If you have a “hypoallergenic” pet, consider yourself lucky. With less hair and much less shedding, they don’t create big wardrobe problems. However, most pets do shed, and if you’d like to keep their hair off your outfits, you’ll have to follow a few simple steps.
Whether you’re a dog or a cat lover, find out how to keep pet hair off your clothes, in order to keep your look pristine. If you don’t want to settle for colors that hide the stray hairs, find out how to minimize the impact of shedding on your wardrobe.
Get the Right Products
A lint roller is a must when you’re living with a furry pet, but you don’t have to stop at one. Keeping a sticky lint roller or brush next to your wardrobe is a good idea, but you should also have one closer to your door, to fix any last minute issues before you walk out, and even one for your laundry room. If you run out of lint roller sheets, wrap some duct tape on your hand, with the sticky side out, and run it over your garments for a quick DIY fix.
Schedule Your Play Sessions the Right Way
One of the best ways to keep pet hair off your clothes is to make sure that your pet isn’t in a playful mood when you’re getting ready to walk out the door. Play with your cat or dog in the morning before you get dressed. It might be harder to say no when you get back, but focus on changing into more comfortable clothes as soon as you walk in the door before letting your pet greet you more affectionately.
Keep Your Closet Secure
Cats love to cuddle in between clothes and small dogs might also find sneaking into your closet a fun challenge. Keep your clothes secure with a door lock mechanism that can’t be used by your pets and you’ll be thankful because you won’t discover your clothes covered in hair right when you’re about to go out.
See also: DOs and DON’Ts of Pet Fashion
Don’t Leave Clothes Lying Around
This is definitely a no-brainer, but one of the best answers to the question how to keep pet hair off your clothes. The key: make sure you don’t leave your clothes in places where your pets have access to it. There’s no safe place when it comes to cats, so make sure that you hang or fold everything and put it away.
Use Static Spray
Pet hair doesn’t come off easily when you’re vacuuming, so it’s important to add an extra step to your cleaning routine. Keeping your home as hair-free as possible is a must, and a static spray makes vacuuming much easier. Spray it on textiles with hair clinging to them, including upholstery, carpets or the lower part of your drapes, and pet hair will cling a lot less, making it easier to vacuum.
Make Sure Your Washing Machine is Hair-Free
Using special laundry detergent for the blankets your pets use is a good idea, but what you really need to focus on is keeping the hair out of your washing machine. That means using a lint roller to remove as much hair as possible before washing your clothes and going for smaller loads, so they have more space to move around to shed the hair during the wash cycle. You should also run an empty cycle regularly and clean the interior as often as you can in order to keep pet hair off your clothes.
Read also: Make Your Favorite Clothes Last Longer
Use Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets significantly reduce static cling, so use them every time. Remember to empty your dryer’s lint trap after each load to make sure it’s collecting hair at maximum capacity every single time.
Try Dishwashing Gloves
A good solution for how to keep pet hair off your clothes when you’re in a hurry, dishwashing gloves can provide a quick fix. Put them on, make sure they’re damp and collect the hair from your clothes or upholstery using the power of static cling.
Protect Your Furniture
You can keep clinging pet hair to a minimum if you vacuum your furniture at least once a week, but sometimes protecting it makes your job a lot easier. If your pet doesn’t have a favorite spot, use slipcovers most of the time. Hair will still go through, but it’ll make cleaning easier.
Groom Your Pet Regularly
You’re probably doing this already, but the most direct way to keep pet hair off your clothes is to groom them regularly. Brush your cat or dog daily during their top shedding times and if you’re already trimming their fur in the summer, keep it short for the entire year.
Photos: Thinkstock