All owners of furry pets regularly face the problem of removing clumps of fur from pieces of furniture and clothing in their apartment or house. This issue becomes especially pressing in the spring and autumn, when animals change their fur from winter to summer and vice versa. Only a few breeds of pets do not cause owners such troubles: Sphynx cats or hairless terriers. To get rid of stuck cat and dog hairs, owners of domestic cats and dogs resort to a variety of tricks: they use folk methods or products from hardware stores. How to remove wool from clothes? This material examines in detail the methods of dealing with stuck hairs and provides a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of various methods.
Cleaning accessories
Home improvement stores offer a wide range of inexpensive devices designed for cleaning fabrics (pants, sofas, coats, sweaters, blankets, rugs) at home. The advantages of such devices include: low price, ease of use, lack of damaging effects on the surface being cleaned.
Roller with sticky paper
A cylindrical roller (roller) wrapped in adhesive paper helps to quickly clean contaminated areas on clothing. This simple device has a handle, which greatly simplifies the cleaning process. When running the roller over the fabric pile, small debris, including hairs, sticks to the adhesive surface. As the paper layer becomes dirty, remove it and continue the procedure.
Reusable roller with silicone surface
A multifunctional roller with a polyurethane surface impregnated with glue is used to remove (collect) dust particles, hairs and fur from wardrobe items or furniture upholstery. After using this device, there is no sticky residue left on the fabric. To clean the roller, you just need to rinse the surface under running warm water.
Hair removal brush
A soft clothes brush gently removes stubborn fur and other small objects. Cleaning is carried out with smooth movements directed from top to bottom. The brush moves debris to the edge of the garment without damaging the fabric.
Rubber sponge
Owners of animals subject to frequent shedding are advised to use a reusable washable sponge. This device helps restore the aesthetic appearance of clothing by removing small fibers stuck to the surface. Use a dry sponge to clean dirty fragments. After use, the device should be washed with soap, rinsed under running water and dried.
Rubber glove
A rubber household glove effectively removes dirt and cat hair stuck to things. This item should be used for items made of thick fabric. A dry glove is passed over the surface of the material to remove hair. After use, you need to collect (remove) the wool from the glove, and the product should be rinsed.
Why is wool dangerous?
In addition to the fact that things with wool “stuck” on them do not look very neat, they are not particularly pleasant to wear, they also create a fairly high probability of the washing machine breaking down.
Animal fur gets inside the system and clogs it, which can ultimately result in the machine stopping and water leaking. Human hair, threads and other similar things have the same effect on equipment.
Traditional methods
An alternative way to get rid of unpleasant fur patches that spoil the appearance of things and furniture is to use simple household products that can be found in every home.
Scotch
If you have double-sided tape and a rolling pin at home, you can use these two items to construct a replacement tape roller. After wrapping the rolling pin with tape, you need to remove the upper part of the protection, then roll the contaminated fragments onto the cloth. You can also clean areas of the material using pieces of regular tape, applying the sticky side to the wool.
Pumice
You can use a piece of pumice to clean thick fabrics. The abrasive properties of this material are quite high, so pumice should be used with gentle movements and should not be used to clean delicate fabrics.
Lifehacks
If you don’t have any of the above remedies at hand, and the fabric needs urgent cleaning, you can use one of the following useful tips:
- Use transparent synthetic tights or socks to remove hair. You need to put the sock on your hand, press it tightly to the fabric and smoothly move it over the surface. After a while, clean off the stuck lint and repeat the procedure. In order not to spoil the coating, you should choose only light-colored nylon products for cleaning.
- Another synthetic material, such as nylon, can be used in a similar way. Synthetics quickly become electrified, attracting small hairs and other debris.
- Fur lint stuck in the fabric can be shaved off with a razor, periodically clearing the blade of accumulated hairs.
- A napkin impregnated with an antistatic agent also successfully cleans items of cat hair.
What to do?
Cat lover Mika Stoichkova shared a very simple life hack with her subscribers, the use of which will help prevent machine breakdowns and rid clothes of hairs during the washing process.
It turns out that a few wet wipes added to the pile of laundry going into the machine drum help solve the problem. After the machine drum stops, most of the hairs and hairs will end up on the napkins.
Before you try this technique, which seems quite simple and does not require additional costs or any effort, you need to think about how important the smell of things and laundry is.
The fact is that wet wipes leave their scent on washed items, clothes and linen. Of course, it is very weak and cannot be compared with the smell remaining after dry cleaning, but nevertheless, the aroma is present.
If this is a problem, then you need to use a conditioner when washing that can neutralize the odors of the powders. It will also eliminate the aroma left by wet wipes.
Furniture
The first stage of furniture cleaning is treatment with a substance with antistatic properties. The hairs stick to the surface due to electrification. The hairs acquire a static electric charge, due to which they are attracted to items of clothing and home furnishings.
To remove hairs from wooden furniture, just wipe the surface with a cloth moistened with an antistatic agent.
The method of cleaning upholstered furniture is determined by the type of upholstery material. The easiest way to clean thick fabrics is with a stiff clothes brush. To remove stuck tufts of fur, the brush needs to be rinsed periodically, so before you start cleaning, it is better to immediately prepare a small bucket of water. You can collect wool from small areas with bare hands or wearing rubber gloves.
Leather furniture and car interior are wiped with a damp cloth or a special napkin.
To clean velor, use adhesive tapes or regular tape. To give the pile a more elegant look after cleaning, you can comb the velor with a special brush.
Preventing the accumulation of animal hair on clothing
Putting it away in the closet is the first thing that comes to mind to prevent hair from accumulating on clothes. But you still won’t be able to completely get rid of it. Especially if your pet has a fluffy coat. Smooth-haired pets also shed, although less, so it is worth taking measures to reduce the accumulation of hair on things.
Both cats and dogs need to be brushed regularly. During the molting period and with furry animals, it is recommended to carry out this procedure at least once a day. The process takes time, but there will be less hair on your clothes.
As a preventive measure, treating wardrobe items with an antistatic agent, which should be done once every 6 months, will help: the fibers will stick to the surface less.
Wool on coats, trousers, dresses and other wardrobe items is not a reason not to have pets. Preventive methods, improvised and special devices will help you easily cope with this problem.
Carpet
Carpets are cleaned using a vacuum cleaner. The correct solution would be to use a special attachment for removing hair (turbo brush). This procedure needs to be done at least once every three days. Owners of animals with long hair have an advantage in this case, since short hairs are more likely to get stuck in the carpet than long hairs.
Before cleaning the rugs, it is recommended to spray the carpet with an aqueous solution containing 50% antistatic agent or fabric softener from a spray bottle. This will make it easier to remove debris.
A small amount of fabric softener or antistatic agent can also be added to the water used for cleaning floors. This technique will reduce the sticking of hairs on the coating.
In addition to the vacuum cleaner, you can use:
- wet broom;
- hard brush;
- latex gloves.
Cleaning small areas can be done manually. All methods of cleaning carpets are also applicable to floor coverings. For smooth floors, regular wet cleaning (every 3-4 days) is sufficient.
Cleaning clothes from wool: the main method
Using a damp and well-wrung out sponge, go over the items and roll up dog or cat hair, moving from one edge of the carpet to the other and only in one direction! Do not rub the fabric back and forth, otherwise the fabric will deteriorate and the wool will still remain. Periodically wet the sponge in clean water.
To enhance the effect, the sponge can be moistened with water mixed with hair conditioner or rinse conditioner. Or spray this solution on clothes from a spray bottle, and then walk with a slightly damp sponge. Such products will get rid of static electricity, which increases the attraction of hairs and lint.
Instead of these products, you can wipe your clothes with an antistatic cloth, which will also get rid of static electricity. Treated products are easier to clean. In addition, after treatment they will attract less dust, lint and hair. What else to do to prevent things from becoming electrified, see here.
Bed sheets
Even if you don't allow your cat to jump on the bed, hairs from the cat's fur will definitely end up on your linens. How to remove cat hair from bed linen? The main methods for removing fur debris:
- Most furry owners recommend using a clothes dryer that has filters and a centrifuge.
- A roller with adhesive paper or tape is the cheapest way to clean laundry, but this method is time-consuming.
- A popular life hack for hard cotton fabrics is to put a dish sponge in the washing machine.
- Using fabric softeners with antistatic agents makes it easier to remove stuck hairs from laundry.
- Of all the linen fabrics, satin is the most attractive to wool. It is easier for owners of furry pets to completely refuse to purchase such underwear.
Some tips for washing bed linen and clothes:
- It is better to wash the most contaminated items separately.
- Before washing, you should go through your clothes and clean the dirtiest areas.
- For rinsing, use an antistatic agent.
- After washing, it is recommended to wipe the inside of the washing machine to remove hairs and remaining dirt.
- When you take things out of the washing machine, you should shake each item to get rid of stuck lint. After this procedure, you need to wipe the floor.
Professional advice on how to remove hair from various surfaces in the apartment
Most often, pet owners face the problem of sticky fur.
To get rid of hairs on clothes, upholstered furniture and carpet, special and improvised devices are successfully used.
We will tell you in this article how to remove hair from cats, dogs and other animals in an apartment or house, from blankets, bed linen, and from the washing machine.
Measures to prevent wool from sticking to clothes
Cat owners can take care in advance to reduce the likelihood of hair sticking to items of clothing and furniture. How to deal with (get rid of) cat hair in an apartment? Basic recommendations:
- The physical nature of the phenomenon that causes the attraction of wool is the accumulation of a static electric charge. A metal object such as a pin will help remove accumulated charge from silk items.
- Rubber jewelry provokes the accumulation of charged hairs. Such elements should be avoided.
- When washing, you need to use a fabric softener with an antistatic agent.
- It is best to store clothes in a closet in fabric or plastic covers. This will isolate some things from others and prevent electrification.
- Before ironing clothes that attract lint, you must first spray the items with an antistatic agent.
- Normal indoor humidity reduces the likelihood of electrification.
- If there are animals in the house, wardrobe items should be stored in a closed closet.
Regular cat grooming will help reduce the amount of hair that falls out of your cat's skin and sticks to all objects inside the house. This especially applies to representatives of long-haired breeds, which need to be combed daily or at least every other day.
Owners of furry pets have to pay constant attention to cleaning their wardrobe items and home furnishings from adhering hairs from their pets’ fur. To do this, the arsenal of household appliances should always have special products or folk remedies ready to fight for the cleanliness of surfaces.
Recommendations
The following recommendations will help you when cleaning up animal hair:
- It is necessary to clean the premises where there are animals regularly.
- To quickly put your clothes in order and remove hairs, it is recommended to have a sticky roller in the hallway. You can use it to go through your things before leaving.
- It is best to remove hair from delicate fabrics, natural silk, with a hand dipped in water. This way you can be sure that the material will not be damaged.
- If your pet has a preference for certain areas on the sofa, rug or chair, they should be cleaned more frequently than the rest of the environment and more thoroughly.
