How to Remove Pet Hair and Lint from Clothes

Why pet hair and lint cling

Pet hair and lint stick for two reasons. The first is static electricity: dry air and friction charge up the fabric, and that static charge pulls hair in and holds it like a magnet. That's why the problem is worst in winter and straight out of the dryer, when the air is driest. The second is texture: knits, wool, fleece and rough fabrics have fibres that physically grab and trap the hairs. Once you understand this, you understand why the best methods are about either pulling the hair off mechanically or removing the static.

Remove hair from a dry garment – the methods that work

On a dry garment there are several ways to lift the hair off. The damp rubber glove is often the best – and reusable:

• Damp rubber glove: put on a washing-up glove, dampen it lightly, and stroke your hand over the garment in one direction. The rubber grabs the hair and gathers it into clumps you can pick off. Excellent on knits and rough fabric.
• Damp sponge or cloth: same principle – a little moisture makes the hair roll together so you can wipe it away.
• Rubber squeegee or rubber brush: a window squeegee or rubber broom drags hair together on larger areas like coats and blankets.
• Lint roller (adhesive): quick on smooth fabrics, but less effective in deep knits – and single-use, so think reusable where you can.

Get the hair out in the wash – don't just move it around

Simply throwing the garment in the machine rarely removes the hair – it moves around, clings to other clothes and clogs the lint filter. Do this instead:

1. Shake the garment out well outdoors first, to remove all loose hair before it goes in the machine.
2. Tumble the garment on cold/air with no heat for a few minutes before washing – the movement loosens hair, which is caught in the lint filter. Clean the filter afterwards.
3. Add a splash of white vinegar to the rinse compartment. Vinegar softens the fibres and reduces static, so the hair releases into the water instead of clinging.
4. Wash garments with a lot of pet hair on their own, so it doesn't spread to the rest of the load.
5. Wipe the lint filter and the drum after washing, so you don't transfer hair to the next load.

Reduce static – and the hair stops clinging

Remove the static and much of the problem disappears at the root – the hair has nothing to hold onto:

• A little humidity: an indoor humidifier in winter makes the fabric less statically charged.
• Anti-static spray or a dryer ball in the drum reduces the static the garment comes out with.
• Don't over-dry in the tumble dryer – the drier the garment gets, the more static it builds. Take it out while it's just dry.
• Wool or rubber dryer balls shorten drying time and dampen static without any chemicals.

Wool, tailoring and fine knits – and when cleaning is the answer

On wool, tailoring and fine knits, be gentle: use a clothes brush and the damp rubber glove lightly, not an aggressive roller that snags the fibres. Pet hair that has worked deep into fine wool or a dark coat can be hard to remove completely at home. Then a professional clean and press lifts the hair out gently and refreshes the garment at the same time. We clean according to the garment and its care label, and help you across all of Norway. You order online, and you see the price before you order.

Frequently asked questions