How to Keep Pet Hair Out of Your Laundry

You wash your favorite black pants, and they come out covered in more fur than they went in with. Pet hair loves to circulate in the wash, transferring from pet blankets to towels to work clothes. Here's how to break the cycle.

Why it matters beyond looks

Pet allergens come from dander (tiny skin flakes), saliva and urine, and dander readily sticks to clothing and fabrics, according to the Mayo Clinic. National Jewish Health recommends cleaning bedding often to reduce allergens. So keeping fur out of your laundry helps your home feel fresher, especially for allergy-prone family members.

Before the wash

• Remove loose hair first. Run a fabric scraper or detailer brush over heavily furred blankets, throws and pet-bed covers outdoors before they go in the machine.
• Shake items out outside, not over the laundry basket.
• Wash pet bedding separately from clothes and towels.

During the wash

• Add reusable laundry sponges. They tumble with your load and catch floating fur and lint before it resettles on fabric.
• Don't overload the drum. Clothes need room to move so hair can rinse away.
• Use hot water for pet bedding where the fabric care label allows. California's Department of Public Health recommends washing pet bedding and towels in hot, soapy water as part of preventing skin infections such as ringworm.

After the wash

• Clean the washer filter and dryer lint trap after pet loads.
• Wipe the drum seal, where hair collects.
• Rinse and dry your laundry sponges for next time.

Stop fur at the source

The less fur your pet sheds around the house, the less ends up in the wash. A few minutes a day with a pet hair removal glove catches loose hair before it lands on your clothes, sofa and bed.

Sources

• Mayo Clinic News Network: Living with a pet allergy
• National Jewish Health: Reducing exposure to animal allergens
• California Department of Public Health: Ringworm

This article is general information only. Always follow the care labels on your fabrics.