Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair: Product Review

If you have indoor animals that shed then you have pet hair in your home. Getting rid of all that fur can be a challenging job. A new product on the market from Pledge called Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair claims to make that job a bit easier. Their TV commercials and the company website advertise that the Pledge Fabric Sweeper picks up as much pet hair as 145 sticky roller sheets and is easier to use than a vacuum cleaner. The gadget reportedly easily removes hair from any upholstered or fabric covered surface such as furniture, pillows, bed linens, throw blankets, car seats, and even clothing. It's supposed to last 3-5 weeks with daily use.

Here is my real world product review of the hand held disposable sweeper.

We have one dog, a Pomeranian, and she sheds a little but no too badly. On the other hand, my daughter and her husband visit often and they have three Chihuahuas who shed like crazy!

What you get for your money is two rough sided roller brushes that attach to a plastic handle / holder. All you have to do is grab the handle and slide the sweeper from side to side in short quick strokes. When you swipe in one direction, one of the rollers grabs the hair from whatever surface you're cleaning; then as you come back and swipe in the opposite direction the other roller cleans off the first one and pushes the pet hair inside the holder. So the gadget is self-cleaning and disposable. When the rollers stop picking up hair, that means the holder is full and it's time to toss it in the trash.

PROS

1. Lightweight and much easier to use than a vacuum cleaner.

2. Easily removes hair from smooth fabrics such as linen, polyester or light cotton. There's no need to push down very hard or exert too much effort. You only have to make 2-3 passes to get the area clean.

3. Shape of the handle is easy to grip.

4. Actually does work to remove pet hair and traps it inside the container so you never have to touch it or empty a canister.

5. Clear handle makes it easy to see how much hair is being picked up and when it's close to getting full.

6. Plastic parts are made from recycled materials.

7. Price (about $5.00 at Walgreens). I listed this as both a pro and con. Good price if you only have to buy a new one every 4-5 weeks (depends on how often you use it).

CONS

1. Durability is questionable, especially if you use it every day. The plastic handle isn't sturdy enough for rough fabrics and is easily dents under firm pressure. I don't see if lasting 3-5 weeks if you have a lot of pets in the house. It would probably last if you have one small cat or dog and only use the sweeper on easy to clean fabrics.

2. You have to push down fairly hard on the plastic handle for the rollers to remove short hair from deeper plush fabrics such as velvet, velour or thick cotton. You also have to go back and forth over the area multiple times to get it clean.

3. Shape of the unit is a bit too large for use on smaller car seats. The large shape makes it hard to get the rollers down inside crevices. Perhaps if there were a bit more flexibility in the unit it would work better.

4. Price (about $5.00 at Walgreens). I listed this as both a pro and con. It's a bit steep if you have to replace it often (depending on use).

BOTTOM LINE

I did not do a test to see if the sweeper really does pick up as much pet hair as 145 sticky lint sheets ...I'll just take the manufacturer's word on that.

The Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair works just as good as a lint roller and is easier to lug around than a vacuum cleaner. I give it 4 out of 5 stars for light duty cleanups in households with one or two indoor animals. I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars for homes with a large number of indoor animals that shed.

Sources:
personal use
www.pledge.com/fabric-sweeper/