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Having pets in your home may be the best thing, but having their hair all over the place… no. No one loves their furry friends more than Taylor Swift and her three famous cats, but we’re sure even celebrities find it hard to remove hair from every surface in their home. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep a pet hair removal kit on hand when you need to spruce up your space.
“If my plan is to get hair off the floor and furniture, a vacuum cleaner for sensitive ears or an old-fashioned rubber or bristle broom will do,” says Vivian Zottola, M.S. in Psychology, CBCC and applied behavioral research anthropologist. “These nooks and crannies can be penetrated by a low-decibel or low-volume vacuum cleaner with a nozzle (the most effective), as well as sticky objects such as lint brushes.”
To be able to fairly evaluate the 21 products featured, seven of our pet-loving team members came to evaluate tools for everything from pillows to clothes to washing machines. Read on to find out which pet hair removers have been “People Tested” approved.
This small but powerful tool from Analan outperforms the competition for a number of reasons, but its reliability was our tester’s real asset. “It was obvious from the first few wipes that it worked exactly as advertised,” they shared, before commenting on how easy it is to remove ingrown hairs. “It’s great to see him doing such a good job.”
The triangular shape of the tool allows you to use its variously grooved sides to dig out the most stuck hairs, and the easy cleaning process is what makes this product stand out. It’s small enough to be easily stored in the trunk of a car or even in a pocket for quick cleaning on the go, but that doesn’t mean it’s ineffective at home. In fact, the product is recommended for use on small surfaces such as cushions or chair railings – anywhere your furry friend likes to rest.
However, due to its small size, the tool is not suitable for larger cleanings. Although it is possible, it will be quite labor intensive and there are better tools for cleaning large surfaces. But first: Analan is your new best friend.
Type: Tool | Material: plastic, non-slip coating | Dimensions: 4.72 x 4.72 x 0.78 inches | Weight: 7.05 oz
The Evriholder tool is a hybrid of a broom and a squeegee, ideal for those who have trouble cleaning carpets and rugs. For a combination of two cleaning tools, the $17 price tag makes this an unbeatable product. With a row of non-marking rubber bristles at the end of the tool, collecting hair on thick carpet is even easier. “When using it on high pile carpet, the hair tends to clump and tangle easily,” our tester noted. Cleaning the tool is made easy with rubber bristles that gather the hair into a ball, making it easy to pull the hair out of the broom.
The only downside to this affordable option is the length of the handle. “When I use it on my hands and knees, it feels too long, but when I’m standing, it feels too short,” the tester shared. It’s down to personal preference, but the ability to lengthen or shorten the handle should minimize discomfort for anyone interested in Evriholder tools.
Type: Broom | Material: plastic, non-staining rubber bristles | Dimensions: 36.9 x 1.65 x 7.9 inches | Weight: 14.72 oz
Perhaps the least traditional on the list, these Smart Sheep dryer balls are made from 100% premium New Zealand wool and have a textured surface that picks up pet hair stuck to clothing. There are six drying balls included, three wool balls are recommended for small loads and five to six for large loads. Our testers were amazed at the results and said it was “a completely simple way to get pet hair out of clothes.”
In addition, these wool balls are moisture wicking, which reduces drying time for clothes and is an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable dryer sheets. If you are looking for a hands-free method for removing pet hair from clothes or linen, then this product from Smart Sheep is for you.
Type: drying balls | Material: 100% premium New Zealand wool | Dimensions: 7.8 x 7 x 2.8 inches | Weight: 10.88 oz
Two is better than one! Not only is this crevice cleaning kit with one wide “blade” and another spatula-style tool, it proved to be a great deep cleaning product in our tests. The 14″ spatula is ideal for getting into tight spaces like between car seats, while the wide blade is equipped with finger straps for more control over the epilation process.
Our testers were amazed at how easy it was to clean up typical trouble spots. “I was very surprised how comfortable this crevice tool is (although the handle was indeed much longer than it should be). It goes all the way to the crease of the chair between the seat and back.” fits perfectly into a small space, but it is very comfortable.
Uproot pet hair remover is similar to a carpet scraper, but it can serve multiple purposes in your home. The grooved metal edge of the tool picks up not only pet hair, but also dust and lint as they move across fabric surfaces. Because this reusable tool is designed for crevices in furniture, our tester said, “People who regularly clean their furniture of pet hair will love it.”
However, our testers have advised users to be careful when using the device on clothing as the metal parts of the device can damage delicate fabrics. But when it comes to furniture, enjoy!
While there are many types of pet removers, we went to the PEOPLE Tested lab to try some very specific products: rollers, brushes, brooms, and implements. We have found that certain products, such as hand tools, are best for cleaning furniture and hard to reach areas, while brooms are great for cleaning carpets or rugs. In terms of clothing, our tests show that wool drying wads are difficult to place on top. Determining the type of tools needed for your space will help take the guesswork out of choosing a pet hair remover.
Sometimes when you’re on the road and you find those stray hairs, you really need a gadget to put in your bag. Or maybe friends are visiting and you need to fix the couch quickly before they sit down and get covered in cat hair. Knowing which areas you need to clean most often and what to do in those areas is another important aspect to consider when looking for removal tools.
Perhaps the most important factor is your pet. In general, cats and dogs require different grooming tools, so it’s important to know your partner’s coat type and shedding tendency. If your furry friend sheds a lot, you’ll probably need a larger tool for more extensive (and more frequent) cleaning, rather than a pet that sheds very little and only needs a touch up here and there. Incidentally, air purifiers can also filter out some of your pet’s hair, reducing the amount of hair remaining on surfaces.
Each of the 21 products tested by PEOPLE Labs was judged on design, performance, and ease of cleaning. Our testers started by bringing clothes, pillowcases, and furniture covers from home that already had pet hair on them, and provided synthetic hair as props to mimic hair on other surfaces. Products are tested according to their intended use, such as floor coverings, furniture or clothing. After evaluating the appearance and design, they were tested on various surfaces, cleaned and rated on a scale of 1 to 5 for each of the above categories.
If your dog’s hair is stuck to machine washable or dryable fabrics, try putting the items in the dryer for a few minutes before washing. Dryers are more likely to trap dog hair in the lint trap and are easy to remove. Throwing smart sheep drying balls or drying sheets into the fabric will help hold the hair.
If the fabric won’t fit in the dryer, use the OXO Good Grips Furlifter Pet Hair Remover reusable brush, which is better than a roller at removing dog hair stuck to clothes and other fabrics.
In the case of ingrown dog hair, it is best to use a two-step method for removing stubborn hair. To start, put on a pair of disposable rubber gloves and wipe down the entire sofa with your hands. You will be able to loosen and remove most of the hair. Digs between blocks and in hard-to-reach corners. After removing as much hair as possible, use an upright or handheld vacuum with an upholstery attachment to dust the entire sofa and all of the cushions to pick up any remaining hair.
Each pet hair remover cleans differently, so check the manufacturer’s recommendations for your specific pet hair remover. Some can simply remove the collected hairs with a remover. Other pet hair removers can be wiped with a damp cloth or washed in the sink after use.
The methods for removing pet hair from suede are similar to those for removing hair from other fabric furniture. Use clean or disposable rubber gloves to wipe down the fur and remove it from furniture. You can also vacuum suede furniture using the upholstery mode. Many pet hair removers can damage leather furniture. Because pet hair is less likely to stick to the skin, any stray pet hair can be removed simply by periodically wiping the furniture with a soft cloth or vacuuming.
Yes, two pet hair removers on our list – Uproot Cleaner Pro and Evriholder FURemover Broom – are handy tools for removing pet hair from floors. For stubborn pet hair, Uproot Cleaner Pro can be used as a scraper to remove pet hair from carpet. FURemover is a rake-like rubber broom that sweeps and traps pet hair on tile and hardwood floors, and rakes pet hair off carpets and rugs.
Alyssa Brascia is a character-driven business writer covering beauty, fashion, home and lifestyle products. She previously wrote business content for Dotdash Meredith brands including InStyle, Shape and Southern Living. In this article, she compares the features, benefits, and uses of some of the most popular pet hair removers. Based on the experience of our testers, she compared products on factors such as price, versatility, size, hair removal method, effectiveness, softness, ease of cleaning, and environmental friendliness. Bracia also interviewed senior animal trainer and behaviorist Vivian Zottola for her opinion.
We created the PEOPLE Tested Seal of Approval to help you find the best products for your life. We use a unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and our network of home testers to determine potency, durability, ease of use and more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the one that suits your needs.
But we don’t stop there: we also regularly review our PEOPLE Tested approved categories, because the best product today may not be the best product tomorrow. By the way, companies can by no means trust our advice: their product must deserve it, honestly and fairly.
Post time: Sep-04-2023
