Pet Hair Removal Experts
As carpet retailers, we're no experts on removing pet hair from carpeting. However, dealing with unwanted pet hair is a topic that often crops up in our day-to-day dealings with supplying, delivering and fitting carpets. So, we've made it our business to source helpful advice you can quickly and easily implement. We've put together some tips on removing pet hair from your carpet. It includes some preventative measures to avoid the build-up of pet hairs and highlights some of the best tools to remove pet hairs from your carpet. You can also apply most methods we've outlined to remove pet hair from clothing, furniture and other items that have fabric.Before considering the best way to remove pet hair from your carpet, there's a short saying, we are all familiar with - 'prevention is better than cure'. As with managing illnesses, a good starting point when dealing with the build-up of pet hairs on a carpet is to address the root cause and try to minimise the impact of the problem. So, it's helpful to consider ways to reduce any build-up of unwanted fur in the first place.
Reduce The Need To Remove Pet Hair From Your Carpet
Here are some key things you can do to minimise the need for pet hair removal from carpets, furniture, clothing and other household items.
Establish a regular cleaning routine
Creating a cleaning schedule is an excellent way to keep the house clean and organised. It also lets you complete a smaller portion of the cleaning chores daily rather than trying to do it all at once. An integral part of your cleaning schedule should be caring for your floor. If you're a pet owner and don't have a regular cleaning routine, having one in place will help prevent your carpets from becoming entwined with those stubborn pet hairs that are difficult to remove. Understandably, regular cleaning, dusting and vacuuming will reduce any build-up and associated problems.
Groom your pet(s) regularly
Grooming your pet may feel like a chore, but it has some desirable benefits. Regularly brushing your dog prevents tangles and mats. Brushing your cat removes dirt, helps to remove skin flakes and stimulates blood circulation. Depending on the dog's breed, you should groom them on average once a month. Cats can usually care for themselves when it comes to grooming, so you won't need to brush them as often as dogs. But some long-haired and older cats might need a little help if they can't do it alone.
If you want your cat or dog to have healthy hair and fur, you should groom them often. Besides helping to prevent fleas, ticks, and other health conditions, regular grooming helps prevent pets from shedding their hair. Amazon's best sellers in grooming brushes for dogs are relatively inexpensive, but if your furry friend isn't keen on being groomed by you, you could take them to a professional pet grooming service.
Don't allow your pet in carpeted areas
Preventing a pet from entering carpeted areas makes sense, but this idea will only be popular with some pet owners. Of course, there are ways to train your dog to stay out of a room, but this might not appeal to you. If you are a dog owner and want to restrict your dog from wandering anywhere they're not supposed to, consider a sturdy dog gate. Finding one that fits snugly into your doorways or the top and bottom of staircases shouldn't be difficult.
Give your pet a cosy designated sleeping area
Most dogs and cats have periods where they spend endless hours napping or sleeping. So, try to make a cosy space where they feel comfortable and safe. If you can find a bed your pet loves sleeping in, this will help because it will deter them from sleeping in other areas where you don't want them to cause a build-up of fur and dander.
Choose an alternative flooring to carpet
There are so many options these days that choosing the right flooring for your home can be difficult. Some pet owners choose not to have carpets in certain rooms - that's one sure way to avoid having to remove pet hairs from the carpet. Removing dog or cat hairs from other types of flooring like Vinyl, LVT, and laminate is much easier. The combination of hard flooring and rugs can also be more practical because they are easier to clean and manage than carpets.
How to Remove Stubborn Pet Hair From Carpets
If you are searching for simple ways to get dog or cat hairs out of your carpet, there are none - so here's what we recommend.
Hire Professional Carpet Cleaners
Hiring professional carpet cleaners to clean your carpets periodically can make a huge difference. A professional carpet cleaner can eliminate most of the hair, dirt and dust your pet has left deep in the fibres of your carpets over time. Alternatively, you could occasionally hire a professional carpet cleaning machine to clean your carpet thoroughly in addition to your usual vacuuming schedule.
Invest In The Right Vacuum Cleaner
Vacuuming your carpet regularly with obviously help to reduce the build-up of pet hairs. You'll unlikely find a standard vacuum that can thoroughly remove all cat or dog hairs in one go, so you may want to try pet hair vacuum cleaners. A high-efficiency particulate-absorbing (HEPA) filter is vital. The Telegraph has a list of the best vacuum cleaners for pet hair 2023. They pitted the best vacuums against the worst dog and cat hair-covered fabrics. Here's what they found.
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Best overall — Vax Air Stretch Pet -
Best cordless pet vacuum — Shark Stratos Anti Hair Wrap Plus Pet Pro -
Best carpet cleaner for pet stains — Vax Platinum SmartWash Pet-Design Carpet Cleaner -
Best vacuum for pet hair on carpet — Sebo Automatic X7 Pet -
Best vacuum for cat hair — Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Pro
Use A Good Carpet Rake
A carpet rake is what it says and most likely what you think it is - a rake with bristles that you can use to clean and refresh carpets and rugs. Carpet rakes are excellent for removing cat and dog hair from carpet fibres. Before vacuuming a carpet, they help loosen or remove deeply buried dirt and hair and break up dirty patches such as pet stains. According to The Dog People over at Rover.com, these are the seven best carpet rakes for pet hair.
In Conclusion - There's No Easy Way
There are no magic solutions regarding the easiest way to remove pet hairs from carpets. Pet hair removal from carpets is easier if you prevent the build-up in the first place. The method you use to remove pet hairs from your carpets and other furniture depends on the size of the area you are clearing and the amount of pet hairs that have gathered. You can use anti-static spray, fabric softener, and even baking soda to make the task easier. Each of these assists with loosening the hairs somehow, but ultimately, doing the job well will require a fair amount of your time and 'elbow grease'. Items like lint rollers, squeegees, balloons, and rubber gloves can all help remove pet hairs. However, they are only ideal for large carpet areas if you have an unusual desire to spend hours and hours gathering cat hairs. They are generally more suitable for removing smaller amounts of pet hairs, particularly from clothes or furniture fabrics, where they can be very effective.