How to remove animal hair
Written by: Vinnie van Rooij
Dog hair in the interior of a car can be real nuisance. The hairs get stuck in the fibers of the fabric and become very difficult to remove. Using just a vacuum cleaner is often unsuccessful, however, with a few tips these hairs can be removed much easier.
Contents
Squeegee
The traditional squeegee, used to clean windows and other glass, can be a big help. It pays to have a small one, so you can get into every corner. Just scrape the squeegee over the surface of the fabric, and you’ll easily put all the hairs on one big pile. Ready to be vacuumed up.
Pros
- Works good on both short and long hairs
- Works great without any liquids
Cons
- Is a bit rough on the fabric, so use it with a bit of caution
- You can also drag unwanted dirt along the surface of the fabric
Rubber dog hair brush/mitt / rubber carpet brush
The rubber dog hair brush/mitt works similarly good. Its just a matter of rubbing the brush/mitt over the surface to easily move the hairs where you want them to go. No water or cleaning agent is needed.
Pros
- Works best on long hairs
- Works great without any liquids
Cons
- Not so effective on short hairs
- Keep it clean, otherwise you might spread stains and dirt
Pummus stone
A pummus stone has a good effect on both long and short hairs, but can sometimes crumble a little bit. It works great without the need for any liquids, but always requires to vacuum afterwards and something a wipe with a damp cloth.
Pros
- Cheap, long lasting and easy to use
- Good effect on both short and long hairs
Cons
- Can crumble and always needs a vacuum afterwards and often a wipe with a damp cloth
- A bit rough, so be carefull with sensitive fabric
Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner is a very important piece of kit when cleaning the interior, but it has very little effect on animal hairs. It is very usefull after you’ve managed to get all the hairs in one pile.
Pros
- Very effective once you’ve got all the hairs in one pile
- Works great on all kinds of dirt and dust, not just animal hairs
Cons
- Not very affective on the removal of hairs, spread out over a large area
- Noise, electricity usage, time spent and lots of manual labor
Tape
Wrapping a piece of tape around your hand inside out also works pretty good. The only downside is that you’ll need to refresh the tape very often. A rol of tape is gone before you know it. It can also pull on the loose fibers of the fabric, but is more gentle on sensitive fabrics.
Pros
- More gentle on sensitive fabrics
- Easy to work with, no need for liquids and fairly cheap
Cons
- You need a lot of it
- You won’t just pick up hairs, but also fibers, dust, sand and anything else (which you can also just vacuum up)
The moist hand rubbing
This might be the cheapest option, but not the easiest. You spray a bit of water on your hand and you just start rubbing the area. When your hand starts to dry a little bit, it becomes a bit more grabby. At this point, it will pull most of the hairs out of the fabric. If you rub your hand around in circles, you’ll quickly have a little pile with hairs that are ready to vacuum up.
Pros
- Cheap. Just a spritz of water every now and then
- No need for other tools or equipment
Cons
- Labor intensive
- Not as effective as some other cheap options
Clothing brush / Sticky roller
The old and famuos clothing brush and/or the sticky roller also work great. They are easy to use, safe on sensitive fabrics, but need a fair bit of cleaning and are not that great with long hairs. The sticky roller will also grab dust, dirt, sand and loose fabric.
Pros
- Works great on small hairs and is easy in its use
- Safe on sensitive fabric
Cons
- Not very effective on long hairs
- Needs a lot of cleaning because it grabs anything and everything from the fabric
In conclusion
Animals hairs can be a nuisance. And even with the right tools it will still take effort to remove them completely. However, you’re job can be made easier with the right tools and technique. The result of a completely hair-free fabric is very much possible. With a little bit of practice, you’ll see that it won’t be a problem anymore.
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