Most dog owners find it so difficult to remove dog hair from carpet. After spending a good sum purchasing a carpet, the last thing you would want is for your carpet to look messy with additional layers of dog hair you don’t need. Dogs especially the long haired species shed a lot of hair.
And, it is inevitable that some of this shed hair will get stuck on your carpet. While you might love stroking your dog’s fur, their hair strands littered all over your carpet is definitely not a sight you look forward to.
If you are anything close to being a neat freak, uncomfortable with the slightest hint of dirt, then you might want to lose your marbles if your carpet appears untidy and unkempt.
Unpleasant as dog hair on your carpet might seem, you have to accept that it is bound to happen and find the right way to deal with it. As a dog owner, you take the good and the not so great part of being a dog parent. Dogs will always shed hair; some breed more than others, and so you have to be ready to deal with it.
That being said, there are numerous ways to remove hair from a carpet. I will share with you the common ways and the most effective ways to get rid of dog hair. Bear in mind that the former may not be as effective as the latter for your carpet.
Common Methods For Removing Dog Hair From Carpet
Wet Cleaning
This seems like a pretty easy method to go for, all you need to do is wet your hand with water and rub on your carpet. The dog hair is expected to form a nice ball you should be able to dispose of without much hassle.
You will no doubt get hold of some wet dog hair, but that might be unpleasant for you. You probably won’t be willing to pick out dog hair with your wet bare hands. Also, how much carpet area can you really cover with your hands?
Lint Rollers
The use of lint rollers is another common method adapted for ridding carpets from dog hair. They can be purchased for a very affordable amount. To use lint rollers, you just need to roll its sticky surface over your carpet and the dog hair within the carpet will stick to it.
The lint roller is effective to a decent level. But, you might spend a lot of time depending on the area of your carpet. There is also the issue of leaving sticky residue behind that can also attract dog hair. Sticky tapes work similar to lint rollers and they are also a common substitute.
Fabric Softener
Fabric softeners are used together with vacuums, spray some fabric softener on your carpet and leave for a moment to dry. Then, vacuum afterwards. Vacuums do not do a good job of getting dog hair form carpet, so the fabric softener is expected to loosen the dog hair and make it easier for the vacuum to pick it up.
Baking Soda
The use of baking soda is quite similar to the fabric softener. Spray a little on the floor and allow it to rest for a while before you use your vacuum. Apart from helping to remove dog hair, baking soda also helps with bad odors.
While these methods seem straightforward and cheap, they are not ideal long term solutions. They are not excellent solutions for picking up dog hair over a large surface area and are time consuming.
Using adhesives like lint rollers will leave sticky residue after sometime and using wet methods like your wet hands can cause give your carpet a bad odor. Some of these options might work for smaller surfaces.
Best Ways To Get Rid Of Dog Hair From Carpet
Vaccums For Pet Hair
A vacuum is an essential component of household cleaning tools in these times. You most likely own a vacuum yourself. While vacuums are great for routine cleaning, they do not do a satisfactory job of removing embedded dog hair in the carpet.
Various well known vacuum
Manufacturers now produce vacuums specially designed for pet hair. There are the more expensive fully sized pet hair vacuums if you are willing to go all out for a solution. There are also budget friendly portable vacuums that will get the job done quite decently.
Either way, you’ll need to invest in one of these to reap the benefits. Just like regular vacuums, they are quite easy to handle but this time more dog hair will be pulled out your carpet. If spending on a vacuum just for pet hair does not sit well with you, there are other options you can try.
Carpet Rake
To get to hair deep down your carpet, you can rely on carpet rake to find those well hidden strands. Unlike a regular rake, a carpet rake can be likened to a brush with a long handle. Its bristles are made from either metal or plastic material.
To use a carpet rake, apply a little pressure to the ground and make brief movements towards you. Doing so, the bristles pick up hair strands. In between brushing, take pauses to remove the hair strands from the bristles before you continue.
A good raking will bring pet hair stuck at the bottom of a carpet for months to light.You can decide to rake your carpet periodically and use other methods in between. Raking might require a little energy on your end, but it will be totally worth it.
Hair brushes
A simple hair brush can also do a decent job of removing pet hair from your carpet. Think of it as a carpet rake without the long handle. Get a brush with metal bristles and brush the carpet with short strokes in different directions and pick up hair from bristles intermittently.
Using a hair brush might take a while depending on the surface area you are covering, but you will get those hair strands right out of your carpet by the time you are through.
Rubber Squeegees
When thinking of hair removal methods, you probably have never considered a rubber squeegee (1). Well, a squeegee does an amazing job of ridding carpet from dog or any pet hair embedded within. Hair is actually attracted to rubber, ever had your hair strands stuck on a rubber band.
Well, that explains a lot. Stroke your carpet with a squeegee and watch those hair strands come off. It does a better job when compared with adhesives and you do not have to worry about leaving residues in your carpet.
I advise you get a squeegee with a long handle for your carpet. You can purchase one at any home improvement store close by
Rubber Gloves
There is also the option of using good old rubber gloves. Remember rubber properties make it a good material for removing dog hair. Of course the gloves I’m referring to are the thick heavy cleaning gloves and not its thin counterparts.
With your rubber gloves, you will be able to pull hair free from your carpet. You’re can gather hair strands to a central point with sweeping movements and use your vacuum to finish things off. Of course it would be really stressful to use rubber gloves for cleaning a large area.
It is better for cleaning corners and small surfaces. The kind of rubber glove you use also matters. Gloves with a bit of texture are considerably better than smooth ones.
Professional Carpet Cleaner
If all else fails or you are unable to get the job done yourself, you can always opt for employing the services of professional carpet cleaners. They have the tools needed to make your carpet look as good as new by the time they are done.
You might spend a bit more than you would if you did the job yourself in the long term, but hey, whatever works best for you.
These methods are the best ways in my opinion to get rid of dog hair. If you don’t have any of the tools listed above you can purchase one or two.
You can decide to get a rubber squeegee and a carpet rake for instance. If you want to go all out, a pet hair vacuum is there for you. And, of course employing the services of professionals from time to time also works too, but prepare to make that a part of your budget. Whichever you decide to go for, you will get a satisfactory result.
Conclusion
As a responsible dog owner, you have to learn to manage the mess your furry friend might make. And when it comes to dog hair, it is something you will most likely have to deal with. There are a handful of solutions to choose from.
How much hair your dog sheds also determines how hard you will need to go in solving the problem. In any way, be rest assured it is an issue with a solution.
So make do with one or a combination of the solutions listed above and keep your carpet hair free!
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