Living with cats and/or dogs requires a lot of maintenance and work, but it’s usually well worth the troubles that it causes. Pets are a valued part of the family and even promote positive health benefits in many cases. Regardless, your home furniture such as your couch, love seat, sofa and other types of furniture tend to attract that lovely pet hair that your pets leave behind. Removing hair from your furniture can be a time-consuming, tedious task. To help reduce your cleaning efforts and combat those problems, here are the top five ways to eliminate pet hair.
1. Train Your Pet to Stay Off the Couch and Other Home Furniture
When possible, the best solution to dog hair problems is to train your dog to stay off the furniture. This helps reduce a lot of hair accumulation and keeps it at a minimal level. Sure, you may have a challenge with older dogs in the home, but puppies can get used to your rules as long as you’re persistent.
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For cats, it can be more of a challenge to train them to stay off the furniture. They like to do it anyway and just wait until you take action. It generally continues to cycle in the same manner. For those with cats and other types of pets with hair, the other top four ways to control pet hair on furniture will work better for you.
2. Use Couch Covers, Sofa Covers, and Chair Covers to Control Pet Hair Problems
When talking about couch covers and other furniture protectors, it’s not about using sheets or blankets. It’s about actual covers that look great and fit the furniture just right. Out of the many types of covers available, the ones that protect the entire front of the couch or chair work best. They simply lie across the cushions and the armrests, while also covering the front of the upright cushions. Covers that are more expensive also protect the front base of the couch, chair, or sofa.
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With the right fit, you should be able to vacuum them off periodically. When hair accumulation is at a high level, simply remove the covers and clean them in the washing machine. If you have a spare cover, you can replace the old one while it washes.
3. Use a Pet Hair Vacuum Cleaner to Control Pet Hair
Most vacuum cleaners include attachments and may or may not have a pet hair remover brush that spins with the suction. This particular tool picks up hair and other debris more effectively. However, an actual vacuum designed for pet hair control works best because it has improved hair cleaning capabilities through innovative design and specific accessories. These particular vacuums may have better suction and a design to prevent clogging that hair and other debris can cause. This isn’t always the case, but a pet hair vacuum will still win over most standard vacuums.
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The attachments usually include:
- A spinning brush roller that lifts the hair up and uses the suction to draw it into the vacuum
- A suction attachment with rubber tips that pull the pet hair from the furniture and use the suction to pick it up
- A bristled brush attachment that scrubs the couch and chair surfaces to lift the hair up and remove it
- A long hose to add more flexibility and reach on the furniture
Many standard vacuums have similar attachments, but they usually don’t handle pet hair or work as effectively to remove it. The littlest changes in design can make the biggest difference!
4. Use Rubber Hair Removal Brushes
Special hair removal brushes made with rubber bristles work wonders on removing pet hair from home furniture. They use the bristles to break the hair free from the surface and utilize static to attract it. There are several types out there, such as circular ones that fit over the hand or rectangular ones that look like a scrub brush. However, the best hair removal brushes are the ones that look like an oversized toothbrush because they fit in tighter spaces and are easier to clean. In any case, all these rubber pet hair removal brushes are cleanable under the faucet and generate static on their own when you use them. They save time and clean easy.
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Also, you can use these pet brushes to remove loose hair from your pets and it does not hurt them or cause pain. They don’t scare your family pet, unlike a noisy vacuum. Your cat may even love to purr with it. Your dog will not run away from you either in most cases. This alone helps reduce hair accumulation on your home furniture!
5. Vacuum and Clean Your Floors Regularly
Floors are a big contributor to pet hair accumulation on your couches and chairs. Hair transfers from the floor to your pet in just seconds and then transfers to your furniture. If there’s no hair on the carpets or on hardwood or laminate flooring, there’s less to transfer. It’s kind of like a defensive move that stops the problem in its tracks.
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In closing, these top five ways to control pet hair regulate hair accumulation, save time, and work effectively to keep your furniture looking its best. Also, your couches and chairs will last longer for your family and guests to enjoy!
