Tricks to Remove Your Dog's Hair From Clothes and Furniture

If you live with a dog, you surely don't need anyone to tell you. The hairs you'll be wearing on your pants or your sweater will leave no room for doubt. And that's because we love cuddling our dogs and even taking a nap together on the sofa.

But we like the trail of hair the dog inevitably leaves on us a lot less. That's why in this article we're going to go over the options we have to remove as much dog hair as possible from our clothes or furniture.

Preventing Hair Loss

First of all, dogs are absolutely going to lose hair. Especially during a couple of periods a year, which coincide with what's called shedding season. You'll definitely notice it, because you'll find more hair than usual everywhere for several weeks in a row.

Shedding is completely normal, and with few exceptions, every dog goes through it. It often feels like long-haired dogs shed more, but the truth is their hair is just more visible than short hair. Either way, even though it's an unavoidable process, we can minimize it.

To do this, it's recommended to brush more often during that period. All the hair we collect with the brush won't end up all over the house. Also, make sure the diet is high quality, keep your dog dewormed and stress-free, since all these factors contribute to greater hair loss throughout the year.

Fabrics to Remove Hair

The biggest problem with hair is that it gets stuck in fabrics. Sometimes so much that it's impossible to get them completely free of hair. This is especially annoying on the sofa or the bed. Also, if we put blankets or sheets in the washing machine, the hair could end up clogging the filter.

To solve this problem at the root, special fabrics are being sold that prevent hair from sticking to the material. This way the problem is avoided. But if we don't want to invest in these materials, we'll always have the option of trying different fabrics at home. You'll see that some are easier to shake hair off than others.

Lint Roller for Hair or Lint

A tool that's rarely missing from homes with a dog is the adhesive roller. As its name suggests, it's a small roller with refills made of a material that hair sticks to, leaving surfaces clean. It's easy to use both on clothes and on sofas and upholstered furniture.

It works, but it takes time to remove all the hair, and this means using a fair amount of the adhesive paper it uses. If you're removing hair from small surfaces or corners, you could simply use adhesive tape directly.

Hair Removal Mitts and Gloves

Another easy resource within reach is a special mitt for removing hair from upholstery, clothing, or any textile in general. You just need to put it on your hand and slide it over the spot you want. Afterward, run it in the opposite direction to leave it free of hair, and it can go in the washing machine.

You can get a similar effect using a latex glove you have around the house. The typical ones used for washing dishes or cleaning the bathroom. By wetting it and running it over the surface you want to clean, the hair sticks to it and comes off the fabric. Afterward you'll just need to rinse it with water.

The rubber mitts used on the dog itself to help remove dead hair can also be used to remove hair from clothes or furniture. They'll pull off this hair and much of it will clump together, forming much easier-to-collect and throw-away balls.

Vacuum Cleaners for Dog Hair

Finally, to get rid of hair buildup we can also opt for a vacuum cleaner. There are handheld ones, which can be used on textiles, or upright ones. Some contain specific components for removing this type of hair more easily. There are even some capable of mopping the floor, maximizing hygiene.

That said, some animals get scared by the noise or movement, especially with vacuum cleaners that move on their own. That's why it's best for us to be home the first time we use them, to check our dog's or cat's reaction, since they're especially sensitive to noise.

An animal's fear of these devices can be worked on, but if for this reason or by your own choice you opt for the traditional broom, it's best to choose a rubber one, since you'll find it drags along hair much better than the bristle type.