Whether your dog sheds excessively or not, you will no doubt have to remove dog hair from your furniture, clothing and other surfaces at some point in your pet’s life. Pet hair has the tendency to stick to everything, and it is time-consuming to try to remove it by hand. Rather than make attempts to pick up hairs one at a time, consider using one of the following techniques to gather together your pet’s hair at one time for easier cleaning and maintenance.
Decreasing the Amount of Hair that is Shed
The first step toward keeping a home free of dog hair is to take precautionary steps to ensure that your dog does not shed excessively. One of the best ways to reduce the amount of hair that your pet drops on the floor, furniture and other surfaces is to brush him regularly.
Brushing your pet is advantageous for several reasons.
- It helps to break up chunks of matted hair, enhancing your pet’s overall appearance.
- It allows you to collect the hair that falls out easily before it can find a surface in your home to stick to.
- Brushing your pet regularly with a proper brush helps to keep his skin healthy, which in turn leads to healthier hair that is less likely to fall out. If possible, brush your pet every day or two.
Cleaning up with Tape and Fabric Softener Sheets
Even if you brush your dog regularly, you may still find that he sheds to some degree. Instead of attempting to clean up after him as he drops hair in your home, consider using packing tape or fabric softener sheets as tools to aid in your cleaning.
Purchase a roll of packing tape and wrap a loop of it around your hand, sticky side facing outward. Pat your hand along any clothing, furniture or other surfaces covered in dog hair. The hair will stick to the tape. When the tape has collected too much hair, it will lose its stickiness. At this point, throw out the wrapping and create another one.
Fabric softener sheets are another excellent way of picking up dog hair. These sheets will pull hair off of clothing and other surfaces easily. Like with packing tape, simply pat the sheet along any surface covered in hair. If carrying a roll of packing tape around with you is inconvenient, consider keeping a fabric softener sheet in a resealable plastic bag in your car or bag.
If your dog sheds to an unusual degree, or if he begins to shed excessively for no apparent reason, consider the possibility of an underlying medical condition. Skin conditions and diseases may result in loss of fur, which can appear at first to be heavy shedding. If your pet begins to lose his hair quickly or in large clumps, take him to a veterinarian for a physical examination.