While the love of your pet may be a source of joy, washing their hair from clothes and blankets is a common frustration. How do you remove pet hair from clothes and bedding? Tumbling items in the dryer before washing can remove excess hair while washing with white vinegar loosens it from fabric fibers. Discover how to remove pet hair from laundry with these simple cleaning tips.

Remove Pet Hair From Clothes With These Tips & Tricks

Removing pet hair from clothes can save your washer as well as your favorite blankets and garments. Before learning how to remove pet hair from clothes, here’s how to avoid the damage it can do to your machine.

Will Pet Hair Ruin My Washing Machine?

As annoying as pet hair can be on clothes and blankets, wetting it in the washer compounds the problem. When you wash clothes with dog hair, the water causes the hair to form clumps that a typical rinse cycle can’t wash away. The clumps that stick to the sides of the washer tub can quickly develop smelly mold and mildew. Meanwhile, pet hair that’s flushed to the washer lint trap or drain pump can cause draining problems, clogs, and even pump failures.

How to Remove Pet Hair From Washing Machines

Wondering how to get rid of dog hair in the washing machine to avoid these problems? The best washing machine for pet hair has a tub cleaning cycle that can remove stray hairs, mold, and mildew. No tub cleaning cycle? Run an empty wash cycle with hot water, at a temperature you would use for disinfecting clothes. Once either cycle is complete, wipe down the washer drum to remove any lingering hairs. After the tub is clean, remove accumulated hair from the washer’s lint trap or drain pump filter. 

Here’s how to remove pet hair from the washer lint trap or drain pump:

Washer lint trap:

Remove the filter from the top rim of the wash tub or the center of the agitator and soak it in hot, soapy water for 10 minutes. Make sure it’s completely dry before replacing. If the filter can’t be removed, use a paper towel or small brush to remove lint and hair.

Drain pump filter:

1. Open the small panel at the bottom of the washer to access the pump.
2. Lay a towel or shallow container in front of the pump’s opening to catch any water.
3. Slowly open the drain pump’s cover, allowing residual water to trickle out.
4. Remove the drain pump filter and rinse under warm running water.
5. Clean out the filter housing with a small brush or paper towel.
6. Replace filter and pump cover and close panel door.

Remove All The Hair You Can Before Washing

To effectively remove pet hair from clothes it’s crucial to detach as much as possible before washing. Running items in the dryer for 10 minutes with no heat and wool dryer balls or dryer sheets will loosen excess hair. How do wool dryer balls remove pet hair? By eliminating static and pulling hair from clothes with the dryer’s tumbling motion. Once the time is up, give clothes a good shake and remove any hair from the dryer’s lint filter.

Static electricity is also an effective pet hair remover. Rubbing clothes and blankets with a dry kitchen sponge or rubber gloves can create enough static electricity to remove hair. A lint roller, masking, or packing tape can also be used to pull hair from fabric.

How to Wash Clothes With Pet Hair

After removing pet hair from blankets and clothes in the dryer, they’re ready for the washing machine.

Follow these steps to remove pet hair from clothes in the washer:

1. Load clothes and blankets into the washer. Just like knowing how to wash a rug, loading items loosely can help prevent clumping. Washing them separately from other items can also prevent a transfer of hair and lint.
2. Add the amount of detergent and fabric softener recommended by the manufacturer to the appropriate dispensers. Using ½ cup of white vinegar can be an effective natural alternative to fabric softener, loosening fabric fibers and pet hair.
3. Run a regular wash cycle to completion. The best temperature for washing clothes and blankets with pet hair is the one recommended on the item’s care label. If possible, add an extra rinse cycle to help rid the washer of loose hair.
4. Place items in the dryer, adding wool dryer balls or dryer sheets to lessen static electricity, removing any lingering hair. Pause the drying cycle when it’s halfway through to remove accumulated hair from the lint trap.

Though knowing how to remove pet hair from clothes in the washer can prevent malfunctions, some are impossible to avoid. When you need a washer repair, call Tiger Mechanical for expert care and service