Removing Dog Hair From Bed Sheets & Comforter

It's nice having your dog snuggle up next to you in bed, but your dog can leave behind coarse hairs that can make your silky sheets feel scratchy or itchy. Washing your sheets and comforter with dogs in the house can seem like a near-daily task. Fortunately, there are easy ways to keep your bed hair-free between laundry days.

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One of the easiest ways to get rid of pet hair in your bed is to enlist the help of your vacuum cleaner. Vacuuming up pet hair from the bed has the advantage of also removing little bits of dirt, doggy dander, or detritus from the outdoors that fall out of your dog's coat or paws.

Home vacuums designed for use with pet hair have rotating brush attachments that loosen and whisk away pet hair so your vacuum's powerful suction can eradicate it. The rotating brush is motorized by the vacuum's suction, giving it an advantage over a plain brush attachment.

If your vacuum only has a stationary brush attachment, use short strokes to loosen the fur from the fabric. Hand-held pet vacuums aren't usually as powerful as your home vacuum cleaner's hose attachment, and many don't have a brush feature. Rubbing a brushless vac over your sheets won't necessarily remove all the hair, and scrubbing it back and forth with too much force can result in tears, wear spots on your sheets, or snags on your comforter.

One of the easiest ways to rid your comforter and other bedding of loose dog hair is to take everything outside and give it a good shake. Throw large bedding over the clothesline and give it a few good whacks with a broom handle to make the fur fly.

Although the shaking method usually doesn't remove all the hair, it can reduce the amount of hair clinging to bedding significantly, eliminating it from clogging up the washer or covering a lint roller.

Use a rubber glove or damp sponge to wipe up any dog hair on your bed into small, easily removable piles. A rubber squeegee also works, although it should be small enough that the contours of your mattress don't cause gaps underneath that will leave pet hair behind.

Rubber dish gloves with built-in bristles can be especially effective for wiping up your dog's hair. The flexible protrusions help capture your pet's tresses, making it easy to dislodge them from the fabric and gather them for disposal.

Dryer sheets are designed to attract pet hair. Give your sheets a rub with your favorite fragrance of dryer sheet and get rid of doggy odor while you're wiping up the fur from bed sheets. Be sure to safely dispose of the sheets after use, as they are a choking and blocking hazard to dogs who play with them. Chemicals in the products can also cause skin irritation, poisoning, or other conditions if ingested.

If you don't like the constant battle with dog hair in your sleep zone, it might be time to rethink your bedding. Tightly woven fabrics are best at repelling pet hair; however, they don't breathe as well as looser weaves. Synthetic fabrics also repel dog hair better than cotton. Avoid brushed fabrics, such as cotton flannel.

You can also give your dog his own snuggly bed or blanket. Fabrics such as velour, velvet, or synthetic wool will tend to trap dog hair, allowing you to remove it without making fur fly.

Keep sheets and bedding static-free. Your dog's hair will cling to your sheets and comforter from the electric charge. Besides using fabric softener and dryer sheets, spritz your bed occasionally with anti-static spray. Easily make your own by mixing water and fabric softener in a spray bottle.