I thought that having long hair myself was bad enough, but since adding a dog into my home over four years ago, I’ve realised that pet hair is just as annoying. In fact, I can’t walk on my floors without stray hairs sticking to my feet or covering my clothes, and it’s a constant struggle to get pet hair out of carpet.
Of course, the best vacuums for pet hair play a huge part when vacuuming pet hair, but carpets and rugs are a completely different ballgame. As each tiny (and often invisible) strand of pet hair falls to the floor, it’s kicked into corners and pushed deeper into carpet fibres by passing footfall. And before you know it, you’ve got a whole host of hair dirtying and damaging your carpets.
As someone who is constantly trying to keep a house clean with pets, I know this struggle more than most. But I’m also conscious of the fact that there’s a difference between a quick carpet clean and properly getting pet hair out of carpet. That’s why I tested the most common ways to get pet hair out of carpet to see which one (if any) reigned supreme.
1. Use a pet vacuum cleaner
While the best vacuum cleaners can certainly work their magic to get pet hair out of carpet, there’s no doubt that pet vacuums are even better. In today’s day and age, even many of the best robot vacuum cleaners are equipped to deal with pet hair.
Atit Chopra, Product Development Director at Beldray, advises, ‘Look for models equipped with a motorised brush bar or pet tools, which are designed to lift stubborn hair and dirt from carpets and upholstery. Models equipped with HEPA filters are excellent for trapping pet dander and allergens, helping to create a cleaner, healthier home environment.’
He adds, ‘Vacuuming slowly in multiple directions is an effective way to lift embedded hair – prioritise a vacuum that provides stronger suction for better results at pulling hair from deep within carpet fibres.’
If you find that your vacuum cleaner is struggling to reach stubborn strands that are embedded into the carpet fibres, a trick I’ve used in the past is to sprinkle baking soda onto the carpet. This should stick to the fibres and make them easier to lift - and it deodorises your carpets at the same time!
My verdict: I may be biased as Ideal Home’s Certified Expert for vacuums, but, in my eyes, you can never go wrong with vacuuming to get pet hair out of carpet - especially if you choose a model that comes with tools and attachments. Although it’s often hard to see a visible difference in my carpets, the dust canister full of pet (and human) hair is just too impressive to ignore. However, sometimes you need to bring in reinforcements.
Miele Duoflex HX1 Cat & Dog
Crowned our 'best pet vacuum overall,' this Miele model is sleek and stylish, while still offering the performance you need to banish pet hair.
Shark PowerPro Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum
If you're after a budget-friendly option, this Shark pet vacuum is basic but still brilliant for picking up those stray hairs.
Dyson V8 Cyclone
Ideal for carpets, this vacuum cleaner picked up a lot of embedded hair during testing. It also comes with some tools, too.
2. Use your washing-up tools
If you wash your plates and cutlery by hand, there’s a high chance that you have a few tools to get the job done - including some washing-up gloves and a scrubbing brush. And if you have a clean pair of gloves and a brush under the sink, you can also use these to get pet hair out of carpet.
In fact, the Scrub Daddy pet hair cleaning hack recently went viral on social media, and the idea is that the coarse brush creates friction when applied to the surface of the carpet. This will then pull out of the hair - almost like you’re exfoliating your carpets in the process.
According to Laura Marsden, cleaning expert from Freudenberg Home and Cleaning Solutions, rubber gloves can also work wonders. She says, ‘An easy, fuss-free way to remove it is to don a Marigold Extra-Life Kitchen Glove, dampen it, and then rub your hand over it. Any pet hairs will quickly gather on the glove.’
It’s worth noting that these options are probably only suitable for smaller areas of your home unless you plan on getting on your hands and knees and scrubbing every inch of the carpet.
My verdict: My verdict: If I’m honest, the Scrub Daddy didn’t wow me on my carpet as it didn’t seem to work on my loop pile. However, it worked wonders on my flat-weave rug, and I was very surprised with how much visible pet hair it picked up. I also found the Marigold gloves to be extremely effective at picking up surface pet hair - but it didn’t manage to get deep enough, in my opinion.
If you buy this two-pack Scrub Daddy offering, you can use one to get pet hair out of the carpet and the other to give your dishes a good ol' clean.
The anti slip pattern of these gloves makes them perfect for picking up pet hair, as it'll create the all-important friction you need to do so. Plus, they'll just rinse clean.
You can also use the Scrub Mommy for this task, and I do think the Scrub Mommy probably would have suited my loop-pile carpet better than the coarser Daddy.
3. Use pet-specific brushes and blades
As so many people live with pets, it should come as no surprise to learn that there are so many dedicated cleaning tools out there - even for getting pet hair out of carpet. These come in many forms, from carpet rakes to brushes and blades.
The idea is that you scrape at your carpet with these tools to loosen and remove embedded pet hair, and they either use sheer force of sturdy blades to uproot the fur, or they use electrostatic action to attract and remove the hidden hair.
These tools can be particularly helpful in the smaller nooks and crannies of your home. Laura explains, ‘Some areas can be hard to access with a vacuum cleaner, such as tight corners on furniture, the edge of your stairs or even under your car seat. For areas which may be inaccessible for a vacuum, opt for a small cleaning tool with a tapered head.’
It’s always a good idea to test a small area of your carpet with this tool first, though, as some offerings on the market can be a little too rough on carpets made from more sensitive natural fibres.
My verdict: I’m lucky to have three different types of pet brushes and blades at home, and all three of them worked fairly well to get pet hair out of carpet - and I do believe they really got into the deeper nooks and crannies of the loop piles. I would say that the shorter brush and blade work better, though, as you can put more force into brushing and scraping as much hair as possible.
This is what I have and use in my home, and while it's handy to get pet hair out of carpet, it really shines on hard flooring.
For just £1.99, this product is well worth its money. It's ideal for really getting into the nooks and crannies of your carpet to lift every last strand of pet hair.
I personally find this pet brush ideal for getting into the corners of the carpet, as it even has bristles on the tip to get right up to the skirting board.
4. Use a lint roller
A lint roller is a staple in a house with pets. But while most people (including myself) use it to get pet hair off clothes, one thing most people don’t realise is that you can also use a lint roller on other surfaces around the house - including a sofa, curtains, and carpets.
And as Atit explains, ‘Lint rollers are excellent for tackling smaller areas or spot cleaning.’ And what’s so impressive about this method of getting pet hair out of carpet is that there are a few different types of lint rollers on the market.
For example, you could use a standard lint roller with removable paper sheets, or you could opt for a pet-specific lint roller like the gel lint roller cleaning icon Lynsey Crombie (AKA Lynsey Queen of Clean) uses in her home.
My verdict: I was pleasantly surprised after using a lint roller to get the dog hair out of my carpet. One pass left the fresh sheet covered in hair, and it was clear to see that it had picked up a huge amount of hidden strands on the surface of the carpet. And while it didn’t manage to pick up the hairs embedded deeper into my loop-pile carpet, I do think it would work effectively on a low-pile carpet.
Unlike other lint rollers, this one is reusable. All you have to do is wash the gel under running water and use it again. I also have this and love using it to get pet hair off the sofa.
If you prefer a lint roller that you can use all around the house, this one will suit you perfectly. It even comes with five replacement heads so you won't need to worry about running out for a while.
This lint roller is as handy as can be. The lint and hair is collected in a chamber, and it can then be removed and reused. It even comes with a case.
5. Use a pumice stone
As pumice stones are typically used in the bathroom, you might be intrigued to know that there are many things you can clean with a pumice stone elsewhere around the house. Not only can you use it to clean a sofa, but you can also use it to get pet hair out of carpet.
Lucy Rhead at Gtech, explains, ‘One of the best ways to remove pet hair from carpet is to gently scrape the surface with a pumice stone, which you might more typically think to use for exfoliating skin. By scraping gently, you will be able to collect enough hair without damaging the fibres of your carpet.’
Of course, it’s suggested that you use a clean pumice stone for this task, as you don’t want to add any more dead skin cells to your carpets when you’re trying to clean them.
My verdict: I was a little sceptical as to whether a pumice stone would work on my loop-pile carpet, and I quickly discovered that my scepticism was warranted. Although I followed the above instructions, it just didn’t seem to work on my style of carpet. When I moved onto my flat-weave rug nearby, though, it actually worked extremely well. Ultimately, the effectiveness of this all depends on the carpet you have.
You can't really go wrong with a pumice stone. There are countless options available online - and you can also buy them in most supermarkets or pharmacies.
6. Use a non-pet-specific carpet scraper
While I tested a few pet-specific tools to get pet hair out of my carpets, I was also keen to test one that wasn’t designed with furry friends in mind. After all, I swear by carpet scraping to get human hair out of carpets and rugs.
These scrapers are relatively affordable and have a comb-effect edge that should get right into your carpets' fibres and pull out any stray hairs. You need to be careful when you’re scraping, as they are quite invasive, so it’s best to do this no more than once a week to protect the fibres of your carpet.
The bonus is that you can use these carpet scrapers on stairs with ease, and even use them to de-bobble your clothes.
My verdict: While carpet scraping can be quite intimidating at first due to the sharp nature of the combs, gentle scraping still had a hugely positive impact on my carpets and rugs. It uncovered so much hair that was genuinely invisible to the eye, but performed best on my flatter rug than it did my loop-pile carpet. However, it’s something I will definitely continue to use.
Sadly, the carpet scraper I bought is no longer available, but this is a great alternative that's still extremely cheap.
Verdict: Which option is best to get pet hair out of carpet?
After testing the most common methods for removing pet hair from carpet, I can safely say that the pet-specific brushes and carpet scraper worked best. I felt as though they not only removed the surface pet hair from my carpets but also worked hard to remove the embedded pet hair, too.
However, one thing it taught me is that these tools really do vary in effectiveness depending on the type of carpet you have. So, what works for me and my home might not work for you.
That’s why I agree with Atit when he says, ‘By combining strong vacuum suction with specialised pet hair removal tools, you can achieve a more thorough clean.’ Of course, you can also prevent the build-up of pet hair in your home by keeping on top of grooming.
Laura even suggests, ‘I recommend going a step further and, when the weather allows, brushing them outside. When we brush our pets inside, the hair can float through the air before settling, meaning it ends up in multiple areas of your home. When the same thing happens outside, it spreads naturally and sometimes birds will even take those flyaway hairs for their nests!’
FAQs
Does baking soda get hair out of carpet?
Baking soda alone won’t get pet hair out of carpet, but it can certainly help when you’re trying to vacuum pet hair. That’s because baking soda is mildly abrasive and will often stick to nearby objects - including stubborn pet hair embedded into carpet or corners of your home.
All you need to do is sprinkle some baking soda over your carpet, wait five minutes, and then vacuum as you normally would. You should find that your vacuum picks up more than it usually would, and your carpets will look and smell fresh and clean afterwards.
Does shampooing carpet get rid of pet hair?
Yes, shampooing can help to get rid of pet hair, as the process and the ingredients in the shampoo will often help to loosen the hair and lift it up for easy removal. This can even help in situations where pet hair is deeply embedded into the carpet fibres.
However, you’ll still need to use another method of getting pet hair out of carpet. And in most cases, shampooing your carpet, waiting for it to dry, and then vacuuming will do the trick. Alternatively, you could employ a professional carpet cleaner to do it for you.
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