How to Get Rid of Pet Hair from Furniture and Clothes

If you share your home with a dog or cat, pet hair is a daily reality. It embeds itself in couch cushions, weaves into your clothes, floats through the air, and somehow ends up in places your pet has never been. Standard vacuuming helps but rarely gets everything, especially on upholstered furniture and textured fabrics.

This guide covers the most effective methods and tools for removing pet hair from every surface in your home, plus practical strategies to reduce the amount of hair that ends up on your furniture in the first place.

Removing Pet Hair from Furniture

Method 1: Damp Rubber Gloves

This is the simplest and most effective method for upholstered furniture. Put on a pair of rubber dishwashing gloves, dampen them slightly with water, and run your hand across the fabric surface. The pet hair collects into clumps that you can pick up and discard. Rinse the glove when hair builds up and continue.

Why it works: The rubber creates friction and static that pulls hair out of fabric fibers. The dampness adds grip. This method works on couches, chairs, pillows, and even lamp shades.

Method 2: Rubber Squeegee

A standard window squeegee is surprisingly effective on upholstery. Pull the rubber blade across the fabric surface in short, firm strokes. The rubber edge digs into fabric fibers and pulls out embedded hair that vacuuming misses. This works especially well on microfiber and velvet upholstery.

Method 3: Vacuum with Upholstery Attachment

Use your vacuum's upholstery attachment with the brush head. Vacuum in overlapping strokes, going in multiple directions to catch hair lying in different orientations. For best results, use a vacuum with strong suction designed for pet hair — models from Dyson, Shark, and Bissell make pet-specific versions.

Method 4: Fabric Softener Spray

Mix one part liquid fabric softener with three parts water in a spray bottle. Lightly mist the upholstery surface and let it sit for 5 minutes. The fabric softener loosens the static bond between hair and fabric. Wipe with a dry cloth or vacuum. This is particularly effective on microfiber and tightly woven fabrics.

Removing Pet Hair from Clothes

Lint Rollers

The classic solution. Keep lint rollers by your front door, in your car, and at your desk. Sticky-sheet lint rollers work well for quick removal before you leave the house. For heavy shedding households, a reusable lint brush (like the Evercare Magik Brush) saves money over disposable rollers.

The Dryer Trick

Before washing pet-hair-covered clothes, toss them in the dryer on a no-heat or low-heat cycle for 10 minutes. The tumbling action loosens pet hair, and the dryer's lint trap catches it. Then wash and dry normally. This prevents pet hair from clogging your washing machine drain and redistributing onto other clothes.

Washing Machine Tips

• Add half a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle — it relaxes fabric fibers and helps release pet hair.
• Use a pet hair removal laundry ball (like FurZapper) — these silicone balls tumble with your clothes and attract hair.
• Clean your lint trap before every dryer load to maintain maximum hair capture.
• Wash pet bedding separately from your clothes to avoid cross-contamination.

Removing Pet Hair from Bedding

If your pet sleeps on your bed, you know the struggle. Pet hair weaves into sheets, comforters, and pillow cases.

1. Shake bedding outside before washing to remove loose hair.
2. Run through a dryer cycle first (10 minutes, no heat) to loosen embedded hair.
3. Wash with vinegar in the rinse cycle to release remaining hair.
4. Use a pet-hair-resistant duvet cover — tightly woven fabrics like sateen cotton resist hair embedding.
5. Keep a lint roller on your nightstand for quick daily maintenance.

Removing Pet Hair from Car Interiors

Car upholstery is a pet hair magnet, especially in the back seat where dogs typically ride.

• Rubber squeegee: The same technique used on furniture works on car seats. Short, firm strokes with a squeegee pull hair from cloth seats effectively.
• Pumice stone: A dry pumice stone (the kind used for feet) rolled gently across car upholstery grabs pet hair efficiently. Use light pressure to avoid damaging the fabric.
• Rubber-bristle brush: A pet hair removal brush with rubber bristles works well on car carpet and floor mats.
• Seat covers: The best long-term solution is a washable car seat cover. Remove it, shake it out, and wash it weekly.

Pet Hair on Hard Floors and Carpet

Hard Floors (Wood, Tile, Laminate)

Do not sweep pet hair on hard floors — sweeping pushes lightweight hair into the air where it resettles elsewhere. Instead:

• Use a dry microfiber mop — the electrostatic fibers attract and trap hair.
• Vacuum with a hard floor setting (brush roll off) to prevent scattering.
• A robot vacuum running daily keeps pet hair under control between deep cleans.

Carpet

For carpeted rooms, a vacuum with a motorized brush roll is essential. The brush agitates carpet fibers and pulls out embedded hair. Vacuum high-traffic areas daily during shedding season. For deep-embedded hair, use a rubber squeegee on the carpet before vacuuming — it pulls up hair that the vacuum alone misses.

Prevention: Reducing Pet Hair at the Source

• Brush your pet regularly. Brushing 2 to 3 times per week during shedding season captures loose hair before it ends up on your furniture. A de-shedding tool like the FURminator removes undercoat hair effectively.
• Bathe your pet monthly. Regular baths remove loose hair and keep the coat healthy, which reduces excessive shedding.
• Feed a quality diet. Pets with poor nutrition shed more. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements improve coat health and reduce shedding.
• Use washable covers on pet-favorite furniture. A removable cover on your pet's favorite couch spot is easier to wash than cleaning the couch itself.
• Designate pet-free zones. Keeping pets off beds and certain furniture pieces reduces the areas you need to de-hair.

Weekly Pet Hair Removal Checklist

• [ ] Vacuum all floors and carpet (daily in high-shedding season)
• [ ] Wipe furniture with damp rubber gloves or squeegee
• [ ] Wash pet bedding and removable furniture covers
• [ ] Lint roll clothes before leaving the house (daily)
• [ ] Brush your pet (2-3 times per week minimum)
• [ ] Clean vacuum filter and empty canister
• [ ] Wipe down hard surfaces with microfiber cloth

Living Clean with Pets Is Possible

Pet hair is manageable with the right tools and a consistent routine. A rubber glove, a squeegee, and a good vacuum handle 90% of the problem. Add regular grooming to the mix, and you can enjoy your pets without your home looking like a fur factory.

For a deeper reset — especially during heavy shedding season — a professional cleaning service can tackle the hair that has built up in hard-to-reach places. Otesse's cleaning teams are experienced with pet-friendly homes and use methods that leave your furniture and floors thoroughly de-haired.