4 Tips for Dog Owners: How to Get Rid of Pet Hair
If the never-ending battle with dog hair is starting to make you despair, don’t give up yet! There are plenty of things you can do to reduce the amount of hair in your home. Here are four tips for managing hair that don’t require expensive cleaning products.
1. Clean Furniture with Rubber Gloves
If your dog likes to sleep on the sofa, the upholstery is probably covered in a layer of hair. This can be difficult to remove – even with a powerful vacuum. Fortunately, there’s an easy to remove it using nothing more than a rubber glove
Start by moistening the glove so it’s not dry but isn’t dripping either. If you hold it under a tap, you might need to shake your hand to get rid of excess water.
Then run your hand over a section of the furniture. The glove will attract hair and roll it into a ball. This is much faster and more effective than using sticky tape – and less likely to damage your furniture. Remember to rinse the glove after every few passes though.
2. Remove Hair from Hard Floors
Hair is usually easier to remove from hard floors, as it can’t get ground into carpet fibres. The problem is that many vacuum cleaners do a better job of pushing hair around than removing it.
If this is the case with your vacuum, try using a dampened microfibre cloth. This creates an electrostatic charge that attracts hair, so you can quickly remove large amounts. The only downside to this method is you’ll need to change cloths regularly.
3. Get Rid of Stubborn Hair in Carpets
One of the hardest places to get rid of pet hair is from carpets. This is because hair gets caught in fibres and ground deeper as people walk on it. While a powerful pet vacuum can remove most hair from carpets, sometimes even the strongest vacuum isn’t up to the job.
A quicker way to get rid of more hair is to use a rubber broom. Just like using a glove on furniture, this attracts hair and rolls it up into a convenient ball.
If you don’t have a rubber broom, a squeegee can do a similar job. This is more time consuming, but squeegees have a similar “magnetic” effect on hair.
You can also get rid of bad smells by sprinkling baking soda over problem areas, then leaving it to sit for around 10 minutes before vacuuming. The baking soda absorbs odours without leaving a mark on your carpets.
4. Groom Regularly
An effective – if time consuming – way to reduce the amount of hair in your home is to regularly brush your dog. This gets rid of loose hair that would otherwise end up on your sofa or carpets.
Dogs need different brushes depending on the type of coat they have though, so you might want to ask your groomer which is the best option for your pet.
If, for example, your dog has a double coat, you’ll need to use a shedding blade to brush the deeper layer. Longer coats may require a wire-pin brush, while a bristle brush tends to be best for short hair or general grooming.
The amount of brushing required also varies. As a general rule, daily brushing is best for dogs that shed a lot. If your dog doesn’t shed much, you may be able to brush every 2-3 days. Try to brush your dog outside so none of the hair ends up in your home.
Bonus Tip: Buy a High-Quality Pet Vacuum
The four tips in this article either help you get rid of stubborn hair or reduce the amount in your home. While they are all useful, a high-quality pet vacuum cleaner is always going to be the fastest way to remove large amounts of hair.
The good news is a great pet vacuum doesn’t need to cost a lot of money. Just make sure it has strong suction, a powered turbo tool (for getting rid of hair on stairs) and an effective filter. You can also click here to view a list of the best pet vacuum cleaners by Spotless Vacuum.
Summary
Hair is a continuous problem for dog owners – especially if your pet sheds a lot. You’re never going to get rid of it all, but by following the tips in this article you can greatly reduce the amount in your home.
Do you have any questions about the tips in this article? Or do you have a favourite method for getting rid of dog hair? Let me know in the comments section!
Jim is a dog owner, parent and cleaning expert who is currently living in the UK. Aside from helping people clean their homes more efficiently, he enjoys hiking, squash and swimming.
