Do you find yourself buying furniture or bedding the same color as your cat? Or, do you wait until just before leaving the house before you put on your crisp black clothes (and hope your furry four-legged pal doesn’t rub up against you on your way out the door)? Unless you’re a proud pet parent of a Sphynx cat, Chinese Crested dog, naked mole-rat, or another exotic hairless mammal, you are going to have pet hair around your home and on your clothes. And, as much as we all love our pets, we can all agree, the one thing we don’t love is all that hair – everywhere! 

Pet hair can be a total nuisance, especially if you’re allergic to animal dander. In the United States, as many as three in 10 people with allergies have allergic reactions to cats and dogs.  However, that doesn’t necessarily stop people with allergies from sharing a roof with one (or many) furry companions.  

Related: Allergic to Your Pet? Easy Tips To Prevent & Control Your Allergy  

The first step to reducing pet hair (and all that dander that comes along with it) is to prevent excessive shedding from your pet with regular brushing, bathing with an Anti-Allergen Pet Shampoo, and feeding a high-quality diet. Remember, the healthier your beloved pet is overall, the healthier their skin and coat will be. But as a pet owner, you also know that no matter how diligent you are about grooming your pet, they will still shed. Take heart; we’ll walk you through some tips to lessen the number of fur tumbleweeds in your home. 

Get Rid of Pet Fur on Clothing 

Before you throw your fur-covered laundry in the washing machine, run your clothes through a low-heat dryer cycle (like “permanent press”) with a couple of wet microfiber cloths (the fur will stick to the microfiber cloth) and tumble until slightly damp. Usually, about 10 minutes will do the trick. Remove the clothes from the dryer and use a sticky lint roller or a clothes brush to remove the remaining fur. When you’re done, clean your dryer’s lint trap so it’s hair-free when your load comes out of the wash.

When washing, use an Anti-Allergen Laundry Detergent to banish the lingering dander hanging out in your clothes. While you’re at it, be careful to avoid overcrowding the washer. The clothes need room to move freely in the water so that the hair can be loosened and flushed away down the drain.

After you’ve run a pet-hair-heavy load, clean your washing machine by running an empty wash cycle with 1 cup of Vital Oxide to sanitize and deodorize the inside of your washer. 

Of course, for a quick fix, run a clothes brush or sticky lint roller over your clothes. If you don't have one (or can't find it), use some sturdy packing tape wrapped around your hand with the sticky side out. You can also try looking under your kitchen sink for some dishwashing gloves. If you put them on, run them under the sink to lightly dampen them, and then rub them all over your clothing. The static the gloves create will cause the fur to cling to the gloves. Once the gloves are covered in fur, give them a good rinse under the sink and begin again. 

If you have woolen clothing covered with pet hair, use a clothes steamer (or hang them up in a steamy bathroom) before using the clothes brush. The steam will help the fibers relax and “release” the pet hair from your clothing, making it much easier to brush away. 

 Easily Remove Pet Hair from Upholstery & Fabrics 

Pets are a part of the family. So, naturally, they lounge on the sofa, share our beds, and sometimes even claim our favorite chair as their own. It is called fur-niture, after all! To banish the fur from your furniture, try these tips: 

• Vacuum your floors and upholstered furniture often with a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter to prevent the outflow of the contents (including pet allergens) that have been swept up.
• For a small area or quick fur clean-up, a swipe with a slightly wet hand will often do the trick. Have you ever petted your dog after washing your hands only to end up with a fistful of fur? Same concept!
• A slightly damp rubber glove will do the trick for larger areas of furniture. Just make sure your upholstery won’t be damaged if it gets wet. If your sofa is suede, try using a dry glove or a lint roller instead. 
• At least once a month, vacuum your pet’s bedding and then wash it with the Anti-Allergen Laundry Detergent. 
• To remove hair from bedding, pillows, or cushion covers that can be unzipped and removed, toss them in the dryer along with a few wet microfiber cloths (the fur will cling to the microfiber cloth) and tumble until slightly damp, then use a clothes brush to get rid of any lingering hair. 
• If someone in your household is allergic to pet dander, first remove excess hair from upholstery, bedding, rugs, carpeting, and then use an Anti-Allergen Solution to eliminate allergens. Our Anti-Allergen Solution is 100% biodegradable, made with a plant and mineral-based solution. It’s free of fragrances and other ingredients that can worsen allergic reactions. The hypoallergenic formula is also better for the planet, so you can feel good about spraying it liberally.