How to get pet hair off furniture, bedding and clothes

Pet hair on the couch and chairs

• Start dry, with a rubber glove. Put on a clean household rubber glove, dampen it slightly and wipe across the fabric in one direction. The hair gathers into clumps you can pick up by hand.
• Then vacuum slowly. Use the upholstery or pet attachment and go over each cushion in two directions. Slow passes pick up more than fast ones. Pull cushions out and do the seams and crevices too.
• Finish with a roller for the last fine hairs, especially on dark fabric. Adhesive lint rollers work; so do reusable rollers.
• Use a washable throw on your pet's favourite spot. Shaking out and washing one blanket is easier than cleaning a whole couch.

Beds and pet bedding

• Shake duvets and blankets outside before washing so less hair goes into the machine.
• Wash pet beds and blankets on their own, not with your clothes, and check the care label first.
• Washing them on a regular schedule keeps hair from building up and spreading to the rest of the house.

Pet hair in the washing machine and on clothes

Before the wash. Remove loose hair first. Water tends to make hair cling to fabric, so roll or brush garments, and shake blankets outside. Try a short tumble with no or low heat first (check the care label). It loosens hair into the lint trap before the wash. Empty the lint trap afterwards.

In the wash. Wash pet beds and blankets on their own, not with your clothes. In a top-load washer, floating mesh catchers can go in with the load. They float on the water and catch some loose hair and lint as the load moves. Empty them after each wash. They are not made for front-load (drum) machines. With a front-load washer, rely on the pre-tumble, shaking items out, and wiping the drum and door seal afterwards.

After the wash. Wipe out the drum after washing pet bedding so hair doesn't end up on the next load, and clean the lint trap again after drying. Keep a roller by the door for a final pass before you head out.

Carpets, rugs and car seats

• A rubber broom or a clean window squeegee dragged across carpet pulls up embedded hair that a vacuum can miss. Vacuum afterwards.
• In the car, a damp rubber glove or a roller on the seats, then a vacuum with a crevice tool, handles most of it. A washable seat cover saves time over a long winter.

Habits that keep hair down

• Brush your pet regularly, ideally in one easy-to-clean spot. Hair that comes out on a brush doesn't end up on your couch. See our brushing routine guide.
• Vacuum a little more often during heavy shedding weeks rather than doing one big clean.
• Keep a dedicated pet towel by the door for wet or snowy paws.

When shedding is not just shedding

Seasonal shedding is normal. Bald patches, sudden heavy hair loss, red or flaky skin, or constant scratching are not, and are worth a call to your veterinarian. This guide is general home-care information, not veterinary advice.

Quick answers

Do laundry hair catchers work in front-load washers? The floating catchers we sell are for top-load washers only. With a front-load machine, use the pre-tumble and drum-wipe steps above.

Is a reusable roller better than a sticky lint roller? Both pick up hair. A reusable roller means no adhesive refills to buy, and a sticky roller can be handier for a quick pass on clothes. Use whichever you'll actually keep by the door.

Why is there more pet hair in winter? Many pets shed seasonally, and dry indoor air adds static, which makes loose hair cling to fabric. Regular brushing helps: see our brushing routine guide.

Tools we sell for this

We keep our range small. If you want a tool for the jobs above:

• FurLift Reusable Pet Hair Roller (C$19.95): a reusable plastic roller for picking up cat and dog hair from furniture, bedding and clothing. Because it is reusable, there are no adhesive refills to keep buying.
• Shedding Kit: Pet Hair Roller + Grooming Brush (C$34.95): the same roller plus a grooming brush with a release button for clearing out the hair it collects.
• Floating Laundry Hair Catcher, 3-Pack (top-load washers only) (C$20.95): three floating mesh catchers (blue, purple and pink, about 17.5 × 9.2 cm each) that go in the wash with your laundry and catch loose hair and lint. They're reusable: empty the mesh after each wash. Not for front-load (drum) machines.

Shopping for someone who lives with a dog or cat? Useful gifts for dog and cat owners.

Shop FurLift Shop the Shedding Kit Shop the Hair Catcher

Prices are in CAD and we ship across Canada, except Quebec. You don't need to buy anything to use this guide: most of the tips work with things you already have at home.