A shining, full, healthy coat of fur with a striking or amusing pattern of stripes, brindles or spots is normally one of the first things that attracts a prospective owner to a pet. Stroking a silky Siamese cat or cuddling with a plush Akita pup is a sensuous experience that is part of the human-companion animal bonding process.
Once that hair parts company with the pet, however, the thrill is gone. And what you’re left with is one of the acid tests of animal ownership.
The ongoing battle of removing pet hair from clothing, bedding, upholstery curtains, carpeting, car interiors–even from the edge of your morning cup of coffee–brings out the beast in any housekeeper. And reader response to our Behind Closed Doors survey, which appeared in the Home section in September, can attest to that.
Asked how to keep pet hair to a minimum, Jo Sawyer of Wilmette responded: “That is the question of the millennium, and I’d love to hear an answer that works, other than getting rid of the dog.”
Once you could count on shedding to be a seasonal thing: in the spring, as pets shed their winter coats, and in the fall, as they grew them back. But now modern indoor heating, air conditioning and lighting, plus the stress of dealing with humans dealing with their own stresses, often cause shedding to be a year-round occurrence.
Some readers seemed to have buckled under in the fight. Karin Sullivan of Oak Park, simply declared: “We don’t.” Or as Mary Jo Burke of Monticello, Ind., put it: “(We) have learned to live with it, and love the dog.”
Many advocated abstinence. Declared Joni Holderman of Hickory Hills: “No pets! Except for a 20-year-old domestic short-haired son.”
“Dog died. We hate cats. Voila! No pet hair!” said Holly Wilson of Des Plaines.
“The ultimate solution” for Mary Ann Matysik of La Grange was “giving my ex-husband custody of the cat as part of the divorce settlement. It’s the first time in years I can sit down in my own home in a navy blue suit.”
Picking the pet
Choosing wisely was another recommendation.
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“Have a dog that doesn’t shed–a soft-coated Wheaton terrier,” advised Jo Lundeen, of Naperville. (Others recommended the dachshund breed.)
This is not an infallible solution, however.
“Pet hair is our biggest problem and we bought an Airedale originally because she wasn’t supposed to shed,” said Jan Doolittle of Valparaiso, Ind. “We vacuum daily, but the hair is always rolling around in big puffs.”
Substituting other species is an another ploy.
“Don’t have pets with hair. Stick to turtles, fish, etc.,” suggests Therese Nordine of Chicago.
Others opted for camouflage. “Have carpet that matches color of dog’s hair,” said Carolyn Atkin of Villa Park.
“Own a short-hair dog, it’s much less noticeable,” said Darryn Cross of Lyons.
Going to extremes
Some resorted to extreme measures.
“Vacuuming when she was still with us and threatening to stuff her!” reported Mary Ann Conradi of Chicago, who wasn’t clear on whether the cat had died of natural causes or just moved out and on to a more tolerable home.
“Before I moved to Chicago I had a long-haired cat and I kept her shaved,” said Marilee K. Hopkins of Chicago.
“I have suggested suicide to the dog that sheds, as the honorable thing to do, but he disagrees,” wrote Ted Faraone of New York.
Brush, scoop, cover
The overwhelming majority of pet owners, however, report fighting back gallantly and industriously.
“Brush, brush, brush,” said John P. Raphael of Oak Park.
“Brush the cats and dog and vacuum, vaccuum, vacuum, vacuum!!!!” said Janice M. Laubach of Spring Grove.
“Scoop it up by hand all over the carpet,” said Anne Kilpatrick of Chicago.
“Cover everything with furniture throws that can be washed, keep dog’s coat cut short and then forget about it,” said Toby Olszewski of Kankakee.
“Use electronic air filter. Also have dog groomed a lot,” said Alice K. Higgins of Hinsdale.
“Vacuum carpets and use a clothes lint roller with sticky paper on couches, chairs and other furniture that is upholstered,” said Kathy Gransee of Wheaton.
“1. Air filter, 2. Cloth covers on white sofa, 3. Weekly vacuuming, 4. Scotch tape on black dining room chairs weekly, 5. Daily pet grooming,” said Cassandra Williams of Chicago.
Turning to a pro
So many suggestions, but no real take-to-the-bank solution. Whew–is there an easier way?
If anyone knows, it should be Don Aslett, America’s No. 1 cleaning expert and author of 25 books–including the best-selling “Is There Life After Housework?” (Writer’s Digest Books, $10.99) and “Pet Clean-Up Made Easy” (Writer’s Digest Books, $8.95).
In a telephone interview, the nemesis of pet mess said he spent a lot of money ($30,000) and time researching the fur problem. (“I had a lot of pets I cleaned up after.”)
In his book, Aslett covers every form of pet cleanup chores, including accidents and flea control.
But a pertinent chapter focuses on “Hairy Animal Tales,” beginning with proper grooming to control shedding (and the appropriate tools for it), from slicker brushes on shorter-haired pets to a pin brush on long-haired ones.
He is somewhat cynical about the efficacy of vacuuming. “Vacuum cleaners that will suck up a piano bench won’t suck up pet hair, ” he says.
“Little vacuums don’t move enough air, so you can’t pull the hair off. If Don Aslett the expert has trouble with those vacuums, what will the ordinary guy be able to do?” he asks.
” A vacuum with a beater bar is what gives us an even chance with clinging hair. Make sure it’s adjusted low enough to be able to reach and grab all the hair. You need an attachment with stiff bristles to loosen the hair so it can be removed,” adds Aslett.
Power roll
According to Jan Nunley, a spokeswoman for the Eureka Vacuum Cleaner company of Bloomington, Ill., a vacuum cleaner with a powered brush roll, sometimes called a beater bar, is the best way to pick up pet hair.
If the pet hair is just on the carpet, she adds, an upright vacuum will do the job fine. As in any deep cleaning, the more powerful the vacuum is, the easier the job.
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For furry furniture, Aslett says it’s best to use a vacuum with a beater bar just as you would on a carpet or a vacuum with an attachment with stiff bristles to loosen the hair. For furniture with delicate fabrics or for draperies, use a tape roller, masking tape or velour brush, he says.
(As for hair on clothes and blankets, the washing process alone won’t necessarily get all the hair off, nor will dry cleaning, he adds. He learned that professional launderers pick it off with their fingers, just as we do, and dry cleaners do the same thing.)
Putting three or four fabric softener sheets in the dryer will reduce the static electricity that holds the hair in the fabric, he suggests.)
Aslett’s answer
In teaching hundreds of cleaning seminars to audiences that include a lot of enthusiastic pet owners, Aslett has been “flooded with 10,000 miracle hair-pickup tools to try” from hopeful inventors.
And he has tried them all. Starting from the tape or tacky paper-roller devices that look like the old German hand grenades to the venerable masking tape-wrapped-around-the-hand-backward trick to rubbing a damp sponge or damp cloth over the surface to be dehaired.
All the tricks and tools were useful, Aslett said, but unfortunately most rely on a lot of energy and, in some cases, constant replacement of the sticky tape.
“The only pet hair removal tool that has ever impressed me,” he said in a recent telephone interview, “is a 12-inch-wide, nylon-bristled rake.”
He thinks so highly of it, that he now manufacturers and sells it by mail-order. (Send $12.95, plus $2.95 shipping, for the rake to: The Cleaning Center, Box 39, Pocatello, Idaho 83204; $20, no shipping charge, for the rake and Aslett’s “Pet Clean-up Made Easy” book.)
The rake picks up cat hair in a few swipes, he says. “It gets hair and, for that matter, thread and lint, up quicker and more quietly than a vacuum can.”
HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW
A few weapons in the war against loose pet hair in the home:
– The Gonzo Pet Hair Lifter is a reusable sponge; $5.98 at Parkview Pet Shop, 2222 N. Clark St. 312-549-2031.
– Dr. Smith’s Dog Vacuum Attachment is said to cut vacuuming time 50 to 75 percent because of teeth that lift hair to help vacuums remove it. (It also can be used on the dog itself.) To order ($17.99, plus $4 shipping charge), call 800-350-1844.
– The Pet Hair Gatherer resembles a squeegee. Made by Safan Pet Products of New York, it can attach to a broomstick for use on carpeting. It sells for $17.98 at Parkview Pet Shop.