Best Ways to Remove Pet Hair from Your Home

There are plenty of reasons to love pets: they keep us company, make us laugh, reduce stress, and don't talk back or ask to borrow the car.

But plenty of pet owners will agree that excess hair from our furry friends can be a hassle, so here are a few tips on how to remove pet hair from your home.

Debbie Anderson from About.com Home explains that the electric charge in cat and dog hair makes it virtually impossible to prevent it from clinging to your fabrics.

"One of the simplest ways to remove pet hair is by eliminating the electric charge that allows it to cling." Here are some of her fail-safe solutions to minimizing pet hair.

Pour one teaspoon of fabric softener into a small spray bottle and fill the remainder of the bottle with water. Vigorously shake the bottle to completely mix the solution and mist the mixture over the fur-covered areas of your home. Use rubber gloves to carefully wipe away the hair from small areas.

For larger areas, like carpets, spray the solution and use the base of your vacuum or a hose attachment.

Consider getting a pet bed for your dog or cat and coaxing them to lay on it instead of on the furniture you use. This will keep hair concentrated to one area and many beds have removable outer shells that are easy to wash.

Brush your pets regularly, especially during shedding season! Be sure to brush them outside or in a place where there are minimal fabrics (like the kitchen or the bathroom) to facilitate an easy sweep of the fur that doesn't get caught on the brush.

By vacuuming a few times a week, you can avoid noticeable pet hair build-up on your carpets. For hardwood or tile floors, use an electrostatic mop to trap and remove hair—a vacuum will just blow it around.

There are many hidden places in your home where pet hair loves to gather: behind doors, the undersides of furniture, and other out of the way places that you may not think to clean on a regular basis. Use a rubber brush and dustpan to remove hidden hair and prevent it from migrating to other parts of your home.

If you like to give your pets a goodbye hug before you leave the house, keep a small lint remover with you! Last minute messes on clothes can easily be taken care of with a few quick swipes.