How to Get Dog Hair Out of Carpet

Is your carpet covered in dog hair? You’re not alone! This is a common problem for pet owners, but here are some simple solutions.

As much as we adore our canine companions, their hair can quickly cover the house – especially carpets! This problem is often particularly bad if you have a double-coated dog breed, although all dogs shed hair.

So, in this article, we’ll share a step-by-step guide on how to get stubborn pet hair out of carpets in the most pet-friendly way. If you’re in a hurry, here’s an overview of the methods:

• Pick up loose pet hair using lint rollers.
• Use a human hairbrush to gather hair into clumps for easier removal.
• Purchase a carpet rake for removing deeper hair from carpets.
• Run rubber gloves over a patch of carpet to use the static effect to pick up hair.
• Use a fabric softener to wash up patches of heavy shedding.

Keep reading for more details on how to perform each technique!

Note: The best way to remove lots of hair from carpet is with a high-quality pet vacuum. However, in this article we’re going to focus mainly on alternative methods.

Useful Tools for Removing Dog Hair from a Carpet

Before we look at methods, we will need a list of equipment. After that, you can choose which method suits you best, depending on which items you have available. A few recommended items include: 

• Spray bottle
• Fabric softener
• Rubber gloves or rubber flip flops
• Lint roller
• Hairbrush or pet hair brush
• Specialised vacuum cleaner

Removing Pet Hair From Carpets: Step-by-Step Guide

Method 1: Adhesive Lint Rollers

An adhesive lint roller is a pet owner’s best friend, second only to their dog! These rollers aren’t just useful for cleaning pet hair from your clothes though – they are also great for removing hair from carpets.

When you roll a lint roller across the affected area of the carpet, pet hairs should stick to the adhesive. This makes picking up large amounts of hair much easier and quicker than other methods.

Here’s how to use a lint roller on carpet: 

1. Identify areas on your carpet that needs pet hairs removed. 
2. Roll the lint roller over the pet hairs on your carpet using gentle, sweeping strokes. Fur should stick to the adhesive without too much pressure – you don’t want to damage the carpet fibres!
3. Continue until your adhesive is filled with pet hair and needs to be replaced.
4. Link rollers can leave a sticky residue at times. You can combat this by spraying a light mist of fabric softener mixed with water over the area.

Method 2: Pet or Human Hairbrushes

A regular hairbrush can always be repurposed into a thrifty pet hair removal tool! Alternatively, you can buy a brush with sharp bristles that was specifically designed to remove pet hair.

Here’s how to use a brush to remove dog hair from your carpet: 

1. Start gently brushing over the affected area with your pet brush or the hairbrush.
2. After a clump of hair has been removed from the carpet, take it from the brush (if necessary) with a comb or your hands. 
3. Discard the dog hair, and repeat the brushing if necessary.

Method 3: Carpet Rakes

Carpet rakes are perfect for removing deeper pet hairs from your carpet. As a bonus, using a carpet rake is a great way to make your carpet fluffy again.

Here’s how to use a carpet rake to remove pet hair:

1. Start by checking that your carpet is suitable for raking. We recommend only using a rake on shag or cut-pile carpets.
2. Vacuum your carpet thoroughly to remove as much hair as possible.
3. Sweep the rake across the carpet in one direction. Don’t press too hard – the rake should glide easily.
4. As your carpet rake gathers the stubborn pet hairs, you can use a dustpan to gather the dog hair. You can also remove excess hair from the carpet rake with your hands so that the carpet rake doesn’t become clogged. 
5. You can repeat this process until the bulk of the pet hairs are removed. Then finish by giving your carpet another vacuum to remove any loose hair fibres that might not have been picked up.

Method 4: Rubber Gloves

Latex gloves create a static effect between the pet hair and rubber gloves that lifts the hair away from carpet fibres. Here’s how to make the most of this effect:

1. Wear a pair of thin latex gloves and dampen them in a small amount of water.
2. Rub your hands on the affected area on your carpet. The static electricity should make it easy to remove hair from the carpet.
3. When your glove is looking full, rinse it in a sink, then remove the hair and put it in a bin. Do not let the hair run down your drain, as it will clog your plumbing.
4. Repeat until you’ve cleaned the affected area of carpet.

FAQs

How can I reduce my dog’s shedding?

All dogs shed – but some shed more than others! If your pet is a heavy shedder, here are some tips for reducing the amount of hair that ends up on your carpet.

• Brush your dog regularly. Do this outside or somewhere you can easily vacuum up the hair.
• Make sure your dog is getting all the nutrients and calories she needs, as malnutrition can lead to an unhealthy coat.
• An occasional bath can remove dead hair. However, you should avoid bathing your pet too often, as this can lead to dry skin.
• Vacuum daily! This won’t reduce shedding, but makes it much easier to keep your home clean. The longer hairs are left to sit on carpets, the deeper they’ll be pushed into the fibres.

Can I use a regular vacuum cleaner when cleaning pet hair?

In theory, pet vacuums are specifically designed to remove hair. These vacuums also often have motorised tools for getting rid of hair on stairs or upholstery.

However, there are many vacuums that aren’t labelled as “Pet Vacuums” that remove plenty of hair from carpets. There are also many supposed pet vacuums that do a terrible job with hair. For this reason, we recommend reading our guide to pet hair vacuums for the best options.

Final Thoughts

Pet hair is a constant battle for dog owners. If you have a heavy shedding breed, then daily cleaning is required if you want to keep your home clear of hair.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to speed up the process of cleaning hair from carpets. The best solution is to buy a high-quality and powerful pet vacuum, but the tips above can also help.

Do you have any questions about how to get dog hair out of carpets? Please let us know in the comments below.