Neato D6 robotic vacuum does the daily upkeep cleaning while I enjoy my free time outside with my dogs.With just these 7 products you can easily have a spotless home - even with a furry roomie or two.
- Matt
Pet hair on your clothes doesn't have to be the price to pay when it comes to owning man’s (and woman’s) best friend.
We hope that these helpful ways to remove pet hair off of your clothes can help you solve those day-to-day pet-hair-wardrobe issues.
If you can, taking the preventative measures we also mentioned can help you try to avoid the problem altogether.
Either way - following these helpful hints can rid you of your pet hair problems!
