How to Get Pet Hair Off Sheets, Duvets and Your Bed

If your dog or cat sleeps on your bed, their hair ends up woven into your sheets, duvet cover and blankets, and a normal wash rarely gets all of it out. Some of it simply moves around the drum and lands back on the next load. This guide covers how to get most of the hair off before washing, how to wash and dry bedding so less hair survives, cleaning the machines afterwards, and small changes that keep your bed clearer between washes.

Always check the care label on your sheets, duvet and pillows, and your washer’s owner’s manual, before trying anything new. Further reading from Consumer Reports and the washer maker Speed Queen is linked at the end.

Why pet hair clings to bedding

Your pet’s favorite sleeping spot collects more hair than anywhere else in the house, and when that spot is your bed, hairs work their way down between the threads of the sheets and blankets. Static makes it worse by holding the hair against the fabric. That is why shaking a sheet out does little on its own, and why the steps below loosen the hair before the wash instead of expecting the washer to do all the work.

Step 1: get the loose hair off on the bed

Do this before you strip the bed, while the fabric is held flat.

Damp rubber glove: wet a household rubber glove, wring it out and sweep your hand across the sheet or blanket. The hair rolls up into clumps you can pick off and throw away.
Lint roller or tape: for pillowcases and smaller areas, a sticky lint roller is quick and easy.
Vacuum: on a thick duvet or a mattress topper, the upholstery tool of your vacuum lifts hair from deeper in the fabric. A clogged vacuum picks up less, so see how to clean a pet hair vacuum and its filters if yours is struggling.

Strip the bed carefully, folding each piece inwards so the hair stays inside, and carry it straight to the laundry.

Step 2: a short no heat tumble before washing

This is the step most people skip, and it makes the biggest difference. Tumbling dry bedding for a few minutes with no heat shakes the hair loose and sends much of it into the dryer’s lint filter instead of your washer. A dryer sheet in the drum helps by cutting static.

Clean the lint filter first, so it has room to catch hair.
Tumble the sheets, pillowcases and duvet cover for about 10 minutes on the no heat or air setting.
Take them out and give each piece a good shake, outdoors if you can.
Clean the lint filter again before the next load.

A large duvet or comforter may not fit in a home dryer. If it is tight in the drum, skip this step for it and rely on the glove and the vacuum instead.

Step 3: wash the bedding

Follow the care label for water temperature and cycle. This matters most for duvets, down and feather fillings, and wool blankets.
Do not overfill the machine. Bedding needs room to move so hair can rinse away.
Add an extra rinse. A second rinse carries away more of the hair that the wash has loosened.
Vinegar, only if your washer allows it. Some people add half a cup of white vinegar to the rinse to help free hair. Check your owner’s manual first, because some washer makers advise against vinegar and regular use can harm some machines.
Wash pet blankets separately from your own sheets if they are very hairy, so hair from one load does not move to the other.

If the bedding also has a urine accident on it, see how to get dog pee out of clothes and bedding before washing.

Step 4: dry it

Clean the lint filter before you start drying. Any hair that survived the wash collects there.
For big, hairy loads, stop the dryer halfway and clean the filter again. A clear filter catches more.
A dryer sheet cuts static, if your bedding’s care label allows one.
Dry duvets and pillows fully, following the label, so the filling does not stay damp.

Step 5: clean the washer and dryer

Hair left in the machine ends up on your next load. After a hairy load, run an empty wash or the machine’s cleaning cycle, then wipe the drum, door and rubber seal with a damp cloth. Empty the dryer’s lint filter after every load, and have the dryer vent cleaned out regularly, since pet hair adds to the lint that builds up there.

For a full routine, see how to clean pet hair out of a washing machine and dryer.

Duvets, pillows and the mattress

Duvet covers: a cover is far easier to wash than the duvet itself. Wash the cover each time you change the sheets and the duvet only as often as its care label suggests.
Pillows: pet hair works into pillowcases first. A second pillowcase or a zipped pillow protector adds a layer that is easy to wash.
Mattress: vacuum the top and sides with the upholstery tool each time you change the bed. A washable mattress protector catches hair and accidents before they reach the mattress.
Headboard: fabric headboards collect hair too. Vacuum them or go over them with a damp glove.

Keeping your bed clearer between washes

Brush your pet. A minute or two with a brush most days removes loose hair before it reaches your bed. See how to clean grooming brushes and combs.
Use a pet blanket on top. A washable throw where your pet likes to lie catches most of the hair, and you can wash it more often than the whole bed.
Wash it often. Bedding your pet sleeps on is worth washing every week. If that is your bed, wash your sheets weekly, or at least the throw on top.
Choose tightly woven fabric. Hair tends to sit on top of smooth, tightly woven sheets rather than working into the fabric, so it is easier to remove.
Vacuum the bedroom. Hair on the floor and the bedroom chair finds its way back onto the bed, so include them in your weekly vacuum.

Your pet’s own bed needs the same care. See how to clean a dog bed or cat bed, and for the sofa, our weekly sofa cleaning routine.

When there is more than hair

If your pet has fleas or ringworm, hair removal alone is not enough. See how to clean your home during a flea problem or how to clean your home when your pet has ringworm, and talk to your veterinarian.

Hair on your clothes too? See how to get pet hair off clothes.

Keep cleanup supplies ready

Our Pet Cleanup Kit is made for pet stains and odors on carpets and fabrics, useful when a muddy paw or an accident lands on the duvet before laundry day. Check the bedding’s care label before using any cleaner on it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the fastest way to get pet hair off sheets?

Sweep a damp rubber glove across the sheet, then tumble the sheets for about 10 minutes with no heat and shake them out before washing.

Should I put bedding in the dryer before washing it?

Yes, on no heat. A short tumble loosens the hair so the lint filter catches it instead of your washer.

Does vinegar help remove pet hair in the wash?

Many people find half a cup of white vinegar in the rinse helps. Some washer makers advise against it, so check your owner’s manual first.

How often should I wash my sheets if my pet sleeps on the bed?

Once a week is a good rhythm. A washable throw on top of the bed can be washed more often in between.