How to Get Pet Hair Off Furniture, Carpet and Laundry

We love dogs and cats. We also know exactly how much hair a Husky leaves on a navy couch in May. Pet hair isn't dirty the way spilled food is, but it piles up fast and holds dander. It also makes a clean house look like nobody's touched it in weeks.

None of what works is fancy. Most of it is rubber, patience and a vacuum with good suction.

Furniture and upholstery

A damp rubber glove. Put on a regular rubber dish glove, run it under the tap and shake off the extra water. Wipe the couch in one direction with your palm. The hair grabs onto the rubber and rolls into clumps you can pick off and toss.

A window squeegee. Same idea, bigger surface. Pull it across cushions in short strokes. It works well on tightly woven fabrics and car-seat style upholstery.

Lint roller to finish. After the glove or squeegee has done the heavy work, a lint roller picks up what's left. Using it first just burns through sheets.

Vacuum the seams. Pet hair collects in the crevices and under the cushions. Pull the cushions off and use the crevice tool, then the upholstery brush.

Cover the favorite spot. If your dog has a spot on the couch, a washable throw blanket there catches most of the hair. Wash it weekly.

Check the tag before using water on any upholstery. Some fabrics are labeled for dry cleaning or solvent cleaning only, and water can leave a ring.

Carpet and rugs

Carpet holds onto hair. The fibers twist around it, and a quick vacuum pass only gets the top layer.

1. Rake it first. Drag a rubber broom or a squeegee across the carpet in short strokes. You'll be surprised how much comes up.
2. Vacuum slowly. Fast passes don't give the brush time to work. Go over each area twice, in two different directions.
3. Empty the vacuum often. A full bag or canister loses suction. With a heavy shedder, you may need to empty it partway through the house.
4. Clean the brush roll. Hair wraps around it and stops it from spinning well. Cut it free with scissors, with the vacuum unplugged.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology suggests a vacuum with a HEPA filter or double bags for people with indoor allergies, and says allergic people should wear a mask while vacuuming or have someone else do it.

Hard floors

On wood, tile and vinyl, hair drifts into corners and under furniture. A dry microfiber dust mop picks it up without blowing it around the way a broom can. The National Wood Flooring Association recommends sweeping, dust mopping or vacuuming on the bare floor setting for routine cleaning of wood floors. Do that before any damp mopping, or you'll just push wet hair around.

Bedding and laundry

Shake it out outside. Take blankets and pet beds outside and give them a good shake before they go anywhere near the washer.

Dryer first. Run hairy items through the dryer on a no-heat or air-only setting for about 10 minutes before washing. It loosens hair into the lint trap instead of your washer.

Then wash. Wash as usual. Wash pet beds and the blankets they sleep on weekly if you can.

Clean the lint filter every time. The U.S. Fire Administration says to clean the dryer lint filter before and after each cycle, and to clean the back of the dryer, where lint builds up. With pets, that lint filter fills fast.

Wipe the washer. After a load of pet bedding, wipe the inside of the drum and the door seal with a damp cloth to pull out leftover hair.

Prevention beats cleanup

• Brush your pet often, outside if you can, so the hair ends up in the yard instead of on the couch.
• Change the HVAC filter on time. EPA's guide to air cleaners says to replace HVAC filters every 60 to 90 days, or sooner if they're dirty. Homes with pets often need sooner.
• Use washable covers on the furniture pets love.
• Vacuum more often in shedding season. Many dogs shed much more at certain times of year.

Accidents and odors

Never use bleach on urine. Urine contains ammonia. The Missouri Poison Center warns that bleach on urine, including pet urine, can release chloramine gas, and adds that bleach doesn't get rid of the smell anyway.

Use an enzyme cleaner. Pet stain products with enzymes break down what's causing the odor. Blot up as much as you can first, then follow the label. The ASPCA says enzyme-based cleaners can cause mild stomach upset in pets, so let the area dry before pets walk on it again.

Old stains in carpet may have soaked into the pad underneath. If the smell keeps coming back after cleaning, the carpet may need professional cleaning, and sometimes the pad needs to be replaced.

Products and your pets

The ASPCA says most cleaning products are safe to use around dogs and cats as long as you use them as the label directs. A few habits help:

• Keep pets out of the room while you clean and until floors and surfaces are dry.
• If you use diluted bleach on kennels or toys, the ASPCA says to rinse well and wait until the bleach smell is gone before pets go near them.
• Be careful with scented oils. The ASPCA says essential oils in concentrated form can be dangerous to pets, and recommends keeping them out of pets' reach. Skip oil diffusers in rooms your pets use, and avoid them entirely if you have birds.

Store every cleaner up high or behind a closed door. If you think your pet got into something, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Sources

1. Some Things Just Don't Mix (Missouri Poison Center, updated Jul 7, 2025) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
2. Poisonous household products and pets (ASPCA Animal Poison Control) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
3. The Essentials of Essential Oils Around Pets (ASPCA, Jun 23, 2022) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
4. Clothes Dryer Fire Safety flyer (U.S. Fire Administration) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
5. Wood floor maintenance (National Wood Flooring Association) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
6. Managing Indoor Allergen Culprits (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
7. Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home (U.S. EPA) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)