How to Get Pet Hair Off Clothes (Quick Fixes and Laundry Tips)

Living with a dog or cat means wearing a little of them most days. Black trousers, wool coats and fleece pick up hair the moment you sit down, and a normal wash often just moves it around the load. This guide covers how to get pet hair off clothes quickly before you head out, how to wash it out properly, how to treat wool and delicates, and how to stop your wardrobe filling up with fur.

The laundry steps follow pet hair advice from Bosch Home Appliances, in our own words and linked under further reading.

Why pet hair clings to clothes

Static is the main reason. Hair and fabric rub together, pick up a charge and stick. Fluffy and textured fabrics like fleece, wool, velvet and corduroy also give hair lots of places to catch. As Bosch points out, washing a garment that is still covered in hair tends to push the hair deeper into the fabric, which is why getting it off first matters.

Quick fixes before you leave the house

Lint roller. Roll in one direction with firm pressure, and tear off a fresh sheet as soon as it stops picking up hair.
Packing tape. No roller? Wrap wide tape around your hand, sticky side out, and pat the fabric. Bosch suggests tape for items you cannot wash.
Damp rubber glove. Run a slightly damp rubber glove down the fabric. The hair rolls into clumps you can pick off. Good on coats and knitwear.
Reusable pet hair brush. The fabric brushes with a one way nap work well on coats and suits and do not need refills.
Dryer sheet. Wiping a dryer sheet over the fabric cuts the static so hair brushes off more easily.

How to wash pet hair out of clothes

Get the worst off first. Shake each piece outside, then use a lint roller or glove on heavily covered items.
Tumble without heat for about 10 minutes. Bosch recommends a short tumble only cycle before washing. It loosens hair and sends much of it to the lint filter. Empty the lint filter afterwards.
Shake again and wash a smaller load. Clothes need room to move so the water can carry hair away. Use your normal detergent.
Shake each item when you take it out, before it goes in the dryer.
Dry with a dryer sheet or wool dryer balls to cut static. Clean the lint filter again when the cycle ends.

All that hair ends up in your machines. Wipe the washer drum and door seal and check the filter regularly; see how to clean pet hair and odor from your washer and dryer.

Wool, knitwear and delicates

Check the care label before any tumble. Many wool and delicate items should not go in the dryer at all, even without heat.
Use a garment brush or damp glove instead, brushing gently in the direction of the knit.
Hand wash or use the wool cycle in a mesh bag, then dry flat and finish with a lint roller once dry.
Dry clean only coats and suits: brush or tape them, and tell the cleaner they have pet hair.

Keep hair off your clothes in the first place

Brush your pet often, outdoors if you can, especially when they shed.
Change before cuddles if you are going somewhere smart, or keep an old shirt to throw on.
Keep pets out of the closet and off the pile of clean laundry. Store good clothes in garment bags.
Cover the spots they lie on. Put a washable throw on the sofa and your bed. See how to get pet hair off sheets and duvets and our sofa pet hair routine.
Keep a lint roller by the door and another in the car. For the car itself, see how to remove pet hair from your car.

Keep cleanup supplies ready

Hair is only half the story in a pet home. For accidents on fabric, our Pet Cleanup Kit is made for pet stains and odors on carpet and fabric.

Frequently asked questions

What is the fastest way to get dog hair off clothes?

A lint roller or a slightly damp rubber glove. For a whole load, tumble the clothes for about 10 minutes with no heat, empty the lint filter, then wash.

Why does my washing machine leave pet hair on clothes?

The hair was not removed before washing, the load was too full, or the machine itself is full of hair. Shake and tumble first, wash smaller loads and clean the drum and filter.

Do dryer sheets help with pet hair?

Yes. They reduce static, so hair lets go of the fabric and ends up in the lint filter. Wool dryer balls do a similar job.

How do I get cat hair off a wool coat?

Do not put it in the dryer. Use a garment brush, a damp rubber glove or a lint roller, and keep it in a garment bag between wears.