How to Get Dog Hair Off Clothes: 7 Methods That Work
To get dog hair off clothes, lift off as much as you can while the fabric is dry, loosen the rest with a 10-minute tumble on no heat, then wash and dry the load with room to move: 7 methods, in that order. Hair is easiest to remove before the clothes get wet, because water clumps it into the fibers instead of rinsing it away. Cat hair comes off the same way.
We embroider dog designs on sweatshirts, hoodies and T-shirts, the kind of dog lover gifts worn on the couch next to the dog, so this guide also covers which fabrics hold fur and how to treat embroidery.
Table of contents
- What’s the best way to get dog hair off of clothing?
- What can I use to remove dog hair from my clothes?
- How do you get dog hair off clothes in the washer or dryer?
- Why do my clothes still have dog hair after washing?
- Which fabrics hold dog hair the most?
- How do you keep dog hair from showing on an embroidered pet shirt?
- Frequently asked questions
What’s the best way to get dog hair off of clothing?
The best way to get dog hair off clothing is to work dry first, then let a short tumble loosen what is left before the washer and dryer finish the job. Tide’s advice for pet items gives the reason: “Less hair in the wash means less to wash away” (Tide). These are the 7 methods in the order we recommend:
- Lint roller or tape: a sticky roller or a strip of packing tape lifts loose hair from dry fabric.
- Damp rubber glove: a slightly damp dish glove pulls embedded hair into clumps you can pick off.
- Fabric shaver: a small electric shaver lifts hair, lint and pills from knits.
- No-heat tumble: about 10 minutes in the dryer with no heat shakes hair loose before the wash.
- Roomy wash with vinegar: a load that is not crowded, with 1/2 cup (about 120 ml) of white vinegar in the rinse.
- Dryer sheets or wool dryer balls: both cut the static that holds hair on fabric.
- Clean machines: a clear lint trap and a wiped drum keep stray hair out of the next load.
Methods 1 to 3 need no water; methods 4 to 7 use the washer and dryer.
What can I use to remove dog hair from my clothes?
You can use a lint roller, packing tape, a slightly damp rubber glove or a fabric shaver to remove dog hair from clothes, and all four work on dry fabric before the wash. The AKC recommends a lint roller or rubber glove to “remove as much hair as possible” before laundering (AKC). To remove dog hair from clothes without a lint roller, use one of the other three:
- Packing tape: wrap a strip around your hand, sticky side out, and pat the fabric. Arm & Hammer suggests sticky tape for single tufts of fur (Arm & Hammer), and Bosch suggests it for items that cannot go in the washer (Bosch).
- Damp rubber glove: run a slightly damp rubber dish glove over the fabric. The AKC explains that the rubber and static create friction that turns hair into clumps that are easy to grab.
- Fabric shaver: Tide says a battery-operated fabric shaver can also safely remove pet hair, loose threads and lint (Tide). Move it lightly over the fabric, and keep it off embroidered or printed designs.
How do you get dog hair off clothes in the washer or dryer?
To get dog hair off clothes in the washer or dryer, tumble them with no heat before the wash, wash them in a load with room to move, and dry them with something that cuts static. Each stage has its own setting:
| Stage | What to do | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Before the wash | Tumble the dry clothes for about 10 minutes on no heat or air only, shake them out, then clean the lint trap | The tumble “loosens the pet hair” and the lint trap catches it (Speed Queen); the AKC gives the same 10 minutes |
| In the washer | Load loosely, measure the detergent and add 1/2 cup (about 120 ml) of white vinegar to the rinse | Overloading keeps clothes from rinsing properly, and too much detergent leaves a residue that attracts lint (AEG); Speed Queen and the AKC use vinegar to loosen trapped hair |
| In the dryer | Shake each piece again, then dry with a dryer sheet, wool dryer balls or tennis balls | Arm & Hammer says these reduce static cling, so hair lets go of the fabric |
| After the load | Clean the lint trap, run an empty wash cycle and wipe the drum with a wet cloth | Speed Queen does this after a pet-hair-heavy load so stray hair is not left behind |
Keep the dryer heat as low as the care label allows and the cycles short, because long tumbling can shrink a cotton knit, as our guide on how to unshrink a sweatshirt explains. Our guide on how to wash a sweatshirt or hoodie covers the rest of the routine. If your washer drains into a laundry sink, Bounce recommends a lint catcher on the hose and says to change it often, because lint and pet hair build up in it (Bounce).
Why do my clothes still have dog hair after washing?
Your clothes still have dog hair after washing because water does not rinse it out: static holds the hair to the fibers, and wet hair clumps and works its way into the fabric. Arm & Hammer explains that pet hair clings through static electricity and can clump with moisture and weave itself into clothing fibers. OVRS, a veterinary hospital in Michigan, puts it in one line: “water just makes soggy clumps” (OVRS).
Three things in the laundry room make it worse:
- Too much hair going in: whatever you do not remove while the fabric is dry ends up in the wash water.
- A crowded drum: an overloaded washer cannot move the clothes enough to rinse the hair away.
- Hair left in the machine: hair stuck in the drum or lint trap stays there; OVRS notes that the more hair there is in the washer and dryer, the more you will notice it.
The methods above fix each cause: dry tools first, a roomy load, clean machines.
Which fabrics hold dog hair the most?
Soft fabrics hold dog hair the most: the AKC names cotton, fleece and other soft fabrics, which trap pet hair through everyday movement and friction. Arm & Hammer adds wool and Velcro, which build up static, and lists silk, leather and denim among the fabrics that shed hair more easily, while noting that “no fabrics are wholly resistant to pet hair.” It also lists 100% cotton as a fabric that repels hair, which the AKC does not, so expect plain cotton to vary.
That puts fleece sweatshirts and hoodies near the top: the Gildan 18000 sweatshirt we embroider on is an 8 oz/yd² fleece, so expect to use the dry tools on it more often than on denim. Our guide to choosing a sweatshirt, hoodie or T-shirt compares the garments for a pet design.
How do you keep dog hair from showing on an embroidered pet shirt?
To keep dog hair from showing on an embroidered pet sweatshirt or T-shirt, choose a shirt color close to your dog’s coat, so loose hairs blend in, and use a lint roller gently around the stitches. Our guide to Comfort Colors 1717 colors groups the T-shirt shades from light to dark if you want to match a coat. When the piece needs a full wash, follow our guide on how to wash embroidered clothing.
Frequently asked questions
Should you wash dog bedding with your clothes?
No. Wash dog beds and blankets in their own load: Tide recommends separate loads for pet items so you can match their care labels, and Arm & Hammer advises washing pet bedding apart from clothes. Speed Queen adds an extra rinse cycle for pet bedding to clear hair from the inside of the machine.
How often should you clean the washer if you have a dog?
Wipe the drum after any load heavy with pet hair, and clean the parts that collect lint once a month. LG recommends cleaning a front-load washer’s drain pump filter monthly, and its top-load washers do not have one (LG). AEG suggests a monthly maintenance wash on an empty drum.
How do you keep dog hair off your clothes in the first place?
Brush your dog often and keep clean clothes away from shedding. Speed Queen suggests a one-minute brushing each day, and the AKC suggests storing clothes inside out and changing into clean clothes right before you leave the house.
