When the lint roller just can’t get the job done while trying to remove pet hair from upholstery and carpets, here are a few tips to try (most will work well for detailing your vehicle as well):

Pet Hair Cleanup Tips

• Wrap clear packing tape (or wide masking tape, duct tape) loosely around and across your hand (sticky side out) then wipe/pat down furniture and areas where pets tend to hang out. Works well on clothes too. It aint pretty but it works.
• Mist area well with water, then briskly brush hair together into a pile and garbage–vacuum. Use a stiff bristle brush for this, the stiffer the better.
• Try a thick, dense sponge. Look in pet stores for special pet hair cleanup sponges–they need to be quite dense to work best (a couple options: Walmart’s Pet Select Magic Pet Hair Remover Sponge or Gonzo Pet Hair Lifter). They’re about $5 or $6 and can be washed and reused over and over again.
• Wear rubber gloves and wipe, pulling hair together in a pile. Regular yellow, dishwashing gloves, rubber gardening gloves or surgical rubber gloves work well for this. Wash hair off, dry the gloves, then get at it again. Vacuum up the piles of hair wads you accumulate with the process.
• Wipe down with a dryer sheet–lifts and attracts hair.
• Try a good, portable wet vac.
• Take a spray bottle, give two good squirts of Downy and fill the rest of the bottle with lukewarm water. Shake to mix well, then spray area. Let dry and vacuum. This seems to help lift the hair from carpets.
• Spray with Static Guard, dry then sweep, vacuum or sponge the area.

Homemade Dog Hair Cleaner Recipe:

Bucketful of warm water and a splash of Murphy’s Oil Soap

• Wet a sponge with the water, squeeze to release excess then wipe area in a circular/rotating motion. Don’t use the sponge dripping wet. Rinse hair from sponge in a clean bucket of water, submerge again in the Murphy’s Oil Soap water and repeat process until all hair is picked up. Pretty sure this works for cat hair too ;).

When all else fails:

Put on your favorite, nicest pair of black slacks or your most expensive, cute black dress and walk through your house. Voila! Hair from miles around will be on them ;).

Did you know:

• You can save your dog’s hair (clean hair!), have it spun and then knit items from it?
• You can also save & bag both cat and dog hair, set it out in Spring for the birds to take–they’ll build their nests with it.

*edited to update image & formating

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Posted in Cleaning Tips, Pets | ( 3 )