Top 10 Tips To Clean Up Dog Hair Easily
One of the things we love about our pet dogs is their silky smooth hair. Their coat is also one of the most important criteria that judges in conformation shows look for. It is unfortunate that what we love about our four-legged friends is also what gives us headaches from time to time. No pet parent will ever want to come home to a residence that is full of pet hair. From the couch to the carpet and curtains on the window, these can have the telltale signs of dog shedding. It’s useless to fret over such things. What you can do is to read our top 10 tips for cleaning up dog hair. They’re easy to accomplish so you can retain the cleanliness and tidiness of your home in an instant.
Use Duct Tape or Any Other Adhesive Tape
One of the easiest ways to clean up dog hair from almost any surface in your home is to use the sticky side of any adhesive tape. Some may use ordinary cellophane tape while others will use duct tape. Packaging tape also works.
Duct tape or packaging tape works best, however. This kind of adhesive tape comes with a larger surface area. This allows it to pick up more pet hairs in a single pass than a typical one-inch wide cellophane or masking tape. You can wrap the packaging tape around a comb, making sure that the sticky surface is facing outwards. You can also cut a sizeable length of duct tape and crumple it into a ball. You can then use this to pick up pet hair from any surface in your house.
It is a very easy fix to a perennial problem. It is similar to a lint roller or lint remover. The advantage of using duct tape over a lint remover is that it is more practical. Lint removers come with an adhesive paper on its roller mechanism. If the roller is no longer sticky, then you will need to replace it with the same model of the sticky roller.
Use Dryer Sheets
Whenever we run our clothes on an automatic wash-dry cycle, we always put dryer sheets inside. These pieces of fabric materials help prevent the generation of static electricity. Dryer sheets contain positive charge particles. There are also those that contain negative charge particles. They cancel out the electrical charge of particles in detergents and in dryer machines. Because of the resulting cancellation of the net charges, static electricity cannot form. In other words, dryer sheets help prevent our clothes from sticking together. This allows us to separate our clothes a lot easier after the cycle.
What you may not know is that these pieces of fabric softener-laced sheets are also perfect for removing pet hair from surfaces. Since there is a small net charge in pet hair, using dryer sheets can help remove dog hair from any surface. It can generate static electricity by attracting more electrons to its surface.
It is similar to combing your hair many times that individual strands of hair will follow the comb as you lift it off your head. Combing creates friction. This charges the particles on the surface of the comb. The same is true when you rub the surface of a balloon and place it near your hair. You will see your hair sticking out as if trying to reach the balloon. This is the same principle in the use of dryer sheets. It attracts pet hair, making it a lot easier to remove.
Dampen Your Carpet Before Vacuuming
The carpet is one piece of household item that is a natural magnet for dog hair. Its individual fibers can trap pet hair. To remove dog hair from your carpet, you can use the duct tape method or the dryer sheet method. However, if you’re not into these kinds of dog hair removal methods, there is another way.
Get a spray bottle and fill this up with water. Lightly spray your carpet with water. Be careful not to soak your carpet wet. This can make it more difficult to dry. What you want to achieve is to have a damp surface on your carpet. The individual strands of dog hair will cling onto the moisture, making it easier to remove. Get a rubber broom to remove pet hair. Roll the broom across the surface of your carpet and collect the dog hairs into a ball. This will make it easier to clean up.
While you’re at it, you may want to consider giving your carpet a good clean. If there are pet odors, you can sprinkle a little baking soda onto your carpet. Leave this for about 10 minutes. Finish it up with a good run from your vacuum cleaner.
Use Damp Mop for Vinyl or Hardwood Floors
Dog hairs on hardwood and vinyl floors or any other non-fabric flooring materials are easier to clean. You can sweep them off with an ordinary broom. There is a downside to this approach, however. Since the floor’s surface is smooth, pet hair will not have any structures to cling onto. When you sweep your vinyl or hardwood floors, there is a tendency for the dog hair to go airborne. This makes it fly away and can land on other surfaces inside your house.
One way to address this is by using a damp mop. The moisture on the strands of the mop will attract individual dog hairs on the floor. This will prevent the hair from flying away and getting onto other surfaces. It is critical to use only damp mop, not soaking wet mop. If the mop is too wet, you are courting accidents by making the floor more slippery. This is not a good way to make your home safe.
Use Rubber Gloves or Damp Sponge on Upholstery
Pieces of furniture, those with upholstery in particular, can be challenging to clean. You can use a pet hair vacuum cleaner with a small nozzle attachment to get into tight spaces. Not everyone has a pet hair vacuum cleaner, however. As such, one has to think of more ingenious ways to remove dog hair from upholstery.
The neatest trick you can employ is to use rubber gloves. Rubber gloves function like a balloon in that it can produce static electricity. One good thing about using rubber gloves is that it fits well in your hands. You can wriggle your fingers to the deepest crevices of your upholstery so you can get all the dog hairs out.
If you don’t like using rubber gloves, you can use a damp sponge instead. This operates on the same principle as cleaning dog hair from vinyl and hardwood floors using a damp mop. The good news is that you can insert the sponge into any space. This makes it easy to remove pet hair from the most difficult-to-reach places.
Use a Glass Window Squeegee on Your Carpet
Sometimes, dampening your carpet with water is not enough to remove the pet hair. There are also times when an ordinary rubber broom may not remove all of the dog hairs that are present in your carpet. In such instances, you can use a window squeegee to remove these pet nuisances.
The rubber edge of the squeegee serves as a scraper. The rubber material creates static electricity so that pet hair will cling to the blade of the squeegee. Give it several swipes until you form a pile of pet hair. You can then use your rubber gloves or dryer sheets to pick this pile of dog hair and dispose of it.
What the squeegee does is that it loosens up dog hair from its attachment in the individual fibers of the carpet. With continuous motion, these dog hairs tend to collect and pile up. This makes it easy to remove.
Use Rubber Broom in the Kitchen or Bathroom
If your pet is fond of staying in your kitchen or the bathroom, there’s a good chance you will have dog hair in these areas as well. In such cases, using the duct tape method or the dryer sheet method will work fine. The only problem with these methods is that it will take you a much longer period of time to accomplish the task.
A more efficient method is to sweep the area with a rubber broom. This kind of cleaning implement comes with rubber bristles that can produce static electricity. As you sweep the floor of your bathroom and kitchen, dog hairs will attach to the rubber bristles. This simplifies the way you get rid of dog hair from these areas.
You can also use the rubber broom in other hard surfaces like tiles, linoleum floors, and hardwood floors. Be careful when using the broom, however. The sweeping action can send microscopic particles into the air. If you have asthma, this can be a major problem.
Alternate the Direction of Your Vacuuming
Whether you’re using an ordinary household vacuum cleaner or a special pet hair vacuum, it is important to pay attention to how you move the vacuum head. What you want is to cover as much area as possible so that you will not leave a single strand of dog hair on any surface.
You can start by vacuuming an area in one particular direction. Give it a few passes to remove loose dog hairs. Once complete, you can change the direction of your vacuum motions. For example, if the first motion is a to-and-fro motion or forward-backward motion, your next movement should be from left to right or sideways. This will help pick up more dog hairs that may have a different orientation from other pet hairs.
Make sure to use the correct vacuum attachments depending on the surface you are working on. There are vacuum cleaners with brush attachments. These work best in fabric surfaces. The individual bristles can agitate the fibers, loosening dog hairs.
Maintain the Proper Functioning of Your Pet Hair Vacuum Cleaner
Using adhesive tapes, rubber materials, and damp cleaning tools can help you remove pet hairs. One of the most efficient methods, however, is to use a pet hair vacuum cleaner. Ordinary vacuum cleaners also work fine as long as they have the correct attachments for picking up dog hair.
Because vacuum cleaners are an integral part of cleaning up dog hairs from the home, you should always pay attention to its proper maintenance. You need to empty the waste collection bin right after every use. It is also important to clean the filters of your vacuum cleaner. If there is clogging in your filter, the vacuum cleaner may not function on a more efficient manner. This can reduce its ability to pick up dog hairs from your home. Checking the different components of your vacuum cleaner also helps.
If you’re not sure about how to maintain the proper functioning of your vacuum cleaner, you can always consult its owner’s manual. There are recommendations on how to maintain the proper functioning of your device.
Cover Your Upholstery, Bedding, and Other Fabric Surfaces
This will not minimize dog shedding, but it sure can help make the removal of dog hairs easier. You can cover your sofas, seats, loungers, and beds with throw blankets. These blankets are the ones that will attract the hairs from your dog. At the same time, you will be able to retain the full functionality of your furniture.
Take a look at our review of Dog Couch Covers for more options.
When you see that the cover already has a hairy mess, you can toss it into your washing machine. There is no more need to pick up the individual strands of dog hair from your furniture. It’s one of the easiest and most practical ways to manage dog hairs in the home.
Having a dog in the home is pure joy. Letting them leave their hairy mess behind can detract from this joy. Knowing how you can clean up dog hairs in an efficient manner can help you enjoy years of dog ownership.
Source:
- Tips for Vacuuming Pet Hair – PetMD
