How to Get Rid of Pet Hair Around the Home
Pets constantly shed hair around the house, and the unique structure of their coats makes removal particularly difficult. Once animal hair reaches a certain length it becomes loose and falls, and without consistent cleaning to remove pet hair, it can accumulate on surfaces.
Pet hair embeds itself ‘electrostatically’ to hard floors and carpeted surfaces. If left unchecked, pet allergens and the microscopic life that accompanies pet hair can trigger allergies and degrade air quality and the health of homes.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through our expert-backed advice on how to get rid of pet hair from the home using the most advanced Dyson vacuum cleaner technology.
12 January 2022
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What is pet dander and how can it look?
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Cleaning up after pets involves more than simply removing dog hair or cat hair – mess created by pets can be both visible and undetectable. Alongside pet food, dirt and mud brought in from outside, microscopic life like pet dander can inhabit a range of areas in the home and impact overall health.
Invisible to the naked eye, pet dander is composed of tiny skin particles shed by pets onto surfaces and through air in household dust. Once these microscopic particles become airborne, dust mites and skin flakes containing pet allergens can be inhaled, triggering pet hair allergies like coughing, sneezing, nasal congestion and hives. Pet dander builds up on soft furnishings like mattresses, carpets and upholstery and is the food source of dust mites.
Dyson technology to remove pet hair
Through years of rigorous research, Dyson engineers have developed suction power and filtration systems powerful enough to lift and remove pet hair completely. This is achieved through a combination of high-powered airflow and active agitation from targeted tools like the Stubborn dirt brush.
While you can take advantage of our ‘help me choose’ tool, below are two Dyson vacuum cleaners that are particularly efficient to get rid of pet hair.
Dyson V15 Detect™
Because microscopic particles, allergens and dust mites created and distributed by pet hair are invisible to the naked eye, our latest technology aids with detection for complete capture and get rid of pet hair.
Dyson’s laser finds and reveals the particles on hard floors1 to ensure the whole clean of homes and removal of pet allergens. For complete pet hair removal, Dyson V15 Detect™ applies laser detection, sizing and counting particles2 as you clean.
Pet dander and pet allergens can centralise in particular areas. As higher dust volumes are identified, the powerful Dyson Hyperdymium™ motor increases suction3. Once pet hair is lifted from surfaces, the anti-tangle comb clears hair, allowing filtration to seal in 99.99% of microscopic particles4.
Dyson Omni-glide™
Our slimmest and most manoeuvrable vacuum5, Dyson Omni-glide™ picks up fine particles like pet dander with an articulating neck and a narrow cleaner head for tight spaces.
The versatile design of our hard floor vacuum allows this machine to lay flat on the floor, vacuuming pet hair found under low furniture. Once captured, whole-machine filtration traps 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns4.
The Dyson Omni-glide™ also transforms easily into a handheld machine so you can remove pet hair in all areas of the home.
5 ways to remove pet hair at home
For many pet owners, the frustration of constantly having to remove pet hair is an everyday problem, particularly as we spend more time indoors. But spotting the hair is half the battle. Beyond the strands left behind is a world of microscopic mess consisting of skin, hair and dirt.
Knowing how to get rid of pet hair and dander can be tricky, but the right tools and habits will effectively remove harmful particles from the home, restoring control over your environment. Here's how to deal with it.
1. Vacuum upholstery and carpets often and slowly
Pets and the hair that they shed can get into hard-to-reach places and corners of the home. Whole home cleaning makes such a difference when it comes to getting rid of pet hair – and the most effective tool in your cleaning arsenal is a vacuum for pet hair removal
.Alongside suction, pet hair requires ‘agitation’ for complete removal. Vacuuming slowly gives the airflow and brush bar more time to agitate, lift and remove pet hair from surfaces. Using your Dyson vacuum often and alternating directions picks up more embedded hair.
2. Clean dust from top to bottom
One of the most reliable techniques for how to clean carpets in a pet-friendly home is to approach high spaces before targeting floors. There is little point in trying to remove cat hair or dog hair when it (along with dust and dander) can become displaced when disturbed, then fall onto surfaces below.
Dyson stick vacuums are built for deep cleaning, while offering great versatility and manoeuvrability so you can reach into high and low spaces with ease.
3. Groom pets regularly to reduce shedding
As hair growth reaches the telogen (shedding) phase, pets shed particles and strands continuously. Dog breeds like German Shepherds, Collies and Samoyeds are especially prone to losing hair in spring and autumn, so you may want to factor seasonal shedding into your cleaning schedule.
Brushing and grooming your pets frequently will decrease the amount of pet dander being deposited around the home and negate the need for excessive cleaning to remove pet hair. Designed for adult dogs with medium and long hair, Dyson’s pet grooming kit* is an effective way to get rid of pet hair from your pet while it is loose but before it sheds onto carpets and floors.
*Only compatible with the Dyson corded vacuum range4. Wash pet blankets and bedding on high heat
While vacuuming is essential for removing dog hair and cat hair, you can reinforce your cleaning schedule by regularly laundering pet bedding and removable upholstery.
Washing blankets, cushions and bedding at 60 degrees Celsius will help to break down pet allergens and reduce the amount of microscopic dander that dust mites feed on. To get rid of pet hair from the couch, make sure to remove and wash couch covers frequently.
5. Use an air purifier for airborne pet allergens
Although an air purifier does not remove pet hair from the home, it is adept at targeting airborne pet allergens like dander as well as reducing the smell of pet odours.
Dyson air purifiers are sealed with a HEPA filter to capture microscopic particles and expel cleaner air throughout the room. Thanks to this advanced filtration system, harmful allergens stay trapped inside the machine which can help relieve pet allergy symptoms. To find the right machine for your pet-friendly home, explore our guide on how to choose a Dyson air purifier
.Now that you can effectively get rid of pet hair on carpets and upholstery, discover the benefits of a wet floor cleaner next.
Found this article useful? Continue on to explore Dyson’s guide to personalised gift ideas.
ANZ Press Office
Email: aupressoffice@dyson.com
1Laser engineered for hard floors. Effectiveness of laser influenced by ambient light conditions, debris type and surface.
2Quantity and size of dust displayed on screen varies depending on usage. Automatic suction adaptation only occurs in auto mode.
3Quantity and size of dust displayed on screen varies depending on usage. Automatic suction adaptation only occurs in auto mode.
4Tested against ASTM F1977-04 (particles sized 0.3-0.5 microns), tested in Boost mode.
5Tight spaces refer to gaps that are wider than 20.7cm.
6Compared to Dyson V8™ vacuums, tested by independent third party laboratories.