Let’s be real – having that wagging tail and pitter patter of feet greeting us at the door every day is something to look forward to coming home to but pets can be messy in the house. As much as we try to keep our homes clean, pet hair gets everywhere and their nose art is apparent on all windows they can look out of.
If you have hardwood floors in your house, it’s likely that you can easily spot the pet hair so that you can sweep or vacuum it up. However, if you have carpets or even area rugs it can look as though there isn’t any dog hair on the floor but it’s actually very well hidden, even to the point of being embedded in the carpets.
If you’re looking for creative ways to make sure that you get all the pet hair out of your carpet for good – even the hair you can’t see – then here’s a few things to try the next time you’re cleaning up.
A Pet Hair Vacuum
Not all vacuums are created equal – those of you with dogs that shed a lot can attest to this. There are specific vacuums that have been designed with pet hair in mind. You might be asking why this makes a difference?
Depending on the kind of dog you have, they may have two different kinds of hair. Some dogs will shed fine, short hair that is all around the house – think breeds like labs or boxers. Other dogs – like German Shepherds and Huskies – will shed fur that almost clumps together, more like tumbleweeds of fur.
If you’re trying to vacuum up the former kind of hair, it’s unlikely that it will clog up your vacuum hoses. However, dogs with hair that clumps together can clog up in the vacuum hose, causing you to lose suction or issues with the filter in the vacuum.
The best thing you can do – in this area – is invest in a vacuum designed for pet hair. Take some time, do some research and look around for the right one. You have some time, but not too much time.
If you’re finding all vacuums are advertising they are great for pet hair, don’t fret! Chances are, if you are a pet owner you know at least a few other pet owners. Ask them what vacuum they use – most pet owners have gone through a number of vacuums before they found the right one.
You might also like to read about: Best Vacuum for Pet Hair Under 150
A Rubber Squeegee
You might read that, and think why would I take a rubber squeegee to my carpet? Well, someone out there must have been running out of ideas and just gave it go, only to find out it actually works.
It turns out that rubber is a big time magnet for pet hair. Take the squeegee across the carpet – whether a full room of area rug – in short strokes to gather up all the pet hair that is trapped deep in the fibers of the carpet.
Rubber has some natural gripping properties that are far more effective in picking up pet hair than trying to use an adhesive like tape or a lint roller. Keep stroking it against the carpet, and gather all the pet hair into one central location that you can then easily vacuum up.
If you only have an area rug, then a small hand squeegee is probably sufficient for getting the trapped pet hair out. For rooms that are completely carpeted, you can invest in a bigger, wider squeegee that has a broom handle on it so you won’t be spending as much time getting the pet hair out.
A Rubber Broom
This option can be used as an alternative to a rubber squeegee, especially if have deep pile carpet – like shag carpet. A rubber broom will typically have a squeegee edge, and rubber bristles. The bristles are effective at getting into thicker, deeper carpets and pulling out any pet hair that is trapped in the carpet.
Additionally, you can use a rubber broom on hardwood floors – if you have those in your house – to gather up dog hair and stop it from floating away like it would with a traditional broom.
This broom can also be easily washed and rinsed with just water, so it’s completely reusable and super easy to keep clean if there’s pet hair stuck to the bristles.
Hairbrushes
So we already found out that rubber acts as a magnet for pet hair, there’s another option for getting pet hair out of your carpet: hair brushes.
Think about it: your hairbrush collects the hair that falls out of your head, so why wouldn’t you use the same principle for pet hair on your carpet?
As long as the carpet isn’t too short in its pile, the brush can be run through the carpet and pick up dog hair. This method is especially effective on stairs where people are often walking and they will push the hair further into the carpet.
It’s recommended that you do not use a hairbrush on your furniture to clean pet hair off of them as it can ruin the fabric on it.
A Carpet Rake
This tool has been used for years, especially by real estate agents, to make old carpet look new again by fluffing up the pile. A surprisingly wonderful byproduct of making the carpet look new again is that by using a carpet rake you will also pull up any pet hair that is trapped in there.
Using this is exactly like using a rake as you would in the garden or on your lawn, you can use the sweeping motion to pick up pet hair trapped in your carpet. Rake it into a central location and then vacuum it up.
You might be afraid that doing this will ruin your carpet, or even pull out some fibers but carpets are surprisingly resilient. Doing this can help remove years of pet – and even human – hair and dander that has been trampled into the carpet over all the years you’ve lived in your home.
As an added bonus, doing this once in a while can make old carpet look almost brand new and add years of life to it before you need to replace the carpet.
Rubber Gloves
You may have noticed that rubber seems to be a theme, but there are many options when going about removing pet hair that can be used. For this option, you will want to make sure you pick up a pair of gloves that are thicker rubber – like you use for washing the dishes – and not a pair that is thin like they use in medical settings.
Put the gloves on and drag your hands across the carpet, gathering up the pet hair in clumps that you can easily throw away. Just like the rubber broom, you can easily wash the rubber gloves so you won’t be stuck with extra stray hairs on them.
We love our pets – they fill our homes with so much love and joy – but we all know that they can cause constant messes and smells that we have to stay on top of. It can be really easy to see the hair that is on the hardwood floors or gathering in corners, but we don’t always see the hairs that are trapped in the carpets.
Over time, as your family members are walking around the house they can push the pet hairs further into the fibers of the carpet, which can make it difficult to spot when they’re there. It can also make it difficult for your vacuum to truly get your carpet clean every time you use it.
The first time you use one of these tricks, you might be surprised by the amount of dog hair you pull up but that’s ok – it’s been years of your family running through the house and dogs playing around. If you spend a good amount of time the first time, pulling up the dog hair and vacuuming it then it will be easier to manage going forward.
You don’t have to use these tips every time you clean up the house, but once a month or every 6 weeks will help to make sure your carpets are completely clean and fresh smelling. Sometimes hair that is trapped in the carpet can cause unpleasant smells that you aren’t sure where they’re coming from. These tips will help get rid of those smells and keep your house smelling completely fresh.
These tips are all super easy to do, and the equipment needed for doing them can easily be found around your house or purchased for a low price. They will help keep the pet hair out of your carpet, off of the floor, and easy to vacuum up so it’s not floating around your house.
Give any one of these processes a try this weekend and you’ll be surprised at how much cleaner your home looks, feels and smells!