How to Pick Up Cat Hair

The ability to shed excess fur in response to warm weather helps cats adapt to seasonal temperature changes. While this may be advantageous to an outdoor cat, for an indoor pet it is less so... not that this fact stops it from happening. Cats shed whether they are indoors or out, leaving pet owners to cope with ongoing deposits of unneeded fur. Magically eluding most standard cleaning processes, cat hair seems to stick to everything while working its way into every nook and cranny of the house. Fortunately, with a few small changes to your cleaning routine, cat hair can be easily picked up.

Things You'll Need

  • Plastic spray bottle
  • Stiff-bristled brush or broom
  • 2 tbsp. liquid fabric softener
  • Sponge
  • Dryer sheet
  • Adhesive tape
  • Yellow rubber gloves
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fill a plastic spray bottle with warm water. Spritz any hard surfaces and then sweep hair away with a stiff-bristled brush or broom. Collect clumps of hair as you go, rather than letting them accumulate -- once the hair dries it will be just as elusive as ever and sweeping will only stir it up; it won't remove it.

    • 2

      Pour 2 tbsp. of liquid fabric softener into a large bowl. Add 1 qt. of warm water and stir until the two are well blended. Dip a sponge into this solution. Wring the sponge gently to remove any excess fluid and then use the damp material to wipe up hair from soft surfaces such as sofas, carpets and couches.

    • 3

      Rub a dryer sheet across clothing or fabric that you find coated with cat hair. The anti-static properties will help to pull the hairs away from the fibers. Alternatively, wrap a large piece of adhesive tape around your hand and roll it over the surface of any garment. The tacky surface of the tape will tug the cat hair from the clothing.

    • 4

      Pull on a pair of yellow rubber gloves. Dip your fingers in a bowl of water and then rub the damp glove over the affected area. Rinse the hair from the gloves as it accumulates. Use gloved fingers to sweep hair from hard-to-reach places, such as vents, or to scrape the fur from very hairy spots.