Cats delight pet parents worldwide with their endearing antics, soothing purrs, and independent spirits. Yet, for all the joy they bring into our lives, there’s one aspect of feline companionship that challenges even the most devoted cat lover: the relentless presence of cat hair.
As if by some mystical law of nature, feline fur manages to infiltrate every nook and cranny of our homes, clinging to fabrics, adorning furniture, and forming fluffy tumbleweeds that dance across our floors.
But fear not, for in this comprehensive guide, we delve into the world of cat hair — and more importantly, how to get rid of it! Whether you’re a seasoned cat parent or a newcomer to the world of whiskers and paws, join us as we uncover the secrets to coexisting stylishly and sanely with cat hair.
Furniture
No one wants to sit on furniture covered with cat hair. The first step in decreasing the amount left is to discourage your cat from getting on the furniture. If you have a kitten or cat that is new to your household, this is a good time to set these rules.
Give your cat a comfortable bed or pet furniture and a specific place to lie. If your pet has already adopted a couch or chair as their favorite spot, try treating it with a fabric protector. This often helps make it easier to vacuum hair from the surface and keep it from working its way into the fabric.
Vacuuming upholstered furniture is the gold standard for most hair removal. Use special brush attachments for wood furniture. A magnetized dust wand helps pick up and hold hair. Running an air filter also helps remove pet hair and other contaminants.
If all else fails, try using slipcovers or other decorative fabric to protect your furniture. The advantage here is that you can remove the covers and wash them on a regular basis to keep them clean. Do not wash these items with your regular wash or your clothes will pick up the pet hair. Dry with two dryer sheets to help move the hair to the lint trap.
For fabric upholstery, “Sticky Sheets” work well. They are large sheets with a gentle adhesive that do a great job of lifting hair off car seats, beds, and furniture.
If pet hair is clogging your phone, computer, TV, or other appliances, try a can of compressed air. The can comes with a nozzle attachment that can direct a strong blast of air at hard-to-reach surfaces. This will dislodge the hair and allow you to remove it with dusters or vacuums.
Carpets
Regular vacuuming will help remove most of the pet hair. Very fine hair is often difficult to remove even with repeated vacuuming. One trick is to wet a terry cloth towel just until it’s damp. Wipe your carpet down with a damp towel. This helps collect the hair in a small pile that can be picked up from the surface. This works especially well if your pet has a favorite place to lie and leaves behind a lot of hair.
If your carpet is very soiled, using a steam cleaner will remove a large portion of the dirt and hair that gets trapped. There are preparations to use on your carpet that are stain repellant that will help protect it and make the hair easier to vacuum once it is clean. Another tool is a carpet rake. It’s a specialized implement designed to fluff the nap of the carpet and rake up the pet hair.
Clothing
Pet hair really clings to clothes, but you can help keep your garments clean and hair-free. Try pet hair rollers, a large roll of masking tape that rotates on a handle. As you run the roller over your clothes, it picks up the hair and it sticks to the tape. Each layer of tape can be pulled off to give you a fresh surface underneath. Use these on furniture as well.
Lint brushes and pet hair pick-ups do similar jobs. These are brushes with specialized cloth that will capture hair and release it when brushed in the opposite direction for easy cleaning.
Fabric sprays applied to clothing for static cling also repel pet hair. A fabric softener dryer sheet can also be rubbed over the surface of clothing as a pet hair pick-up. Keep clothing covered in plastic dry cleaner bags in the closet to prevent hair from accumulating.
The car
Pet hair is more of a problem in cars with cloth seats. Draping the seat with a towel or sheet is the easiest way to prevent hair from working its way into the seat. If practical, keep your pet in a carrier when traveling in the car. It’s safer and prevents shedding in the vehicle. Hand-held interior car vacuums are good at getting into cracks and crevices. Wipe down cloth interiors with a damp towel and use a pet hair roller.
Shed-less cats
If pet hair is still a problem, consider breeds that shed less than others or hairless breeds such as the Sphynx cat.
