When you got dressed at home, you looked great. Now, as you’re walking into the big meeting, you notice pet hair all over that beautiful dark suit you’re wearing. How can you fix it right now, and how can you help prevent it from happening in the future?
We talked to experts — including stylists, a fabric scientist and a veterinarian — to learn some pro tips for controlling the feline and canine fuzz.
Why Does Pet Hair Stick To Everything? Because Science
The first person we talked to was someone who makes it her business to know everything about keeping clothes clean, and she feels your pet hair pain — Sammy Wang is a fabric care senior scientist at Proctor & Gamble, the manufacturer of popular laundry products. “As pet owners and pet lovers, we know that their hair can be a struggle,” she said. “We often hear people tell us that they even avoid interacting with their pets before they leave the house to make sure they don’t end up with the hair on their clothes when they head out the door.”
Wang explained that there are two major reasons your pet is so good at shedding on your wardrobe. The first is static electricity. “Fabrics can build up static electricity, and they tend to hold a negative charge,” she said. “Pet hair is often positively charged, especially when the pet has been rubbing against furniture and blankets. The positively charged hair is then attracted to the negative charge in your clothes and wants to stick to them. And because pet hair is so lightweight, it clings and doesn’t fall away or fall off easily.”
The second reason for the problem, Wang explained, is mechanical friction. “Pet hair can be quite coarse, especially for certain breeds, which makes it easier for it to get physically ‘entangled’ and attach to fabrics that have more surface texture,” she said. “That’s why it’s easier to brush pet hair off smooth clothes, but harder to get it off clothes that have more surface texture.”
How To Prevent Pet Hair Buildup
Dr. Ben Simpson-Vernon said there are a few things you can do to get ahead of a hairy situation. “Pet hair, just like human hair, goes through a constant cycle of growth, which eventually leads to shedding old hair during the exogen phase, ready for a new hair to grow from the hair follicle,” he explained. “Brushing your pet regularly will remove dead hair, reduce shedding and minimize how much rubs off on your clothing.”
Another preventative measure can happen on laundry day, Wang said. She recommended using specialized dryer sheets that are made to attract pet hair (they often have the word “pet” marketed in the name of the product).
More laundry-day tips come from natural cleaning expert Becky Rapinchuk . “I use 1/4 cup white vinegar as fabric softener during the rinse cycle,” she said. “I also use wool dryer balls in the dryer to reduce static.”
How To Shop For Clothes That Won’t Attract Pet Hair
Erin Askeland is an animal health and behavior expert for Camp Bow Wow, a nationwide provider of dog daycare, boarding and grooming. She’s learned how to choose clothes that won’t leave her looking like a yeti at the end of the workday. Askeland said that color choice matters, so consider the type of pet hair you’re battling before you buy. “I have three light-colored dogs at home, so I avoid black or navy clothing,” she said.
Wang agreed with this approach, adding: “Colors that are opposite the color of your pet will show up more — think of white dog hair on a black garment. Buy clothes that are similarly colored to the pet’s hair to avoid showing the contrast.” And if you have more than one pet and they have different colored fur, you might want to consider the joys of wearing camo as your new signature look.
Askeland also noted that fabric texture is another factor to consider as you shop. “Fabrics that are less prone to static electricity and have a smooth surface, such as synthetic blends or silk, can be more resistant to pet hair,” she said.
While that’s true, Wang has a proviso when it comes to choosing smooth-looking clothes, especially workout gear. “The surface texture isn’t always noticeable just by looking at clothes,” she said. “It’s more like a micro-structure, something you see at the microscopic level. For example, a pair of leggings may look smooth, but they may have been ‘sueded’ to impart softness, which then creates a lot of small fibers that stick up and entangle pet hair.”
Fancier garb tends to avoid this (literal) trap, she said. “Fabrics like smooth, woven materials in dressier clothing may have less of a micro-texture than the brushed or sueded fabrics that are more common in loungewear.”
How Fashion Stylists Keep Their Clients’ Clothes Pet-Hair-Free
For fashion stylists, it’s a struggle to help their pet-owning clients wear clothes that are at least relatively hair-free. Personal wardrobe stylist Sandra Veum said, “Keeping pet hair off my clients’ clothes is a constant maintenance procedure. I always come prepared with a lint roller, masking tape and dryer sheets.” She loves mini lint rollers and has them handy at all times, she said. But if you’ve found yourself without a roller nearby, she suggested rubbing the clothing surface with a damp cloth. If you’ve got a dryer sheet handy, that will also do the trick.
If you’re just now realizing that your gorgeous black outfit looks like Fido’s dog bed, stylist Catherine Bibeau has a brilliant trick: “Putting clothes in the dryer with a dryer sheet for just a few minutes can help remove the hair,” she said.
With a few of these tips from people who deal with pet hair in a professional way, you’ll be able to head to your next big event with nary a follicle on your immaculate garment. OK, even if that’s not entirely possible, try to treasure the few strands you’re frantically lint-rolling off yourself in the parking lot. After all, given a choice between perfect clothes and a loving pet waiting for you when you get back home, the pet wins every time, right?
Check out these reviewer-beloved tools for removing pet hair below.
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