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Home > General > 14 Easy Ways to Remove Pet Hair From Furniture

14 Easy Ways to Remove Pet Hair From Furniture

cat on couch

No matter how much we love our cats, dogs, ferrets, and other furry friends, we don’t tend to love the pet hair that they leave behind them. Even so-called hypoallergenic breeds will leave some stray hairs behind. These might blend into wool, but they stand out against inversely colored velvet and other soft fabrics. They can be unsightly, uncomfortable, and, if you suffer from allergies, unhealthy. And it’s unlikely that your dog or cat is going to clean up their own fur.

Below, we have highlighted 14 easy ways to remove pet hair from furniture so that you can reclaim your couch.

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The 14 Ways to Remove Pet Hair from Furniture

1. Use a Dry Sponge

If it works, rubbing a dry sponge over the furniture cushions is probably the easiest way to lift pet hair. Try with a dry sponge first, because it is easier to dampen it after, rather than waiting for it to dry. Run the sponge gently over the furniture and cat and dog hair should stick to the sponge. You can then remove the pet hair by pulling it away or by running the sponge under the tap.


2. Try a Damp Sponge

If the dry sponge proves ineffective, try dampening it. Wet the sponge and wring the water out until it is damp to touch and then rub the sponge over the hair again. Don’t rub with the sponge, this may push the hairs further into the cushion and make them even more difficult to remove. Gently wipe the sponge in the same direction, across the cushions as well as the back, front, and sides of the furniture.

damp sponge
Image Credit: CC0 Public Domain, Pxhere

3. Wear Rubber Gloves

Grab a pair of rubber gloves from under the sink or buy a pair from your local store. They are inexpensive and can do a good job of lifting hair. Put the gloves on, run them under the faucet to get them wet, and then rub your hands down the back of the seats from the top to the cushion. Then rub along the cushion from back to front, and finally down the front from top to bottom. Once the gloves are covered in pet hair, run them under the tap again to clear the hair off. Once they are completely hair-free, you can do the next chair.


4. Use a Lint Roller

Lint rollers are designed for this very purpose. They are small, handheld devices that have a sticky almost flypaper-like roll. You roll the roller down your cushions and it effectively and simply removes pet hair. Lint rollers tend to be effective on clothes, as well as furniture, but the big issue with them is that they pick up all kinds of fluff. The sheets can run out quickly and prove difficult to get hold of and expensive to buy. If you do buy one, we suggest getting refill packs with it to ensure that you have access to replacements.

lint roller removing furs
Image Credit: senee sriyota, Shutterstock

5. Fashion Your Own Lint Roller

Alternatively, you can make a simple lint roller yourself. Use Sellotape or virtually any other type of sticky tape. Wrap the tape around your hand, sticky side out. Wrap a few layers, ensuring that you have a good amount of coverage on your hand, and then pat the hairs off the cushions and furniture and onto your homemade roller. Don’t forget to use the back and sides of your hand to make the most of the tape, too.


6. Try a Pet Hair Broom

A pet hair broom has soft rubber bristles. While it is designed primarily for use cleaning and clearing floors, it is also effective in the fight against furniture fur. The brush is fairly inexpensive and the broom handle extends so that it can be used to clean all surfaces, no matter how difficult they are to reach.

FURemover Extendable Pet Hair Removal Broom


7. Pick Up Hair with Dryer Sheets

There are a few possible uses for dryer sheets in your battle against pet fur. They release positively charged particles that equalize the negative particles on furniture and other surfaces. This prevents the cat and dog fur from sticking to statically charged surfaces. They can be used to help lift stubborn hairs from soft furnishings. They can also be used to convince wooden and laminate furniture to let go of any fur they’re holding on to, and you can even use them on your cat or dog to safely lift dead hair off their coat before it becomes a problem.


8. Use Your Vacuum’s Brush Attachment

Most vacuums come with a brush attachment or head with a built-in brush. This is ideal for the fight against fur. It essentially scarifies pet hair and lifts it from its flattened position, so that the suction of the vacuum can then pull the hair in. If your vacuum isn’t doing the job, or you want something more convenient, you can buy an inexpensive dedicated pet hair removal vacuum cleaner too.

cleaning dog bed using vacuum
Image Credit: LeDarArt, Shutterstock

9. Boost Your Vacuuming with Fabric Softener

Fabric softener has a similar effect to dryer sheets, although it achieves these results by lubricating the fibers of the fabric. In the same way that dryer sheets can help to free fur from the confines of the fabric, softeners can do the same thing. Combine softener with water in equal measures in a spray bottle, and then apply it to the upholstery before using a soft cloth to wipe it up.


10. Clean Wood with Furniture Polish

Furniture polish gets rid of static from wooden surfaces, and although we most often associate stubborn pet hair with upholstered furniture, cushions, and other fabric, it can be a real problem when it becomes attached to wood, too. Spray the furniture with wood polish before using a cloth to pick up the hair.

Furniture Polish
Image Credit: ZCHEISTOM Changea, Wikimedia Commons

11. Lift Hairs with a Pumice Stone

Pumice stone is a form of volcanic rock. It forms when lava and water mix, creating a light but abrasive stone that is most commonly used as an exfoliant to remove dead skin from feet and other hard areas. The rough texture can also work to effectively remove pet hair. It is rough which means that it brushes the hair up and away from the surface of the furniture, making it easier to remove with traditional means.


12. Use a Recycled Glass Pet Hair Remover

Alternatively, you can buy special pet hair removing stones that are made from recycled glass. As dangerous as that sounds, this is the same material that is used in home recycling bins. While it shouldn’t leave you with cuts and is safe to use on your furniture without causing cuts or tears, it is rough enough to scarify the hair up from the surface of the furniture and cushions.

Fur-Zoff Pet Hair Removal Tool


13. Try a Squeegee

A squeegee is just a piece, or several pieces, of soft rubber. They are effective for cleaning windows and other flat surfaces, but the rubber is also a good way to attract pet hairs. Use a clean squeegee and wipe your cushions to pick up some of the hair left behind by your cat or dog. If you don’t have a squeegee, you can buy pet hair removers that use the same rubber blade system.


14. Remove Cat Fur with a Toothbrush

Every house should have a steady supply of toothbrushes. They’re obviously great for ensuring good dental hygiene, but they can also clean glassware, get mold from between the tiles around your bath, and can be used to remove cat fur from your sofa. Make sure it’s clean and dry and use it to brush away cat hair. For large areas, this can be quite a tedious job, so you might want to invest in a pet hair removal brush.

toothbrush
Image Credit: Engin_Akyurt, Pixabay

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Final Thoughts

Prevention is better than cure, and this is true of pet hair removal, too. Try to keep on top of grooming your dog or cat because this removes the dead hairs that would normally roost in your upholstery. You can also use items like dryer sheets to help remove even more dead hairs. However, no matter how fastidiously you brush your dog or comb your cat, there will always be some pet fur build-up, and the 14 techniques above can help you to remove even the most stubborn of pet hairs from your furniture.


Featured Image Credit: Pixabay

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