Tips for Coping with Pet Hair
Does your pet share their hair everywhere?
Pet hair, according to many pet owners, may be the most annoying part of pet ownership. Do you find it everywhere? On your clothing. On your sofa. On the floor, even after vacuuming. In your food. On your face!
Here are a few tips to help you deal with the hairy side of dog, cat living…
1. Choose your pet carefully
Fish don’t shed. Hairless breeds of cats and dogs exist and while these may not appeal to everyone, they will certainly reduce your vacuuming workload. Some breeds like the Sphinx cat, however, do require special maintenance of their skin, a bit like polishing a leather sofa, so be prepared.
Many dog breeds, especially in this age of designer poodle crosses, do not shed. Wonderful! They do, however, require regular clipping. This hits your wallet. Be prepared for the expenses of groomers or learn to DIY.
2. Choose your furnishings and clothing materials carefully
Pet hair sticks to most furnishings. Hardwood or tiled floors may be easier to clean than carpet. Rugs may be aired easier (or forget rugs and carpets altogether). Throw rugs and blankets can cover a multitude of pet hairs, when guests arrive or keep your furniture covered, only removing the blankets when guests arrive.
It’s trial and error with clothing. Silks and leathers or vinyls may repel hair better but don’t do well with cat claws! Woollen knits, velvets and heavily textured fabrics tend to attract pet hair.
3. Vacuum
The vacuum cleaner is your best friend when you have lots of pets. You may find that you need to use it every day, especially during shedding season, normally in spring. I vacuum and think how clean my floors look, then the evening sun filters through the windows over the floors and it looks as if I haven’t cleaned for a month. There are hairs everywhere! My cleaner (yes, it is worth the expense!) says I don’t have a dirty home, just a pet hair filled one!!
After vacuuming, it’s usually a good idea to mop or to use a damp cloth over surfaces to pick up the last remaining hairs. Then, when dry, vacuum again! Then mop again! The cycle is endless in a pet-lovers household 😉
Invest in a good quality vacuum cleaner. Maybe even an automated one. Then your pet can ride around on top of it!
4. Groom your pet
Even short-haired pets need grooming. Grooming helps remove dead and loose hair and retains that hair on one place – the grooming brush – where it is easy to dispose of. You may need to try different grooming tools and follow a step-by-step grooming process to help you groom efficiently. De-tangling sprays and (dead) hair removal tools e.g. Shedeze can be useful to really do a professional job at home.
It can also be a good idea to use a damp (not wet) cloth, after grooming your pet. Just lightly run the cloth over your pet to remove any loose hairs. You may want to wear a set of thick gloves while doing this to your cat, as it is a sure-fire way of experiencing a cat attack!
5. Pet hair removal tools
There are many types of hair removing tools on the market. Try to see what suits you best. Most are based on sticky substances placed on a roller. You can, of course, simply use sticky tape e.g. masking tape, rubbed over your clothing and furnishings.
I find the most useful tool of all is the simple rubber glove. Rub it over your fabric in one direction and the hair comes off. Simple and inexpensive.
I always keep a hair-removing roller for my guests, as they leave my home (and an anti-histamine for those that may have allergies!).
Some people may find that pet hair is the most annoying thing about pets. Pet lovers just put up with it. Pet hair becomes part of our decor!
Have you found a way to remove pet hair effectively?