Laundry Tips for Pet Owners: Removing Pet Hair & Urine from Clothes
Your pups and furbabies bring you plenty of joy on a daily basis. Whether it’s Sunday morning walks with the pups or afternoon cuddles with your cat, pets can provide invaluable companionship for you or your kids. But as pet owners know, it can also make for a bit of a messy life.
You might be someone who sleeps with your doggo but constantly finds black dog hairs on your sheets and blankets. Maybe you’ve recently adopted a kitten and have to deal with cat pee on your carpet and other laundry items while they’re still in potty training. After all, shedding and pet accidents happen!
This guide will provide laundry tips and hacks for pet owners. We’ll also discuss how to remove pet hair from clothes and how to get dog or cat pee out of clothes, the carpet, and other items so you can worry less about the mess and focus your attention on giving your pets the love and care they deserve.
What Makes Pet Hair Hard to Remove?
Pet hair clings to clothing fibers because of static electricity generated by rubbing against fabric surfaces. Additionally, pet hair can clump together—especially when introduced to moisture—and weave itself into clothing fibers.
Certain fabric types are also more prone to generating static electricity. These include things like velcro and especially wool. So, if you’ve ever wondered why your dog’s or cat’s hair consistently appears on your favorite holiday sweater even after numerous washes, you may have your answer.
Are Any Fabrics Resistant to Pet Hair?
While no fabrics are wholly resistant to pet hair, some do a better job at repelling pet hair. These include silk, leather, denim, and 100 percent cotton. Microfiber also possesses fairly strong resistance to pet hair, which means you might look to buy microfiber hand towels you can use to wipe down countertops or coffee tables should you find pet hairs on those spaces.
How to Remove Pet Hair from Clothes
Has your Black Labrador Retriever been shedding all over your clothes? Is your Ragdoll kitty leaving furballs on your items? Whether you’re looking for ways to remove cat hair from clothes or wondering how to remove dog hair from clothes, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into some steps and best practices for removing pet hair from clothes.
1. Use a Lint Roller
Lint rollers work at loosening and picking up hair that has been stuck to clothes. You can also use sticky tape to strip individual pieces or tufts of fur away from your clothes. Just be sure to be delicate, as rough handling may damage the clothing fibers.
Lint rollers work because they help to induce the same static electricity that makes pet hairs stick to clothing fibers, stripping the hair away from the clothes and onto the roller. For larger clumps of hair, you may need to go over your items multiple times.
2. Pretreat Clothing Items
You should pretreat all your clothing items even if you don’t have pet or pet hair! Pretreating is an effective way to help loosen tough stains, odors, and other debris from your clothes so they are more effectively removed in the wash. You can blot your items with a paper towel or cloth before rinsing or, more notably, pour a little bit of laundry detergent onto the stained areas and rub the detergent into the fabric before inserting your items.
@armandhammerlaundry With a smell so fresh no wonder our pets can’t resist 🐾🧺 #laundryhacks #laundrytok #laundry #dogsoftiktok #dogmom #dogdad ♬ original sound - ARM & HAMMER Laundry
3. Wash with a Baking Soda or Enzymatic Laundry Detergent
Some people recommend adding a cup of baking soda to the wash along with your usual detergent to help tackle pet hairs and odors on clothes. Alternatively, you can simply use a laundry detergent that includes baking soda as an active ingredient!
ARM & HAMMER™ Laundry Detergents contain baking soda to help break down common stains. Try ARM & HAMMER™ Deep Clean Stain Formula, which features millions of micro-scrubbers that penetrate deep between clothing fibers and attack tough stains.
You can also use an enzymatic laundry detergent. Liquid laundry detergents with multiple enzymes can help break down complex molecules from various types of stains to help loosen and left them from fabrics in the wash. ARM & HAMMER™ Plus OxiClean™ Liquid Laundry Detergents have enzymes to help tackle set-in stains, lingering pet hair, and more!
4. Add Dryer Sheets or Dryer Balls!
Wondering do dryer sheets help with pet hair? Absolutely! Dryer sheets for pet hair can help reduce static in the dryer, which can make pet hair stick to clothes. Thus, they can help loosen pet hairs when your clothes are dried and essentially deposit them into the lint trap.
ARM & HAMMER™ offers a wide selection of dryer sheets that also add a nice scent to your clothes so they smell clean and fresh coming out of the dryer! Some of these include:
- ARM & HAMMER™ Odor Blasters™ Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets use Odor Blasters technology to help fight deep and pesky odors on clothes and come in Fresh Burst™ and Fresh Botanical scents.
- ARM & HAMMER™ Clean Scentsations Fabric Softener Sheets have a vast scent portfolio, with some dryer sheets giving your clothes a tropical smell and others delivering wafts of a day out by the ocean.
- ARM & HAMMER™ Essentials™ Fabric Softener Sheets have fragrances inspired by nature that help to freshen clothes while also working to soften and reduce static cling.
If you prefer, you can also consider using tennis balls or wool dryer balls. These items can collect pet hair from your items and, like dryer sheets, reduce static cling.
Got pet hair on your bedding or blankets? You should follow the same steps above when trying to get rid of pet hair so you can give those items a reset and get them prepped for more snuggles and coziness with your pup or kitty.
How to Get Dog or Cat Pee Out of Clothes
Now that you know the steps for removing pet hair from clothes, how do you deal with pet accidents? Maybe your puppy hasn’t quite yet gotten the idea for where or how to go potty and accidently tinkles on you while you’re holding them. Or, your newly adopted cat chooses your pair of jeans on the floor as their personal litter box as they get used to their new digs.
Knowing how to get rid of pet urine stains might seem daunting. Fortunately, ARM & HAMMER™ can help provide solutions when pet accidents happen. For especially tough pee stains and odors, it’s a good idea to pretreat your items before washing them. You can cover the stains with 1 cup ARM & HAMMER™ Baking Soda or try soaking your items for 15 minutes in a mixture of warm water and 2 tablespoons baking soda before washing with your usual laundry detergent.
How to Remove Pet Stains & Odors from the Carpet
Even if you’re fortunate enough not to have pet hair or stains on your clothes, you almost certainly will find some on your carpets. Don’t worry, ARM & HAMMER™ has you covered here, too!
ARM & HAMMER™ Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Plus OxiClean™ eliminates stains from urine, feces, and other common pet stains when used as directed. Plus, it also works on upholstery, allowing you to take action in case your furbaby leaves a little surprise on the couch.
Make sure to remove any solid residue or excess moisture before liberally spraying the product to cover the stained carpet or upholstery*. Let the spray sit for 10 minutes, then blot up the stained area with a clean, colorfast sponge or cloth. Vacuum the area after the product has dried and voila! Pet stains be gone!
*Always test ARM & HAMMER™ Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Plus OxiClean™ in a hidden area before use. Do not use on wool, leather, or silk.
How to Remove Pet Hair in the Washing Machine
Dog fur and other pet hair can clog the washing machine if it bulds up in excess, so it’s important to keep an eye on the state of your washer. The simplest way to remove pet hair from the washer is by taking a dry paper towel or lint dryer remover and wiping down all the surfaces. Alternatively, you can add a half cup of vinegar to the washing machine and run a rinse cycle. Make sure the washer is empty if you choose this method.
General Suggestions for Pet Owners
So, you know a little bit about how to deal with pet hair, stains, and odors around your home. You also know a little about some fabrics that are more resistant to pet hair. Here are some other steps you might take to help limit the amount of pet hair and stains in your home:
- Wash pet bedding separately: A lot of pet hair is sure to come from pet bedding. Naturally, you want to wash your pet’s bedding separately from clothes and any other items.
- Consistent Grooming: Make sure your dog or cat gets regular haircuts as needed – this can help reduce the level of shedding. Brushing also helps remove loose fur. Plus, it’s always a good idea to wash your pet every now and then.
- Furniture Covers: You should consider covering couches and other spots your pet likes to rest with washable furniture covers or blankets. This is especially true if you have a couch that makes loose pet hairs stand out even more.
Lastly, consider using things like crates (especially for puppies or kittens) so your pet knows where they can and cannot roam in the house. You should also be vigilant about keeping certain doors closed and immediately putting dirty clothes and other items in the hamper or laundry basket.
Power Out Pet Stains and Odors with ARM & HAMMER™ Products!
As a pet owner, you probably know all too well how messy things can get. Rather than allowing pet hairs and stains to accumulate or ruin the integrity of your clothing or carpets, turn to ARM & HAMMER™! Whether you need a powerful laundry detergent to remove pet hairs, stains, and odors from your clothes or a cleaning spray that can help take care of those “oopsies” on the carpet or upholstery, ARM & HAMMER™ has what you need to clean pet stains or odors all over the home.
