It can be daunting trying to remove dog hair from the car, it finds its way into the seats, the carpets, the parcel shelf, the boot! I feel your pain; my first dog was an extremely fluffy long-haired Jack Russel, and his hair used to get everywhere (he was cute so I let him off of course!).
Luckily, my experience with him, means I can offer you great advice and 9 top tips on how to get dog hair out of the car. Of course, the best way to stop dog hair build-up is prevention, and I will suggest ways to do that too!
Read on for how to stay on top of loose hair with household items you probably already have handy (it is best to keep on top of it constantly for the best results!). In addition, I’ll explain how to remove those embedded hairs in the car upholstery fibers.
This post includes photos of Harley the golden retriever. She loves swimming in lakes, carrying sticks, and camping!
Ok, so let’s get your car nice and dog hair-free in no time! For more tips like this, read our full guide on taking a road trip with a dog.
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How To Remove Dog Hair From The Car
To remove dog hair from your car, begin by using a large pet lint roller and sticky tape for the loose, freshly malted hairs. Next, spray the car upholstery with one tablespoon of fabric softener mixed with water to loosen embedded hairs. The next step in the method is to ease the hairs from the car seats by using a wire brush or paper towel. Finally, Remove these hairs by using a strong vacuum cleaner.
Alternatives for removing the loose hair include rolling an inflated balloon or Velcro hair rollers along the seats and carpets. Try to remove as much hair as possible prior to using a vacuum cleaner.
This dog car seat cover and this large pet hair lint roller are perfect items to help you.
9 Methods To Get Dog Hair Out Of The Car
When you take a Road Trip With Your Dog, dog hair in the car is unavoidable. In my top tips for how to get dog hair out of the car, I first suggest products that are great for getting freshly malted, loose, and surface dog hairs out.
The first 5 tricks use things you are likely to have around the house and that can be easily carried in the car for on-the-go hair removal. Dog hairs that are embedded in the car material fibers, need a bit of extra attention to eliminate them; using what I describe in tips 6-9.
Let’s get started with my 9 methods to remove dog hair from the car.
1. Use a lint roller on the go to roll over the car upholstery (best for loose hairs)
If you have a dog, a lint roller is an essential item that will not only be useful in the car but is extremely handy for use on your clothes too! Simply rub the lint roller over the seats, and as you do, the hairs will stick to it!
A lint roller works best for hair that isn’t too embedded into the fibers, i.e. is fresh and hasn’t been there too long. It will help you to get bulky and loose bits of hair off the surface.
2. Press sticky tape into the car seats to collect loose dog hairs
Pressing sticky or duct tape into the seats is again a really useful tip for removing dog hair and most people have these in their homes already. Like the lint roller, more useful for loose surface dog hairs.
Simply peel off some tape, and use it to pat on to the car seats and furniture, the stickiness will lift the hair. Keep switching to fresh tape as much as you need to maintain the effectiveness.
3. Use a rubber window Squeegee on the seats to collect loose dog hair
Sounds extremely random, but the rubber surface of a window squeegee is actually really handy for collecting and removing loose dog hairs. Especially on flat surfaces like the trunk, the parcel shelf, and the car seats.
Use the squeegee as you would on a window, slightly damp, rub it over the car surfaces, and the rubber edge will collect loose dog hairs in bulk to then vacuum.
4. Rub a blown-up balloon over the seats and it will gather hair
Another random but cheap trick for removing dog hair from a car, but when balloons are blown up, they have natural static that catches hairs onto their surface. Blow up a balloon and rub it all over the areas with hair. The hairs will stick to the surface of the balloon.
Make sure your pet is comfortable and you are well educated on the chance of motion sickness in dogs.
5. Velcro human hair curlers can be used to collect loose dog hair
Very much like lint rollers, if you have velcro hair curlers around the house, these are quite handy! They won’t get the embedded hair too well, but you can keep a few of these in the glove box of the car to use as a quick once-over, in between deep cleans.
Just roll the hair curler over the car upholstery to catch the loose hairs.
6. Use a water and fabric softener spray to loosen embedded hairs (10:1 mix)
Mix in a spray bottle 10 parts water, to 1 part fabric softener, shake it up, and mist spray it onto the areas with dog hair. Leave a couple of minutes, and you will find that the fabric softener loosens the hairs that are stuck in the fibers of the car upholstery. You can then go over them with a vacuum or brush for removal.
7. Use a strong suctioned vacuum all over the car seats and carpets
A strong suctioned vacuum is my go-to option for removing the bulk of the dog hair from my car seats and carpets. Try your everyday push-along household vacuum hose in the first instance, but you might want to invest in a powerful handheld vacuum as it can make life easier in the car.
The Vaclife Handheld Vacuum is a top-rated product. Fabric Softener spray works hand in hand when removing dog hair with a vacuum.
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8. Use a top-rated wire brush to remove embedded hair and collect into piles for vacuuming
The Sonax Pet Brush is a top-rated wire brush for removing embedded hair from car upholstery and carpets without bobbling up or ruining the material. As a dog owner, it is worth investing in one of these as it is great for the house too.
Use the pet brush before vacuuming and keep alternating it with the vacuum until you have worked out those stubborn dog hairs from the material.
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This product is specially designed to remove hair from your car seats, carpet, and furniture; the Fur-Zoff stone is relatively cheap from Amazon and can be used in cars as well as in the home. It has thousands of top-rated reviews!
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3 Tips For Preventing Dog Hair In The Car
The best way to not have dog hair in your car is to prevent it from getting stuck there in the first place. Of course, if you have dogs, it is inevitable that some hair will escape into your seats, carpet, or upholstery, however, these tips will lessen the amount!
1. Brush your dog before you go in the car
It might sound obvious, but before you go on a trip with your dog, even if just a short ride to a dog park or the vet, brush your dog before you get into the car! This is going to remove loose hairs from their fur, and really minimize the amount of malting they do in your car furniture, carpet, and seats.
When you are out and about with your dog, make sure you are aware of the rules regarding leaving dogs in cars.
2. Buy a seat cover to protect the seats
When transporting your dog in the car, a nonslip car seat cover is a really handy way of protecting your car from stray dog hairs. You might want to choose a dog hammock instead, which is similar but folds up at the front seats and is a comfortable and safe arrangement for your dog to sit on.
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Always remember to secure your dog safely in the car.
3. Keep your dog contained in a crate or carrier to protect the car surfaces from hair
Not only is a crate or carrier secure and safe for your dog when in the car, but it also acts as a protector from dog hairs getting into the upholstered surfaces. It won’t guarantee that your car is totally free from dog hair but it will certainly help!
Happy car cleaning! And if you have any other suggestions for getting rid of dog hair from the car, please do comment!
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