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If you’re a dog owner and like to take your pooch on family holidays and walks on the beach, then you are well aware of the struggle of dog hair accumulating on your car’s surfaces. Luckily, there are lots of ways to remove pet hair from your car, though not all of them are equally effective.
So, to save you having to try a hundred different things, we’ve laid out the 10 best ways to remove dog hair from your car, whether it is a light scattering or a veritable carpet! We’ve also included some ideas for preventing dog hair from building up, which every pet owner should consider.
Table Of Contents
10 Best Ways To Get Dog Hair Out Of A Car
Every person you ask seems to swear by a different method to remove pet hair from the car. In our opinion, these are the best methods, ranked in order, and luckily they are all environment-friendly. However, depending on the type of hair your dog has or how much has built up, different methods or a combination of methods could be best.
1. Vacuum Cleaner
If you’ve got a lot of dog hair in your car and you want to remove it all, it’s always a good idea to start with a handheld vacuum cleaner. This will help get rid of all the loose hairs and other dirt so you can focus on the really stubborn ones. Once you’ve gone over the main seat areas with the flat attachment, you can then use the nozzle attachment to get into those hard-to-reach nooks.
2. Lint Roller
Once you’ve given your car’s seats a good clean once over with the vacuum, a lint roller should remove most of the hair left over. After all, lint rollers were specifically designed to remove hair and lint from fabric surfaces!
And if you want to prevent all that pet hair from building up, a lint roller is an excellent tool to keep in the glove box or door storage pocket and use whenever you notice the pet hair starting to accumulate.
3. Duct Tape
If you don’t have a lint roller, duct tape works just as well to remove the pet hair from your car seats, and it means you won’t have to constantly buy new adhesive sheets because one roll of duct tape lasts forever.
Simply roll some duct tape sticky side up around your hand, and you have a DIY hair remover! Of course, you will have to replace the tape a few times as it loses its stickiness, but it works like a charm.
4. Velcro Hair Curler
Not everyone has velcro hair curlers lying around the house, but if you do, give them a try. Depending on the type of hair your dog has, they can be just as effective at removing hair from your car as lint rollers and duct tape.
The little bristles work wonders to loosen hair and pick it up from the seat. They also have the bonus that you can simply pull the hair off when you’re done and reuse it next time!
5. Rubber Gloves
This method isn’t always as effective as the ones described above, but it’s definitely an affordable solution. Put on a pair of rubber dishwashing gloves, wet them and then simply wipe your hands over the car’s interior surfaces in one direction.
The dog hair should stick to the wet gloves, and you can get to those hard-to-reach areas. Make sure to bring out a bucket of water so you can rinse off the hair and repeat!
6. Fabric Softener
If you are dealing with really stubborn embedded pet hair or want to make sure to remove all the pet hair from your car, fabric softener is a great way to make whatever methods you use more effective. This is because fabric softener contains chemicals that break the static electricity between the hair and the fabric, making pet hair easier to remove. Simply mix fabric softener with water in a seven-to-one ratio in a spray bottle and spray all your car’s upholstery.
You can go in with a lint roller, duct tape or rubber gloves after using a fabric softener for great results.
7. Squeegee
A squeegee works the same way as rubber gloves to remove the hair from your car, and it has the benefit of not requiring you to touch the hair with your hands, which can make some people squeamish even with gloves on!
Simply wet the squeegee and brush it over your car seats and carpet in a single direction, gathering the dog hair into little piles that you can vacuum up. You may have to rinse off the squeegee a few times if you’re dealing with a lot of hair!
8. Wire Brush
A wire brush isn’t the best option when it comes to removing pet hair, as it can damage your car seats. However, it is a very effective way to unstick hair that’s embedded deep in the seats and carpet fibres. Remember to start gently as you run the brush over the upholstery and stop if you see any snags.
Once you’ve loosened the hair, you can then vacuum it up or remove it with duct tape or something similar. A wire brush can also be a good final step in the pet hair removal process, as it’s great at getting to those stubborn hairs.
9. Wet Cloth
If you’re in a pinch and don’t have any rubber gloves, a wet cloth works in much the same way to remove pet hair from your car. You want to wet the cloth but then ring it out as much as possible until it’s just damp, and then run it all over your seats and upholstery. This method isn’t the most pleasant, as you can end up with dog hair sticking to your wet hands, but if you are desperate, it works!
10. Balloons
Some people swear by the efficacy of balloons to remove pet hair, while others insist that it’s a myth. Either way, it’s a fun idea, so why not give it a go if you have some balloons lying around?
The idea is that, as it is static that causes the dog hair to stick to the car’s upholstery, the static electricity from the balloon should counteract this and cause the hair to stick to it. The benefit is that it’s very easy to wipe the hair off the balloon and keep going.
Is Dog Hair Different From Other Pet Hair In Cars?
Dog hair is different from other pet hair in cars. For dog owners, the good news is that dog hair tends to be easier to remove from your car’s upholstery than cat hair, as cat hair tends to be finer and softer and is thus more prone to static cling. However, some dogs, such as poodles and terriers, also have very fine hair that sticks stubbornly to fabric!
Preventing Pet Hair From Covering Your Car Seats
The best way to avoid the hassle of removing animal hair from your car is to prevent the hair from getting there in the first place. This is especially a good idea if you want to plan a road trip with your pooch. So here are some effective ways to prevent dog hair from accumulating in your car.
1. Anti-Static Spray
The reason that pet hair sticks to upholstery is because of the static electric charges that build up between the hair and the fabric. To prevent static buildup, try using some anti-static spray on your seats and carpets. Lightly mist your car’s interior surfaces with the spray, and any pet hair that falls will be much easier to remove.
2. Use A Seat Cover
If you want to prevent pet hair from reaching the seats, you can always use a seat cover. Of course, you will run into the problem of having to remove pet hair from the seat covers, but you can usually just throw them in the wash. And if you don’t want your human passengers to sit on dog hair, a cloth or blanket is a less permanent option.
Reach out to SDVH today for enquiries about our people carrier hire options to make sure there’s enough space for human and four-legged passengers on your next road trip!
3. Car Humidifier
You can also go even further back and minimise the amount of hair coming off your dog. A car humidifier is a great way to do this, as the drier your dog’s skin is, the more they will scratch themselves, causing their hair to fall out.
For the best result, use a car humidifier in conjunction with another humidifier at home.
4. Groom Pet
Another way to prevent so much of your pet’s hair from coming off in the car is to groom them regularly. If you brush your dog regularly, all that loose hair will come off the brush, which will prevent excess shedding. If you’re wondering where to go next with your canine companion, Hampshire is packed with dog-friendly beaches.
5. Use A Travel Carrier
If you want to keep your car hair-free without having to deal with hairy seat covers, another option is to use a travel carrier. Of course, this doesn’t work for big dogs, but if you have a small dog who isn’t too fussed about being in small spaces, it’s a very effective method.
If you like bringing the furry family members along on adventures, you need a rental car that can accommodate everyone. Luckily, you can contact us for SUV and estate car hire options that are dog-friendly!
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s The Best Way To Remove Pet Hair From Your Car?
The best way to remove pet hair from your car is to first spray your car’s seats and carpets with fabric softener and water in a spray bottle, then vacuum them and then go in with a lint roller, duct tape or a velcro hair curler.
You can skip the vacuuming step if your vacuum won’t reach the driveway – it just helps to get rid of all the dirt and loose dog hair. The first step also isn’t necessary, though it makes the following steps more effective.
Can You Prevent Pet Hair From Accumulating In Your Car?
Yes, you can prevent pet hair from accumulating in your car. There are quite a few ways to do this. You can use an anti-static spray to prevent the pet hair from embedding itself in the upholstery or simply cover the seats with seat covers or a blanket. We also recommend grooming your pets regularly so there isn’t so much loose hair that can come off in the car.
Can A Vacuum Alone Remove All Pet Hair From A Car?
No, a vacuum alone cannot remove all pet hair from a car unless the hair is very loose. Most of the time, you will need another step to get rid of all the pet hair that’s sticking stubbornly to the seats and carpets. Lint rollers work very well for this next step, as do velcro hair rollers or duct tape wrapped around your hand.
What Material Does Dog Hair Not Stick To?
Dog hair does not stick to silky materials like silk, satin and chiffon, non-woven materials like leather, suede and microfiber, and tightly woven fabrics like denim. So, when it comes to car seats, a good material for repelling pet hair is leather or suede. Or simply buy a car seat cover made of microfiber if you don’t want to re-upholster your seats!
What DIY Method Is Best For Removing Pet Hair?
The DIY method best for removing pet hair is duct tape wrapped around your hand. Simply wrap the tape around your hand (sticky side out), then press hard on the affected area and pull away. You might not get all the hair the first time around, but keep going, and you should soon see results. Simply replace the tape wrapping once it loses its stickiness.
Conclusion
Now you know how to remove dog hair from your car quickly and easily. We’ve provided different options for pet owners using a range of common household products, which you can combine depending on how much hair you have to deal with and how embedded it is. These methods also work for other pets’ hair, though cat hair can be extra stubborn. Good luck!
I can confirm that the duct tape approach works great especially if you spray with fabric softener first!
What’s the best method for removing cat hair from car seats?
Cat hair is, in general, much finer and softer than dog hair, so removing it from your car requires a multi-step approach. Start by vacuuming any loose hairs, then spray with a mixture of fabric softener and water, and then go in with a lint roller, duct tape or rubber gloves.