Pets are part of the family, and many of us wouldn’t dream of heading out for the day without our furry friends in tow. But there’s one major downside to taking your dog anywhere by car – and that’s pet hair.
Any driver who’s ever carried a dog in their car will know what a pain pet hair can be. Even if you’ve kept them in the boot, their fur gets everywhere, clinging to the seats and upholstery and working its way into those hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
While it isn’t a mechanical problem and won’t damage your car, stray pet hair can be a real nuisance – ruining the look and feel of your car’s interior and potentially leaving behind an unwanted doggy smell. It’s always best to deal with dog hairs quickly, so that they don’t get ingrained into the carpets and are easier to clean up.
We know that dog hair is a problem, so we’re here to help with our guide on nine ways to remove pet hair from your car’s interior. Plus, we’ve also added some additional on how to prevent pet hair getting into your car in the first place.
Check out what’s covered in our guide to removing pet hair from your car using the links below.
- 1. Vacuum Cleaner
- 2. Lint Roller
- 3. Sticky Tape
- 4. Velcro Hair Curlers
- 5. Rubber Gloves & Water
- 6. Squeegee
- 7. Dedicated Pet Hair Cleaning Brush
- 8. Balloons
- 9. Fabric Softener
- How to Prevent Pet Hairs in Your Car
1. Vacuum Cleaner
Ok – this isn’t exactly creative but it’s the best way if you have a vacuum you can use in your car. Standard household vacuums work best for lifting hairs from carpets, as they’re more powerful and have better attachment tools, but if you don’t have a plug handy, handhelds work well too.
One thing to remember when vacuuming car carpets is to use a lifting motion, as this will help to draw loose hairs up and out of the carpet fibres. Don’t scrub the carpet with plastic vacuum heads, as this could cause damage.
Good for: At-home cleaning when you want to do a proper job on your car’s interior.
2. Lint Roller
These are great to keep in your car for getting rid of hairs on the go. Simply run the roller over your carpets and seats and the sticky-back paper will do the rest.
Lint rollers work best on fresh pet hairs that have only just reached your car, so it’s a good idea to carry one whenever you’re out and about. They’re not great for those hard-to-reach areas, so don’t forget to hoover up when you get home.
Good for: Carpet cleaning on the go, with great results.
3. Sticky Tape
If you don’t have a lint roller or vacuum cleaner handy, you can still get rid of the worst of the pet hair. Sticky tape is a tried-and-tested method for picking up bits, and will do an OK job of lifting fur and bits out of the carpet.
For the best results, wind tape around your hands and fingers so that the sticky side is facing up. You can then pat down the carpets to collect hair, and because it’s just on your hands, it’s easy to reach those awkward crevices. The downside to tape is that you’ll need to replace the strips regularly. It’s also not the most hygienic method, so have some anti-bacterial hand gel at the ready.
Good for: A last-ditch solution for freeing your car of pet hairs and reaching those difficult areas.
4. Velcro Hair Curlers
This might sound weird, but we promise you it works. The problem with lint rollers and sticky tape is that they run out of stickiness, so here’s a solution you can keep in your car which won’t need replacing. With their pronged tips, Velcro curlers are surprisingly good at lifting hairs from carpet, so if you’ve got some old ones put them in your glove compartment then after you’ve had your dog in the car just roll one over the upholstery then wipe the hairs off outside the car.
Good for: A quick fix on the go which doesn’t need replacing.
5. Rubber Gloves & Water
For a creative solution to getting pet hairs out of your car, try this. Grab some rubber gloves from under the sink, wet them down with a little water, and then run your hands over the carpet. You should find that the hairs cling to the gloves, leaving the carpets looking fresher.
More hygienic than using tape around your hands, this is a good solution if the vacuum won’t reach the driveway and you’re out of lint rollers. You might find that you get mixed results depending on what sort of hair your pet has, but it’s a useful solution that will help your carpets feel a bit cleaner.
Good for: Freshening up the carpet and removing pet hairs for the hygiene conscious.
6. Squeegee
If you’re short on time and want to get your car clean quickly, a squeegee can be a useful tool for pulling pet hairs into one area for speedy removal. With its thin rubber blade, a squeegee is the perfect tool for gathering up loose hairs and moving them into one spot, where you can hoover up the bits or pick them out of the carpet by hand.
Squeegees are ideal for use in the boot or for cleaning the back seats, as they let you do a large area in double-quick time. However, it’s easy to miss stray hairs and those more ingrained in the carpet fibres, it’s worth doing a proper clean with a vacuum when you get chance.
Good for: Cleaning up pet hairs from large carpeted areas quickly.
7. Dedicated Pet Hair Cleaning Brush
If you’re committed to keeping your car clean and pet hair-free, forget everything we’ve suggested above (minus the vacuum cleaner) and invest in a dedicated pet hair cleaning brush. Recognising that pet owners are tired of finding traces of their dog in places where it shouldn’t be, some brands have come up with special brushes that are built to lift stray hairs from carpets and upholstery – for a hassle-free way to keep your car’s interior looking its best.
One of the best pet hair removal brushes we’ve come across is this one, which has flexible rubber nodules that help aggravate loose hairs and lift them up and out of the carpet fibres. And, thanks to its compact size, it’ll fit nicely in your glove box, for expert pet hair removal on the move.
Good for: Convenient and reliable pet hair removal on your driveway or on the road.
8. Balloons
That’s right – if you have a pack of balloons handy, they could be just the ticket for removing pet hair from your car. Not only do balloons work in much the same way as rubber gloves when they’re left deflated, but the static charge they produce when blown up can be an effective way to lift small pet hairs and lint from the surface of your car’s upholstery.
Granted, there are more effective ways to remove dog hairs from your car, but if you’re in a pinch, this is much better than just using your hands to attempt to wipe the hairs away. Plus, using static from an inflated balloon is easily one of the most fun methods on our list, so that’s got to count for something.
Good for: A very creative solution when you don’t have any other tools to hand.
9. Fabric Softener
Using fabric softener on pet hairs in your car is an excellent solution when you’re running out of ideas and are dealing with heavily ground-in fur. It essentially softens and loosens the hair while removing its static charge, making it easier to lift free from fabric fibres.
To use the fabric softener method on pet hairs in your car, mix a couple of tablespoons of fabric conditioner into a spray bottle with plenty of warm water and give it a good shake. Then, apply the conditioning treatment liberally over the surface of the carpets and upholstery before leaving it to work for a few minutes. Not only will conditioner make the hairs easier to remove, but it will leave your car smelling like fresh, clean laundry too.
Bonus Tip: Simoniz Upholstery & Carpet
Pets don’t just bring in hair – they can cover your car’s interior in mud and marks and leave it smelling less than pleasant. Our Upholstery & Carpet Cleaner is a great solution for getting your car’s carpets looking clean and fresh. Featuring a handy rubber brush head, this spray product makes it easy to refresh the carpets and upholstery. Then use our Car Sanitiser to get rid of bad smells and – so the whole family can enjoy days out in the car.
How to Prevent Pet Hairs in Your Car
As the old adage so often goes, prevention is better than cure. So if you’re determined to stop dog fur in its tracks, take a look at our top pet hair prevention tips for cars below.
- Cover the seats with a seat cover: Yep, by far the easiest way to keep your car pet-hair-free is to cover the seats or boot floor with a blanket or specifically designed cover. That way you can quickly remove any trace of ’Fido’ from your car without the hassle.
- Brush your pet before getting in the car: If your dog or cat is prone to shedding hair, giving them a quick brush before journeys can limit the amount of fur that comes off them in transit. And if they get nervous about riding in the car, this is also an effective way to enforce positive association.
- Use a lint roller your own clothes before getting in the car: How many times have you got behind the wheel before glancing down at your outfit to find it covered in pet hairs? The temptation is to wipe them off with your hand but it’s much better to use a lint roller before you leave the house.
- Keep your pet well-groomed: Dogs and cats that aren’t groomed regularly are more likely to leave a trail of loose hairs wherever they tread, not to mention bad odours. Sticking to a regular maintenance routine for your car and your pet is essential to keeping excess hairs at bay.
At Simoniz we know that life can get dirty, so our products help keep your car clean every day. For more tips and advice, visit the homepage today.