Having troubles removing dog hair from car?
In today’s world, it is not usual for a dog to be treated like a legit member of the family and it is not difficult to understand why. Dogs are arguably the friendliest creatures on the planet. They have the ability to lighten your mood in just a flash, they’re exciting to be around and they are also very loyal.
With these characteristics that a lot of humans lack (unfortunately), it is no surprise that a dog wins the heart of every one in no time. While their energy and enthusiasm is desirable, it facilitates their leaving traces of themselves wherever they have been.
Being a member of a family also includes going on car trips together with everyone. Everyone will have more fun if their canine buddy came along right?
Yes, but while your dog is panting with head out the window and ears flapping against its face or, jumping around in excitement wagging its tail, they are most likely dropping off some of their hair strands around your car.
Of course, you might not notice this because you are enjoying the car ride yourself, but you will have to deal with it later. When you do get around to cleaning your car and notice all the mess your dog has made, below are some tips that will help you get rid of them and bonus tips to prevent a mess in your car in the future.
Cleaning Methods
You have to understand that it is a completely normal thing for mammals to shed off old hair and grow new ones, so you have to be prepared to clean out hair from your car after a couple of car trips with your furry buddy.
The more hairy your dog is, the more often you might have to clean your car. I’m assuming you go out with your dog a lot.
Below, I will share with you tools you can use to clean your car and eliminate DNA samples of your dog (I’m referring to their hair strands).
There are also steps on how to clean with each tool starting from the most recommended the vacuum cleaner.
Vaccum Cleaner
I personally recommend using the vacuum cleaner to clean your car of dog hair. For better results, you can attach bristles to your vacuum cleaner. Smaller vacuums you can hold with one hand are better for vacuuming a car. It is easy to move around corners within your car’s space.
Steps
- First, use the vacuum cleaner to get rid of the larger more visible strands.
- Afterwards, attach the bristles and vacuum. That will help pull out the hidden strands on a car’s seats and carpet.
- Dispose hair in the disposable box.
Rubber Gloves
Rubber materials are great for cleaning hair strands. You can just slide them on and begin brushing over your car’s seat to gather the hair strands, but I advise you use water mixed with detergent or fabric softener; they both help loosen hair strands stuck to the car seat by destroying the static bond between them.
Steps
- Get a bowl or a bucket, pour in some water.
- Add some fabric softener or detergent
Mix together. - Put some of the mixture in a spray bottle,
Spray over the area you intend to clean (do not spray over a large area so the water does not dry off). - Put your rubber gloves on and brush towards one direction.
- Rinse off your gloves in the bowl or bucket of water and continue cleaning till you are satisfied.
Duck Tape
Using duct tape to remove dog hair from a car is not the most common method there is, but it works as well. The idea is to get the duct tape’s sticky surface to attract dog hairs in the car. All you need to do is purchase a duct tape that is if you don’t have one already.
Steps
- Wrap duct tape around your hand exposing the sticky side. It might be a bit tricky to do that, but it is doable.
- Gently tap on the surface you want to clean and the hair strands there should stick on the duct tape.
- This method is not advisable for leather upholstery as it might leave sticky residue behind and if your car seats are made from leather, you probably do not want that.
Squeegee
A squeegee also does wonders when it comes to removing dog hair from inside a car. It is a pretty handy tool to have around the house and pretty easy to use. Just like with the rubber gloves, it is better to use alongside a mixture of water and detergent or fabric softener.
Steps
- Put some water mixed with detergent of fabric softener in a spray bottle.
- Spray over the area you are about to clean.
- Spray over the car seats or carpets to remove the pet hair on them.
- Wipe off hair on the squeegee and repeat until the car is free from hair strands
Lint Brush
Using lint brushes (1) is another common way to get rid of dog hair from a car. You can get a lint brush from a home improvement store and use. It is quite gentle to use a car’s upholstery.
Steps
Roll lint brush on surface you want to clean
Take off hair stuck on the brush and dispose
Rubber Brush
A good old rubber brush will also do well in ridding your car of hair follicles your furry friend left you. As you probably know, rubber is a good material for removing dog hair. The rubber brush is pretty easy to use too.
Steps
With your rubber brush, brush over your car’s seat and carpet moving the towards a single direction. The brush’s bristles will help pull out really stuck hair while being gentle on the surface.
Brush hair toward a central position and dispose of it.
You can use your vacuum to help you pick up the hair the rubber brush gathered.
Using Balloons
You are probably unfamiliar with a balloon cleaning option but it exists as well. The static electric nature of a balloons surface will attract hair strands in the car. This is definitely not the best method there is, but it works to a fairly decent level.
The static electricity might not do well pulling up hair deeply rooted in the car’s upholstery.
Steps
Blow air into a balloon and tie up or clamp to prevent the hair within from leaving
Rub the surface you would like to clean with the balloon and the static electricity on its surface will attract hair to it
Clean off the hair stuck on the balloon and repeat the procedure until you are done.
Prevention Tips
To avoid constantly cleaning dog hair off your car, you can implement one or two of these tips below and say good bye to hair strands on your car seat and carpet.
Brush your Dog’s Hair
This is more of a reducing tip than a preventing tip.Brushing your dog’s hair before a car trip will help reduce the shed hair afterwards. What happens is that brushing your dog’s hair helps remove the loose hair strands and reduces the amount of hair that will fall off in the car.
The disadvantage of this tip is that, you might be in a hurry on some days and forget to brush your dog’s hair. Also, it does not completely prevent hair strands from being in your car. Let’s take a look at the two other tips that will help with that.
Get a Pet Cover for your Car
A pet cover is like a blanket you spread in your car that will keep hair strands and any other mess your dog your dog might make from littering your car’s interior. A pet cover is easy to spread, remove and clean.
Use a Travel Carrier
A travel carrier can be likened to a special seat for your dog. You put them in it and ensure they are firmly secure with a seat belt. Apart from being comfortable for your canine buddy and keeping their hair strands away from your car’s upholstery, travel carriers are also comfortable even for long trips.
They are easy to fix, remove and clean. Of course, you can use it each time your dog is coming along on a car trip.
Conclusion
Spending more time with your dog will eventually translate to taking them in your car to wherever and that is totally fine. Have fun with your little (or big) canine buddy, take selfies, stroke their fur and let them jump around in excitement.
But, when it comes down it, roll up your sleeves, use the right steps and tools to take care of whatever mess they might create.
There are numerous options to choose from above. Just one or two options might be all you need to clean up dog hair in your car.
You can also implement one of the tips to help prevent their hair follicles from dripping all over your car altogether. Whatever works best for you!
Glossary
Wikipedia (link)
