How to Get Pet Hair Off Clothes in the Washer and Dryer

You wash your favorite black sweater, take it out of the machine, and it is still covered in dog or cat hair. Sometimes it looks even worse than before, because hair from the pet blanket in the same load has spread to everything else.

Here is the frustrating truth: a washing machine is very good at getting dirt out of fabric, but it is not great at getting hair out of the drum. Wet hair sticks to whatever it touches, and if there is nowhere for it to go, it settles back onto your clothes. The fix is not one magic product. It is a simple routine before, during and after the wash.

Why pet hair survives the wash

• Wet hair clings. In water, hair flattens and sticks to fabric, especially to knits, fleece and dark synthetic fabrics.
• It spreads between items. A heavily furred dog blanket in the same load as your work clothes will share its hair with them.
• The washer holds on to it. Hair collects on the door seal, in the drum and in the filter, then shows up in the next load.

So the goal is to get as much hair off before the wash as you can, give the loose hair in the water something to collect on, and keep the washer itself clean.

Before the wash: remove what you can

This is the step that makes the biggest difference, and it only takes a minute or two.

• Shake items outside. Give pet blankets, throws and beds a good shake outdoors before they go anywhere near the machine.
• Wipe off loose hair. Lay the item flat and wipe it with our Pet Hair Remover Mitt in one direction. Loose hair and lint gather into a strip that you can pick off and throw away. It works well on sweaters, pants, blankets and pet beds.
• Scrape heavily furred items. For a dog blanket or a pet bed cover with hair woven into it, drag the Reusable Pet Hair Remover Pad across it in short strokes to rake the embedded fur into a pile.
• Wash pet items separately. Keep pet blankets and beds out of the load with your clothes whenever you can.

Many people also run very furry items through a short dryer cycle on low or no heat before washing, then clean the lint trap. Tumbling air can loosen a lot of hair and send it to the lint trap instead of the washer. Always check the care label first.

During the wash: give loose hair somewhere to go

Even after you prep, some hair will come loose in the water. Floating hair catchers give it something to collect on instead of settling back onto your clothes.

Our Floating Laundry Pet Hair Catcher (2-Pack) works like this: toss both catchers into the washer with your load. As the drum turns, they float and help collect loose pet fur and lint, so less of it ends up back on your laundry. When the cycle is done, pull them out, rinse off the fur, and use them again next time. They work in both top-load and front-load washers.

It is worth being realistic. Hair catchers reduce the hair that ends up on your clothes. They do not remove every hair, and they work best together with the prep steps above. A heavily coated dog blanket that goes straight into the machine will still come out with hair on it.

Other tips for the wash cycle

• Don't overload the machine. Clothes need room to move so hair can rinse away.
• Use an extra rinse for pet bedding, if your machine has one.
• Turn dark knits inside out so less hair settles on the outside.

After the wash: dry and clean up

• Dry as the care label allows. The dryer's airflow and lint trap catch more of the remaining hair.
• Clean the lint trap after every load with pet items.
• Do a final touch-up. A quick wipe with the mitt takes care of the last few hairs on a sweater or pair of pants.

Keep your washer from holding on to hair

If you notice hair in loads that never touched a pet blanket, the washer itself is probably the source.

• Wipe the door seal or gasket and the inside of the drum after washing pet items.
• Clean your washer's lint filter regularly, if it has one. Check your manual for where it is.
• Run your machine's cleaning cycle from time to time, following the manufacturer's instructions.

How to get cat hair off blankets and bedding

Cat hair is fine and light, so it spreads easily across sheets and comforters. Shake bedding outside, wipe it with the mitt before washing, and use the hair catchers in the load. Washing pet-favorite blankets more often means each wash has less hair to deal with.

Stop the problem at the source

The less hair your pet sheds around the house, the less ends up in your laundry. Regular brushing with a pet brush, such as our Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush, catches loose undercoat before it lands on your clothes and furniture. Brush outside or somewhere easy to clean.

Quick FAQ

Why do my clothes come out of the washer with more pet hair?

Hair from other items in the load, or hair that collected in the washer, can settle onto your clothes in the water. Wash pet items separately, prep them first, and keep the washer clean.

Do laundry pet hair catchers really work?

They help collect loose fur and lint in the wash, so less ends up on your laundry. They work best when you also remove loose hair before washing. They will not remove every hair.

Should I remove pet hair before or after washing?

Before, whenever you can. Hair that comes off before the wash cannot spread to the rest of the load or collect in your machine.