Simple Tips to Remove Dog Hair from Clothes & Furniture

One of the downsides to having a canine companion is all the dog hair that seems to magnetically attach itself to your clothes, furniture, carpets, floors and even your dish cloths. Unfortunately, all dogs shed. Some shed more than others but no matter what breed you have, you are going to have to find a way to effectively remove dog hair – and learn to live with shedding in between cleaning.

It is possible to reduce the amount of hair your dog sheds with regular grooming and a healthy diet. The state of your pet’s coat is often a reflection of how healthy they are, so a pet that’s well fed and well cared for will generally sport a much finer, more lustrous coat. Here are a few dog care tips that could make a difference:

• Brush your dog: Daily brushing will help reduce shedding and give your dog’s coat a healthier sheen.

• Feed a healthy and nutritious diet: Feeding your dog premium pet feed will make a big difference to her coat’s condition. You could ask your vet to recommend a product. Try to avoid food that you can buy in a supermarket, as the quality is generally much poorer than what you would find in dedicated pet food stores or vet shops.

• Check for fleas: If it seems like your dog is shedding excessively it may be a result of incessant scratching caused by fleas. Ask your vet to recommend a quality flea repellent, and also have your pet checked out for any allergies that may be the cause of discomfort.

• Bath time: A bath once in awhile always helps. Use natural shampoos designed especially for dogs. Oatmeal shampoo, for example, cleans fur without irritating the skin. Again, it’s better to use products provided by vets or specialised pet stores.

Hair there and everywhere

Here are some examples of effective tools for dog hair removal:

• Remove dog hair from the floor:  Approximately 93% of dog parents use vacuum cleaners to get rid of pet hair. It’s a good idea to sweep floors with a rubber broom first to ball up as much hair as possible, and then give your floors a thorough vacuuming.

• Remove dog hair from the furniture: Rubber gloves are a very effective means of getting pet hair off the furniture. You could also use a dry sponge or microfibre cloth.

• Remove dog hair from clothing: The same tools used for furniture can also be effective on clothes; namely the rubber gloves or dry sponge. You can also use a lint brush or you could try rolling some duct tape over the piece of clothing to pick up hair – and lint.

Tips to remove dog hair from furniture

• Slip covers/blankets: You can pinpoint the furniture your pet likes to use most (they often have a favourite spot) and cover it in a blanket or slip cover that can be easily removed and washed.

• Washable covers for beds: Use bedding that can be removed and washed regularly.

• Flooring: Tiled or hardwood floors are the easiest to clean. Carpets attract pet hair quite easily, but if you prefer carpeting then making it the same color as your pet’s fur will make the hair less noticeable.

• Leather furniture: Leather is resistant to pet hair, although more susceptible to scratching. Pets in general don’t like leather furniture though, so will most likely look for somewhere else to take a nap anyway. (Note: pleather is an animal-friendly material with similar qualities to leather.)

• Microfibre furniture: Microfibre is another material that will give you less of an issue with pet hair. Ultrasuede is a form of synthetic microfiber that has all the qualities of real suede. It’s resistant to stains and odours as well as pet hair.

• Crypton furniture: The ultimate pet-friendly material, easy to clean and resistant to stains and odours.

Dog shedding is at its worst when dogs shed their summer and winter coats. However, it can be an issue all year round for some breeds, including collies, spaniels and huskies. So, think carefully about how you feel about dog hair before choosing a dog breed. Remember dogs are for life. Surrendering a dog because you don’t like how much they shed is a terrible excuse.