10 Ways to Manage the Hair in Your House
When vacuums and brooms aren't enough, try these tips for picking up all that hair around your home.
Whether you live with men, women, cats, dogs or sea monkeys, errant hairs strewn about a home are a common problem when it comes to keeping your home clean. They’re in the sink. They’re in that cup. They’re on top of the dresser. (HOW?! HOW DID IT GET THERE?!) They’re somehow banding together to form an impermeable layer of grit and shame on top of the carpet.
So how do we deal with this beast that is hair in the home? Overall, it’s a part of life we, as animals, have to just accept, but there are a few ways you can prevent it from taking over your sanity and your digs.
1. Lay a Towel on the Floor
If you shed quite a bit from styling your hair, make cleanup a little simpler by just laying a towel down underneath your feet before blow drying. When you're done, shake it off and stash it away. It’s not super sexy, but neither is walking out of your bathroom with inadvertent hair socks.
2. Wet the Sink Before Shaving
Before using an electric razor over your vanity, wet the sink a little. The cleanup won’t be as terrible as it is with dry pricklies that have a mind of their own.
3. Wear a Bib When Shaving
A beard apron prevents hair from ever reaching the sink, vanity or floor. It extends from your neck to the mirror, catching everything in between. Simply snap the apron around your neck then attach the suction cups to the mirror. When you're done shaving, gather the apron at the corners and shake out the hairs in the garbage.
4. Clean With Rubber
Yep. Rubber gloves. Rubber brooms. Maybe a rubber bodysuit if you’re feeling adventurous. When you’re done with your other tough cleaning jobs, leave the rubber gloves on and run your hands over any furniture or fabric surfaces that seem to collect hair. Rubber brooms can also work some serious magic on carpets, not to mention help you relieve some stress if you really put your back into it.
We’ve also heard rubber-soled flip-flops and sandals can help gather up hair if you rub them in circles on carpeting. Add it to your workout routine — because working out in sandals is a thing, right? — and see what happens!
5. Use Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets are great for removing hair from fabric. Stash them next to your couch for a quick run over pillows and cushions. Dryer sheets work on the car upholstery too.
6. Get a Reusable Duster
Disposable dusters are not economical nor are they earth-friendly, so try one that you can launder and reuse. A good-quality felt duster will pick up hair as well as dust and pet dander.
Ditch your disposable dusters! This washable, reusable duster is made from multiple layers of bamboo and cotton-blend fleece. The dusterâ s tendrils will curl after washing, making the collection of dust more effective.
7. Use a Squeegee
Squeegees are not just for windshields and shower doors. They can also be used to scrape hair off carpets and rugs or any other surface where hair accumulates.
8. Insert a Tub Drain
A shower drain full of hair is embarrassing and sort of gross. Plus, it can cause clogged drains and other plumbing issues. Install a hair-catcher in your shower drain for preventative purposes. It'll save you headaches and the cost of a plumber.
The TubShroom tucks into your drain and collects hair before it clogs up your plumbing. It's also available in three different colors and is conveniently mildew-resistant.
9. Dry Sweepers
They’re fairly inexpensive, they fit in tight corners where hair goes to multiply and suffocate you in your nightmares, and they work.
10. Buy a Robot Vacuum
If I hear, “Just get a Roomba!” as a solution for pet hair one more time I … well, I’ll probably get a Roomba. But seriously, pet owners swear by robot vacuums as the only way to actually manage what a shedding animal leaves behind on your floors.
The Best Vacuums for Pet Hair in 2022, Tested by HGTV Editors
We love our pets. But cleaning up pet hair? Not so much. Browse our top list of vacuum cleaners, from handhelds to uprights, that will de-shed your home with ease.