How to Get Dog Hair Out of Carpet: Quick and Easy Cleaning Hacks

You got all excited for the sleepover but then the sad reality hits: your precious 5-year-old Golden Retriever is in his shedding season and the apartment is full of dog hair!

At this point, you wonder how to remove pet hair from carpet as fast and painless as possible.

How to get dog hair out of carpet? Well, you have come to the right place! Below is the list of dog hair removal methods that can save you from the embarrassment and let enjoy a sleepover party that is free from pet hair.

How To Get Dog Hair Out Of Carpet
 

Method #1: Lint roller and Duck Tape to the rescue!

Whenever I feel like cleaning and removing pet hair from carpet, a lint roller is my first choice. If you don’t have one, don’t worry. Find some duck tape or similar type of adhesives.

DIY roller: find something that you can roll on an even surface such as a water bottle and cover it with the tape. The glue side of the tape should face outward so it can pick up the dog hair out of carpet as you roll the bottle around the floor.

Another way is to wrap the tape in a loop around your hand, use the blotting motion to pick up pet hair. Do this until the sticky side loses all of its adhesive from collected hair.

Even though a normal lint roller or any tape is good enough to do the job, there are many rollers specially made for removing pet hair from carpet such as Evercare Pet Extreme Stick Plus Lint Roller, Scotch-Brite Lint Roller, ChomChom Roller Pet Hair Remover, and so on.

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Personally, I don’t think there is a huge difference between regular and pet-specific rollers. Both are low-budget and pick up pet hair pretty well (but it also depends on how much force you use). You might not want to press the tape too hard on fragile material such as expensive carpet or upholstery as the blotting motion would cause unwanted defection on the affected surface.

This method, however, is only recommended for small jobs that do not cover a large area of space and easy-to-clean surfaces.

Also, adhesives do not have the ability to distinguish pet hair from other things so I suggest you don’t use tape on expensive carpet or furniture. The sticky residue that might be left behind on your surfaces is notorious for attracting dirt and pet hair, which doubles the cleaning task for you the next time!

Method #2: Cleaning With Wet Hands

Another way to get dog hair out of carpet is by using wet hands. The name itself is self-explanatory. All you need is your hand after being rinsed in water.

Rub your hand on the carpet or furniture and drag the dog hair in a downwards motion.

Remember to keep your hand damp at all times when doing this as the wetness is what makes it effective. Another important factor is the pressure behind every stroke as it would dictate how much dog hair you can remove from the carpet.

This proves to be the easiest way as no equipment is needed, but I’d rather consider it as the last resort. Surely, cleaning with your bare hands has never been a pleasant task since you’re definitely going to end up with a hand covered in wet pet hair (and whatever else is in there).

If you are someone who has sensitive skin and spends hours looking for a skin-safe product then spare this method from your cleaning option, unless you want to end up with red, irritated, and dirty hands, which are susceptible to allergies.

Method #3: Removing Dog Hair from Carpet with Rubber Gloves

If you’re still thinking about using your hands for getting dog hair out of the carpet but are hesitating because of post-cleaning irritation, then add a protective layer by wearing rubber gloves.
  
Remember to choose the heavy-duty gloves with textured surface as the tiny burms on the palm strengthens the grip. This works in favor of pulling dog hairs and preventing them from staying trapped in carpets or furniture.

Avoid latex gloves for this task if their smooth surface makes escape easy for embedded hair in carpets, upholstery, and other interiors.

Rubber gloves are more effective in comparison with wet bare hands but I would still save it as a last resort as you will probably burn out before reaching the last wisp of hair. 

Planning to make the strenuous task of removing hair from carpet more enjoyable and time-saving? Consider these options below!

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Method #4: Spraying Diluted Fabric Softener or Baking Soda

Another ‘folk-remedy’ method of getting dog hair out of carpet is using baking soda and fabric softener (other deodorizing powders also work). The chemicals are effective in loosening the grip of dog hair to the carpet, which paves the way to easy clean-up.

Gently put one part fabric softener into a spray bottle and then add three parts water and mix them together thoroughly. Gently spray the solution on the targeted area with just-enough to moisten it and then let it dry.

Remember to spray lightly and avoid soaking the carpet, which would prolong the cleaning task for another 10 to 20 minutes. When the solution is dried, use a vacuum or your hand to pick up the untangled dog or cat hair.

Always proceed with wet cleaning methods using utmost precaution as there are side effects. For one, adding chemicals to your dog environment runs the risk of triggering allergies. Two, improperly spraying too much liquid will cause it to seep down and absorb into the carpet padding or furniture, creating a hideous musty odor over time.

If you cannot afford the risk of making your apartment smell like a wet dog, then consider the next three ways to get dog hair out of carpet.

Method #5: Dog Hair Carpet Brush

See this gadget?

It’s called a carpet rake with its long, broomstick-like handle. There are hundreds of them on the internet so if you haven’t got one, I suggest you get it as it will save you dreaded backache from crawling on the carpet looking for embedded pet hair.

Well, there are hand-held versions of this as well so do a little research and pick out the one that suits your cleaning style (and back conditions of course).

Already have one? Good. Here’s what you need to do: simply stroking the cat/dog hair invasion area on your carpet, sofa, or upholstery, pile it up and gather it in a central area that can be vacuumed with ease later.

Method #6: Eradicating Embedded Pet Hair with a Hair Brush

Another brush that helps rid dog hair from carpet is the normal personal hair brush. Since it’s small and easy to maneuver, these little guys come in handy for small jobs such as cleaning up a staircase, carpet with deep piles, or hard-to-reach areas between furniture.

For best results, opt for a brush with stiff bristles and carefully brush it from side to side over the targeted area. The bristles will attract the hair and clump them up for easy disposal.

Refrain from using a hair brush on furniture as the bristles are not always gentle on the working area and may damage the fabric.

Another catch when using a hair brush for cleaning pet hair is that collected hair seems to stubbornly stick to the bristles. Therefore, it’s better to remove the hair after every clean-up session to avoid dreaded agitation trying to detangle the deeply intertwined dog hair jungle.

Also, make sure you SEPARATE this dog hair removal tool from the normal hair brushes in the house to save an emotional meltdown from unfortunate family members (or even yourself!).

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Method #7: Super-power Vacuum Cleaner

Now, it’s time we make way for the “big guy.”
 
Even though I made few mentions about vacuuming above as the last step to removing hair from carpet, you can rely on the vacuum cleaner solely for the task without much crawling back and forth on the carpet. 

However, don’t set your expectations too high for your current vacuum. Although vacuum cleaners are originally designed to rid your house of dust, dirt, hair and everything in between, not all are fierce fighters against pet hair unfortunately.

If your dog is a heavy shedder then my best suggestion is investing in a Top rated vacuum cleaner made specifically for pets such as the Dyson Animal or Shark TruePet product line. With extra suction, these machines will be the hero on the dog-hair-termination mission!

One Preventive Step Equals 10 Remedy Methods

As much as you want to Google who said the above quote, you don’t need to, because it’s me (yes, I made it up).

For legitimate purposes when prevention is taken seriously, you don’t need to scout the entire internet on how to clean dog hair from carpet.

The best way to avoid the utter embarrassment caused when guests walk into your dog-hair-invaded apartment is to take preventive steps in advance. Here’s how:

1. Furnish your Home with Easy-clean Materials

When it becomes impossible to imagine your life without your beloved dog or cat (or both!), it’s best to balance your busy life outside of home and cleaning efforts with furniture that are inherently resistant to hair.

Some examples include wooden, laminate, tile, or vinyl flooring (wall-to-wall carpets are not always pet-friendly from the beginning); also upholstery such as leather, canvas, heavy-duty cotton fabrics, ultrasuede, etc.

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2. De-shed your Pets Frequently

Another effective way to save yourself from hair-cleaning chores is to groom and de-shed your pets at best every day, or at least twice a week. De-shedding gloves and brushes work wonders to help your pup shed a little bit of fur regularly.

How to Remove Cat Hair from Carpet

At this point, some of you may be wondering whether the above practices can be applied for cats as well. Absolutely, Yes!

Cats may be different from dogs in the friendliness department (don’t get me wrong, I love cats tons, but must agree that showing affection isn’t their cup of tea). They do not nonetheless, diverge much in the hair shedding department when compared to dogs with small exception to the quantity as these lovely miniature lions are always as big as their wolfy neighbors.

All the methods above can be used to get cat hair out of carpet, upholstery, and furniture. Depending on how much your cat sheds, how much time and energy you have, I hope you find the one that works best for you, ensuring everyone feels comfortable living under the same roof.

Final take-aways

There are of course, probably many more ways to remove hair from carpet that are not yet discovered. However, you don’t need to know them all as it’s good enough to find the one that suits you perfectly.

If you think you’ve read enough of “how to get dog hair out of carpet” but still haven’t made any headway in the dog hair battle, maybe it’s best to keep the furry ones out in the yard. 

However if done right, cleaning routines can help make living with pets as hassle-free as you wish it to be.