How to Keep Furniture Free of Dog Hair

A dog can be a faithful companion that will greet you happily at the door even on your worst day. Having a dog means dealing with massive amounts of dog hair, and having to clean it up! Keeping your furniture free of dog hair is not only good housekeeping, but it also makes life more comfortable for everyone in the household. You cannot shave your dog and you cannot knit sweaters out of pounds of dog hair laying around your house. You can, however, use simple methods to keep dog hair off your furniture.

The type of furniture and dog breed you have can also cause dog hair problems to be harder to control. My dogs are Jack Russells and their hairs are almost like pine needles. Their hair sticks like a pin into furniture, car upholstery and carpeting. We have an olive colored micro fiber sectional that makes dog hair cleaning a lot easier. The micro fiber couch fabric works well when we are vacuuming or cleaning our cushions. Our couch cushions are even removable and washable.

Tweed furniture fabric may be better for long-haired dogs. My mother-in-law has three dogs with longer hair. Tweed is easier to maintain as well as clean with their long dog hair type.

Leather furniture may not be for every home, as dog nails can scratch leather upholstery and cause damage. Place throws or blankets on leather furniture for your dog to lie on, or teach them to stay off couches.

Covers work well to keep dog hair off your furniture. Furniture covers are popular with pet owners and come in a variety of colors or designs. Purchase fitted covers for your couches so that there is no loose fabric hanging off couches that dogs can chew or tear up. The covers can be removed once a week and washed. They also work well for puppies that are still house training and can have accidents on a couch.

I vacuum our furniture several times a week with the vacuum hose. My vacuum does not have pet hair removal attachments, but many vacuums on the market today come with attachments for cleaning pet hair off upholstery and carpets.

Sticky rollers work well to get hair off furniture before it embeds in fabric. I have found sticky rollers to be limited in removing pet hair. Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair is a product that you roll on your couches and cushions to trap and lift dog hair. The product is effective in our household and lifts up pounds of Jack Russell dog hair.

Prevention is the best way to keep dog hair off your furniture. It is completely natural for your dog to shed year round, but more shedding will be noticeable as seasons change. Proper and regular grooming with hydrating shampoos will moisturize your dog's skin. Grooming regimen should also include brushing with a brush that is appropriate for your dog's coat.

FURminator products sold at Petsmart and other pet stores work extremely well to reduce excessive shedding in dogs. You can buy shampoos, conditioners and FURminator deShedding brushes that will remove excess dog hair. The products can be pricey but are an investment. You will be surprised at the amount of dog hair removed with every bathing and brushing with FURminator products.

Your dog's diet plays a key role in the amount of dog hair shedding. A diet rich in vitamin A and E, Omega 3, Omega 6 fish oils and Linoleic Acid can help reduce excessive shedding as well as give your dog a healthy and shiny coat. Dog food with salmon is rich in beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids that are good for your dog's coat.

Owning a dog takes a lot of work and commitment, including having enough patience to deal with dog hair. Shedding is natural and cleaning up dog hair is a normal part of being a dog owner. Keep up with dog hair by cleaning your furniture every two days.

Source:

Pet Shedding 101

Pledge™ Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair

Dog grooming supplies