Cats and dogs are raining down on your couch! More than 90 million American households own at least one pet.
Almost all of these households have to deal with pet hair on a daily basis. If you aren’t familiar with how to remove pet hair, you need to master it before the hair gets everywhere. Thankfully, you can learn the essentials of cleaning up pet hair now.
How can you clean couch covers? What household tools can you use to clean your couch? How can you keep pet hair from getting on your couch?
Answer these questions and you can keep your couch spotless for years to come. Here is your quick guide.
Throw the Covers Into the Washing Machine
If you have hairs on your cushion covers, you can put the covers into your washing machine. Follow the instructions on your covers so you can remove them properly and use the right settings to wash them.
You should remove your covers while standing over a few sheets of newspaper. This will prevent the hair from falling on the floor. Do not shake or hold the covers over your cushions, as the hair can fall on them.
Once you’re done washing your covers, you should hang them on a clothesline. Putting them in the dryer can cause problems with your lint trap. If you smell anything on your covers, you can spray a pet stain spray on it.
Vacuum Your Couch
If the pet hair has gotten into multiple parts of your couch, you should use a vacuum. The vacuum you already have in your home may work, so you can start with it. Use the brush attachment so you can scrub your couch and remove hairs that are trapped between cushions.
Be thorough. Start removing pet hair underneath your couch, then lift up the cushions and vacuum underneath and between them. You can then vacuum the cushions themselves.
You may want to use your vacuum twice on the couch. Move your vacuum in different directions so you can get all of the hair you see.
If your vacuum gets clogged or is not powerful enough to start removing pet hair from furniture, you should get another vacuum. Some brands offer products specifically for pet hair.
Take an opportunity to perform a deep clean with your vacuum. Move your couch out of the way and vacuum the floorboards and tiles underneath your furniture.
Use Rubber Gloves
Pet hair can attach to rubber gloves easily. Put on a pair and dampen them with a little water. Rub your hands over the couch and catch as many hairs as possible.
As your gloves become covered with hair, you should wash them off again. Avoid using your sink, as your sink can become clogged. You can fill a basin or bowl with water and wash them off in there.
If you don’t have gloves, you can use a damp sponge. Dip your sponge into a bowl, then squeeze the sponge to remove the excess water. Wipe it over your sofa, moving in multiple directions so you get as many hairs as possible.
Dry off your couch cushions and covers after you use rubber gloves or a sponge. Mold can start to grow on your couch if you don’t keep it dry.
Spray a Fabric Softener
If your gloves don’t grab the hair, you can use a fabric softener. Make a solution of water and fabric softener in a spray bottle. You should use equal parts of both fabric softener and water, as using too much softener can stain your couch.
Use a dry cloth to pick up the pet hair. The softener should loosen the hair, making it easy to extract. You can also use dryer sheets in order to remove the hair.
Use a Lint Roller
You can use a lint roller in conjunction with a fabric softener. Buy a couple of clean rollers and roll them over your couch.
It can be hard to use a lint roller on the small spaces and crevices of your couch. You can tilt them at an angle, or you can buy a roller that is thin and flexible.
You can also use pieces of tape to remove the hair. However, the tape can damage the fibers of your covers, so be careful. You should try using rubber gloves first.
Prevent Pet Hair From Getting on Your Couch
After you’ve performed pet hair removal, you need to take steps to keep hair off your couch permanently. Do not allow your pets to jump on your furniture. Give them their own bed to lie on.
Bathe and wash your pets every day. This will remove hair and debris from their bodies. Put a cover in your bath or shower so you can catch the hair and keep it from falling into your pipes.
You can put a cover over your couch that will catch the hair. It should be low enough to cover the legs of your couch and prevent hair from getting underneath your couch. You need to clean this cover regularly and whenever it gets covered in hair.
Remove Pet Hair
Pet hair can make your couch uncomfortable and unsightly. If you spot hairs sticking through your cushion covers, you should wash your covers. You can then vacuum your couch or use rubber gloves to remove hair.
If that doesn’t work, you can spray a fabric softener or roll a lint roller over your couch. Prevent future problems by moving your pets away from your couch. Wrap your couch in a cover that protects the floor underneath.
If you can’t get rid of pet hair, you should get help. Golden Maid serves the Milwaukee area. Request a quote today.