If you have a dog, then the beginning of summer means one thing. Shedding. Pretty much every dog does it, and it is one of the most annoying, and hard to clean messes there is. It seems that no matter how much fur you remove, there is always more to clean. It falls everywhere, and settles on any flat surface in your home or vehicle, but furniture is probably one of the worst places you find it. Pet hair collects in chairs and on couches, and will remain all but invisible until someone sits down. Now all of a sudden that nice black shirt is covered in yellow dog hair. No amount of brushing or rubbing with your hand will get rid of it all, so now you either need a great cleaning tool, or the confidence to walk around all day covered in fur.
Most people would prefer to be fur free, but it can be a real pain to clean up all that shedding fur. Vacuum cleaners can be effective for hair on floors, but it is a bit silly to try and do your furniture or clothing with one. You are forced to drag out all those attachments, figure out which one will be best, and then go about picking up, flipping over and maneuvering large couch cushions. You can get this portion of the job done with enough effort, but try to suck hair off your shirt and it will not work at all really. For these reasons, using a vacuum for this job is best left as a time consuming chore that is reserved for rare occasions and hard-core cleaning sessions only.
Smaller = Better
Small jobs are best left to small tools. You don’t need a gigantic vacuum to remove fur from a cushion or pair of pants, and when you assume that it is the only tool for the job, you are most likely preventing yourself from even starting. This is why a smaller, more efficient tool is really better for the daily battles against pet hair. You get a lightweight option that is easy to grab, and you allow yourself to quickly eliminate hair without hassle or frustration. The most important part is having clean clothing and furniture anyway, so why force yourself to lug around a large, heavy tool that is not even ideal for the task.
Sticky Rollers
Tons of people swear by sticky rollers for this job, but for many, this is one of those things that seems like a good idea until you actually try it. If you only have a small amount of fur to deal with, or if you have endless time and money on your hands, traditional lint rollers can be a good way to go. They sure do work well on small areas of clothing, or single spots on your couch, but as soon as you try to clean a larger area it can become really frustrating. Even a full shirt could force you to go through more than one sticky sheet just to get the job done. A reusable roller [1]can save you money if you enjoy the tool, but it will not coat any slower, or allow you to do more area at once. What it will do is allow you to rinse the hair down the drain and then keep going instead of peeling off endless sticky sheets until you are forced to purchase a refill. Any sticky roller will get coated almost immediately when up against thick layers, so you may end up spending more time changing sticky surfaces or rinsing fur than you will with the actually cleaning. Using a large sticky roller [2]can help to hold more and cover more area, but this size is not practical for all applications.
Instructions For Use:
- Using a sticky roller tip pick up hair is easy. If washable, make sure the roller is clean and dry. If traditional, make sure you have a clean sheet free of lint and other debris.
- Roll back and forth over furry area with an up and down, or back and forth motion. Overlapping about half the size of the roller will ensure total coverage and better removal overall.
- Continue rolling until all hair is gone, or your roller loses it’s stickiness.
- If your roller stops working and no longer picks anything up, you need to rinse it under warm water if it is reusable, or tear away the sheet to reveal a clean layer. Continue rolling once clean and/or refreshed.
- Once your clothing or furniture is clean, pull off the hairy layer for regular rollers, or rinse off for a washable one.
Rubber Brushes
At simplygoodstuff, we carry a few tried and tested tools made from rubber that are proven to work great for cleaning up pet hair. The first one is a regular rubber hand brush [3]. We also have one with finner bristles that we call a rubber lint brush [4]. Although it is intended for lint, it also works extremely well for fur, and it is preferred by some people for removing it from clothes or upholstery. If you can not decide between the two, The FuRemover Duo has fatter bristles on one side, and thinner ones on the other. Each side will have shorter bristles compared to the other two options, so some folks may like one of the regular versions better. Want to clean pet hair without touching it, the rubber pet mitt also has rubber nubs, although much shorter, and it will completely cover your hand to prevent contact. It is really a preference situation as to which one will work better for you. Essentially these are very similar tools and they all work in similar ways. Depending on your taste, your pet and your home, you may want one or the other, or all of them.
Hand Brush
This hand tool works as a grooming brush for your pet, and also as a cleaning tool for your home or vehicle. It has a comfortable handle portion, and then an equal size portion covered in flexible rubber bristles. When used on your dog, it will gently brush hair and massage at the same. It is able to pull up loose fur in a non-irritating fashion. When used on sofas or car seats, it will quickly brush up and pile any hair on the surface. A slight static charge and a solid, flexible wall of cleaning power will make it easy to clean any small area, and it will work on nearly any surface. This one also takes fuzz and fur off clothing, but some people prefer finer bristles for this job. As an added bonus, this tool can also double as a scrub brush for your pet, or even floors, vinyl siding, vehicles and more. It also has an integrated squeegee blade, so after you scrub an area, you can flip the brush over to dry it off afterward. Hand Brush [3]
Lint Brush
Ideal for clothing, but also outstanding on furniture. This tool does not have a handle, but it fits nicely in the palm of your hand to make de-furing surfaces quick and easy. It will lift up and pile fur on clothing so you can easily dispose of it, and leave the house looking great. It has much finer bristles than the hand brush, and they cover the entire underside of the tool. Any lighter particles that might escape from the regular hand version, will be captured by this one. Because the bristles a skinnier, they flex more easily, and will not provide as much resistance. For this reason, this one is not as good for brushing your dog, but may be preferred by pets when used at bath time. You can also scrub things with this one, and the bristle type will make it better or worse than the regular one depending upon situation and your individual taste. Lint Brush [4]
Dual Sided Brush
Get the best of both worlds with this tool. You get fine bristles on one side, and fatter ones on the other. If one side is not working like you need it to, simply flip it over and keep on cleaning. In a similar fashion, you can also clean twice as much in certain situations because if one side gets too dirty or coated, you can switch to the other side prior to cleaning or disposal. This one is good for any of the tasks that either of the other ones can handle, and the main difference will be that the bristles on each side will be a bit shorter. This will prevent deep cleaning in certain situations, and may be undesirable for some individuals. One thing is for sure, this double sided tool is packed with cleaning power and well suited for getting rid of pet hair on many different surfaces. Dual Sided Brush [5]
Rubber Pet Mitt
A one size fit all fit that covers your whole hand to prevent contact with the dog fur you are cleaning. This tool is great for anyone that has a problem touching dirty stuff, but it is also great for allergy sufferers too. Instead of collecting it and then picking it up to throw it away, you can sort of just grab it with the mitt to avoid any contact with your skin. For many people this may also make the whole process faster and easier too. The bristles on this tool are more like nubs so there will be some disadvantages there, but it is useful as a grooming tool, hair pick up tool, and and all purpose scrubbing tool. Rubber Pet Mitt [6]
How To Use Them:
You can use either option above directly on your pet as a grooming tool, or anywhere else as a cleaning tool. They will work great on the furniture in your home or office and even the upholstery in your car. It does not matter what the material is, or what type of hair it is. They will be equally useful for all types, and the effective and durable material will never mark up or scratch anything you use it on. Because they are made from solid molded rubber, these tools will never bother your pet, and they will never lose shape or wear out like other ones do. The nearly indestructible material is also totally washable and easy to get clean when needed.
High quality rubber combined with superior construction techniques allow these things to pick up tons of hair in a quick and easy fashion. There is no magic about it, but the results are nothing short of amazing. A charge builds as you use them, and that will help pull hair into the rubber material, keep it from flying away, and allow you to quickly pile and remove amazing amounts of hair.
Step By Step Instructions:
Remove dog hair from furniture – The basic technique involves pulling the hair toward you as you build it up into one growing pile. After collecting it to leave the surface clean, you will collect and dispose.
- To start pull towards yourself on horizontal surfaces, pull downward when facing vertical ones, or brush upwards when working on something like a dining room chair from behind.
- Use short strokes, and apply firm pressure at all times.
- Work in one straight line, and continue to do a full section at once.
- After finishing one column, move sideways, overlap slightly, and continue with the next section.
- If using the mitt, grab all collected fur and walk to the trash can to dispose. For the other tools, collect your pile with your hands, or brush into a dustpan to toss it. The powerful rubber material will quickly eliminate all hair to refresh and renew your chair.
- Since they are made from rubber you can simply rinse the tools clean under the faucet or even wash with soapy water if necessary after you finish.
- NOTE: This same technique is perfect for carpeted stairs, your dog’s bed and other small areas that collect fur.
Remove Dog Hair From Clothing – Completely reusable and always ready for action, these rubber tools make the perfect product for fast removal of fuzz and fur from shirts and jackets. If outside, they allow you to quickly brush it off onto the ground, and when indoors, they make it easy to collect and pile so that you can throw it in the trash instead of carry it with you all day long.
- When cleaning clothes, you always want to use quick strokes that remain close to the garment. Apply even pressure to build a good charge as you move and create friction.
- When wearing the clothing, hold the tool in your dominant hand, and steady your clothing with the other. Brush upwards and toward yourself in one continuous line.
- If the clothing is not being warn, place on a clean, flat surface, steady with one hand by leaning on it, and brush in a similar way toward yourself.
- If using the mitt, you can use a sort of swipe and grab technique to lift up and collect all at once.
- Faster strokes with deliberate pressure will produce best results, and overlapping just a little will ensure total coverage, and complete removal of the hair.
- As you work the flexible rubber will pull up stubborn pieces that other tools would leave behind to make your clothing even cleaner. Fur, lint and other fuzz will begin to pile up and move along with the brush.
- Continue to complete one clear column, dispose of the debris, and then move on to the next section.
- Once you clothes no longer have fur on them, toss everything you brushed up into the garbage, and rinse your brush to clean it. For occasional thorough cleaning, use soap and water and then let dry.
Bonus: Use As A Scrub Brush – Because versatile tools are more fun, and easier to justify it is worthy to note that any one of these can be quite useful as a scrubbing tool that you can use right on your pet or anywhere else.
- Wet with water, and apply any of your favorite cleaning products. It is safe to use with anything from dog shampoos to floor cleaners without harming the material.
- When scrubbing, use a circular motion, or up and down motion depending upon exact tool, job being performed, and type of mess being cleaned.
- When finished, allow time to dry prior to storage.
- Give a dog a bath, wash windows or your vehicle, scrub a floor and much more. The material gives a good scrubbing action, but will also remain gentle on the surface being cleaned.
Because no amount of begging and pleading will make your dog stop shedding, you are going to need good tools to remove the fallen hair from your furniture and clothing. Nobody wants to broadcast their love for dogs by walking around with furry pants all day, and quickly cleaning it off before you leave the house or step out of the car is the only way to prevent that. Any one of these effective tools can stow easily in a glove box in your vehicle, drawer in your desk at work, or somewhere right next to the door on your house. It only takes a minute to eliminate all fur with one of these tools, and if you are using a reusable roller or something rubber, it will be highly affordable due to the fact that they will last for thousands of uses without any refill or repurchase being necessary.
The rubber mitt and brushes are incredibly easy to use, and guaranteed to work great, but rollers are a top choice for many people due to speed and convenience. Professional pet groomers, hair salons, kennels and more all choose rubber brushes and brooms for their fur and hair removal needs because they are affordable and work better than anything else available. Rollers also have their place in the pet clean up department, so give either type a try for yourself and make this summer shedding season a little more tolerable.