If you don’t have a vacuum, or you just don’t want to use one (my dog is scared of mine) then there are plenty of options available to you, some of which are actually more effective than a vacuum cleaner.
Maybe you have tried using your vacuum, and you still can’t get the hair out of the carpet? Not all vacuums are good for pet hair. If your particular vacuum doesn’t have a revolving brush, then it is probably pretty ineffective for picking up hair.
Let’s take a look at the very best tools for removing dog hair. I start with the best option out of all of them, the Bissell floor sweeper.
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1. Bissell floor sweeper
I’ve put this tool at the top of the list because it’s my favourite option. I use this everyday on my rugs because it is quick to grab, nice and easy to use and is more effective at picking up hair than my vacuum cleaner.
My dog is scared of the vacuum cleaner noise (she’s getting better). If I don’t want to disturb her or anyone else in the house, it is the perfect tool to reach for.
It works by grabbing the hairs onto the roller and then the teeth push the hair into the collection chambers. It’s best for carpets and rugs.
To use, simply push it up and down over the carpet and then empty it into the bin by pushing down on the metal traps underneath.
They are super-cheap to buy too.
2. Pet hair roller
I use my pet hair roller all the time for cleaning hair off my sofa, and cushions. It is very effective, and I wouldn’t be without it now. It works well on the carpet too, but I would only use it for small areas.
All you have to do is run it back and forth, and it grabs the hairs and holds them inside. Then all you need to do is empty it into the bin. It doesn’t need to be plugged in to run and there is nothing you need to replace in it.
3. Rubber squeegee
Rubber squeegees are really quite amazing at getting up pet hair from a carpet, even after vacuuming. If you think you have everything cleaned up you can still find hair with a squeegee.
Here’s what I managed to find on my carpet. I thought it already looked clean. Little did I know how much hair was hiding!
Here’s what to do to get pet hair out of your carpet with a squeegee:
- Run the squeegee towards a single point.
- Work the hair into a clump that you can grab with your hand or vacuum up.
- Repeat.
I have to admit that I’m not a fan of getting down on my knees to clean the carpet, so I don’t often use this method. However, I find it great for small spaces where you can’t use bigger tools, such as your car or caravan. It would be great for a small rug too.
4. Rubber gloves
Anything made of rubber is perfect for catching hair. If you have some rubber gloves to hand, that’s all you need to remove hair pretty effectively.
Here’s how:
- Dampen the gloves.
- Run your hands over the carpeted area in one direction until your rubber gloves are covered in hair.
- Rinse the gloves.
- Repeat.
5. Rubber broom
For large carpeted areas, a rubber broom will remove hair quickly.
The rubber bristles attract hair like a magnet, allowing you to collect the hair into small piles which you can simply pick up in handfuls.
Rubber brooms are best used on fixed carpets. Using one on a rug is going to be annoying because it will move around too much unless you can stop it from slipping.
6. Pet hair stone
Pet hair stones work by allowing you to scrub deep into the fibers of the carpet, releasing the hairs. They are best for use in small carpeted areas like cars.
Don’t use them on any hard surface because they can scratch.
7. Rubber pet hair removal brush
Rubber pet hair removal brushes are best for smaller carpeted areas such as cars or rugs. For larger areas, I recommend a rubber broom or my favourite tool, the Bissell Sturdy Sweep.
Pet hair removal brushes are great at sweeping up and grabbing onto hairs because they are electrostatically charged. This means that hair and debris are attracted to the rubber, so you don’t end up chasing the hair around. You can simply brush and gather the hair into a pile.
Related reading:
- How To Clean Dog Sick Off A Sofa
- Does Baking Soda Get Rid Of Dog Smell In The Carpet?
- How To Get Pet Smell Out Of A Vacuum Cleaner
- How To Remove Dog Hair From Couch Cushions
How to stop dog hair from sticking to the carpet
Now we know that getting pet hair off the carpet is actually pretty easy without a vacuum, how can we make pet hair even easier to remove? Is there a way to stop hair from sticking so that you can sweep it up more easily?
You can make pet hair much easier to remove from the carpet by spraying the area with a solution of fabric softener and water. The hair in the carpet will be much easier to remove than it was before.
Here’s how:
- Make up spray bottle of one part fabric softener to two parts water.
- Lightly spray the carpet.
- Allow to dry.
- Vacuum or brush out the hair from the carpet (the Bissell Sturdy Sweep is the most effective).
How to get pet hair off your sofa without a vacuum
A pet hair roller is the most effective tool I have found for removing hair on sofas and couch cushions. If you don’t have a pet hair roller, try a lint roller.
Lint rollers are really sticky tape on a roller, so if you don’t have one of those, you can use sticky tape instead.
How to get dog hair out of your car without a vacuum
All the tools that I recommend for getting pet hair out of your carpet are also great for use in the car too. If you don’t have a long enough cord on your vacuum, or you don’t have a handheld vacuum then you still have plenty of options.
- Use a pet hair roller. A pet hair roller will pick up most of the hair up from flat surfaces.
- Use a pet hair stone. Pet hair stones are another great invention that are perfect for small areas like your car.
- Use a pet hair removal brush. Pet hair rollers aren’t so great at getting deep into crevices, of which there are a lot of in your car. For that, a rubber brush is the ideal tool. This brush has electrostatically charged rubber which is great for grabbing and holding onto pet hair.
The best vacuums for pet hair removal
There are some great manual tools for picking up pet hair. But if you don’t have the time to mess around with those?
I own two of the very best vacuums for picking up pet hair. I got my Miele Cat and Dog vacuum soon after we got our three cats, and it is a godsend now we have a dog that drops hair constantly.
I also love my cordless Shark DuoClean which picks up hair brilliantly too. I keep it on hand for quick cleanups.
Both these vacuums have HEPA filters which are an absolute must if you have allergies.