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Pets make wonderful companions, but in the summer most cats and dogs will bring something more than love and affection into your home. They'll shed, and bring drifting clouds of hair inside instead. If you're tired of finding a fine coating of fur on your clothes, drapes, and furniture, or if you're spooked into action by the pet hair tumbleweed that just drifted by, there are ways to prevent pet hair from taking over your home.
Prevent Pet Hair Problems
Grooming: One of the easiest ways to keep pet hair in check is through regular grooming of your pet. This can be problematic, especially if your cat or dog can't stand being groomed, but brushing your pet every two weeks (or every week in the warmer months) goes a long way towards containing pet hair problems.
When grooming your pet, make sure you brush on a hard surface, so that loosened hair can be easily brushed up and disposed of. If you're going to bathe your pet, choose products recommended by your vet, and gather all the things you need (towel, shampoo, tub, treats) before starting. Washing your pet before brushing may help loosen matted fur in the undercoat. If your pet has long fur, however, wait until he or she has dried before taking a brush or comb to itnothing is worse than a pet howling in pain because you've snagged a knot in his wet fur.
Vacuuming: If you have furry pets, invest in a good vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. This filter is specifically designed to handle small particles like pet dander as well as pet fur. Some appliance makers will build extra oomph into their vacuum motors specifically for pet ownersask at the appliance store, or send an e-mail to the manufacturers help desk if you want specifics.
When you vacuum, make sure you cover the hard surfaces in your home as well as the carpets. Don't forget drapes and upholstery, either. For maximum effectiveness, your vacuums dust trap and filters should be cleaned after every four or five uses. A drop-off in the vacuums suction power tells you that a clean-out is in order.
Laundry Management: Keep pet hair off your clothing by keeping your clothing away from pets. Use laundry baskets with lids for dirty laundry, and discipline yourself (and the other members of the household) to put laundry away as soon as its dried. Make sure cats aren't curling up in your closets, and store bathroom towels behind closed doors instead of out in the open. A basket full of rolled towels may look attractive to you, but its also attractive to your dog or cat as a place to nap.
Training Your Pet: Its tempting to give a pet the run of the house, but you will cut down on pet hair considerably if you restrict your dog or cat to certain areas and certain items of furniture. In other words, if you don't want cat hair in your bed, don't let the cat sleep there. Train your pet to sleep in a bed or a specific room. Be firm, be consistent, and reward the behavior you want with treats and praise.
Removing Pet Hair: Home Remedies and Great Products
In addition to a good vacuum cleaner, pet owners will want other weapons in their anti-pet hair arsenal. Items to have include:
Liquid Fabric Softener: Dab some of this on a towel and wipe along cloth or leather upholstery to pick up stubborn hair.
Masking or Duct Tape: Good for quickly picking hair off shoes, coats, and other surfaces. Just wrap the tape backwards (sticky-side out) around your hand, and pick the fur off.
Specialty Pet Hair Removers: Youll find dozens of pet hair removers on the market that make all kinds of claims about their ability to clean up pet hair. It may seem unnecessary, but its a good idea to invest in one. Damp sponges, fabric softener, and tape can harm some surfaces if you aren't careful. One excellent product is the Gonzo Pet Hair Lifter , which pulls pet hair off any surface without cleaners or adhesives. As an added bonus, its completely reusable.
With these tricks and toys up your (hair-free) sleeves, you should be able to conquer even the worst pet hair demons.
Kate Whitely is a freelance writer based in Chicago . She writes about home improvement, health, beauty, and fashion. You can buy Gonzo Corporation Pet Care Products at http://www.gonzocorp.com.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
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