How to remove pet hair from the interior of your car - The Ultimate Guide [2020 update]
Pet hair removal can be a real chore, but these 4 surprising methods make it 10X easier (wait till’ you see #3)
If you’re frequently driving with your pet in the car, you’re probably familiar with how difficult it is to remove pet hair from the interior.
The biggest challenge?
Dislodging the embedded pet hair strains from carpet or fabric seats, so you can vacuum it away.
And you likely know that the vacuum alone is not sufficient to effectively remove pet hair.
That is because pet hair strains have a tendency to statically stick to - and get interwoven with - carpet and fabric fibers.
So, pet hair is impossible to remove without sophisticated and expensive tools, and lots of experience, right?
Not so fast...
I’ll show you 4 proven methods that require very simple and inexpensive tools, and just a little bit of patience (just a few minutes of your time).
And you can use any of these 4 methods with great results even if you’ve never cleaned anything in your life.
Here’s what you’ll learn in this guide (click the links below to jump ahead):
Why is pet hair removal from the interior of your car important?
Let’s dive right in...
Why is pet hair removal from the interior of your car important?
According to this study by NCBI, allergic reactions to pets have been recognized for at least a hundred years.
Just like dust mites, they are one of the most common triggers of allergies.
And while pet hair itself is not an allergen, it carries allergens such as pollen, dust, pet dander, urine, and saliva.
Because of that, it can trigger annoying allergy symptoms such as red-itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and coughing.
And spending time in your car surrounded by pet hair can only make things worse.
So, how can you get rid of pet hair from your car?
Method #1: The Pumice Stone
Whether you choose to go with a natural or artificial pumice stone, this is one of the best methods I found to remove pet hair from the interior of a car. There are even pumice stones specifically designed for pet hair removal, and they’re quite inexpensive.
Removing pet hair is so effective this way, because the rugged surface of the pumice stone “grabs” the pet hair strains, pulling them out of the carpet and fabric.
All you have to do is gently glide/run/pull the pumice stone across the surface you’re trying to clean, in a sweeping motion, and you’ll magically end up with small piles of pet hair that you can easily vacuum away.
Warning: a pumice stone is abrasive, and will scratch hard surfaces such as plastic, vinyl, metal, carbon fiber, and even leather. Use only on carpet and fabric seats.
Method #2: The Pet Hair Brush
Here’s an interesting fact.
Pet hair brushes for pet hair removal are not really pet hair brushes per se.
They are rubber-coated tools (some of them with handles) which come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
I like to call them brushes though (and so do most people) because I feel it better defines what they do, and that’s getting rid of unwanted pet hair.
The way you use a pet hair brush to remove pet hair from the interior of your car is similar to using a pumice stone for the same purpose.
The major difference is that pet hair brushes are soft, and do not scratch hard surfaces.
With a little bit of practice, they are also as effective as the pumice stone.
Simply run the pet hair brush across the area you want to clean. Unlike the pumice stone, do not be afraid to apply a little bit more pressure on the pet hair brush to make it more effective.
Pet hair will simply gather up in small piles for you to vacuum away. Do as many passes as you need to achieve your goal.
Method #3: The Rubber Glove
This is by far my favourite pet hair removal method of all.
And that’s because it does not require any specialized tool other than the ordinary rubber glove used for domestic cleaning.
I also found it to be the most thorough pet hair removal method from the interior of a car, simply because nothing compares to the flexibility of the human hand.
Your own hand can follow the contour of any surface better than the pumice stone or the pet hair brush. And with pet hair typically having the tendency to go into every nook and cranny, you can do a better job because you can follow it right where it likes to hide.
So, how do you remove pet hair using a rubber glove?
With the glove on, rub your hand across the surface you want to clean in a sweeping motion. Feel free to apply as much pressure as needed to be effective, and also comfortable.
Gather up the pet hair into small piles, and use the vacuum to vacuum it away.
Method #4: The Squeegee
By now you might be thinking “Wait a minute! Are you talking about the same window squeegee I use to wipe my shower door?”
Yeap, that one...
This wonderful tool has more than one use. Besides doing a great job at making your windows streak-free, you can now also use it to remove pet hair from of the interior of your car.
What makes the ordinary window squeegee so effective in removing pet hair is the rubber strip which covers the end part of the plastic blade.
Just like in the case of the other tools (pet hair brush and rubber gloves), this rubber piece is the one that grabs the pet hair strains and pulls them out the carpet or fabric.
So, how do you use the squeegee to remove pet hair?
Simply pull it across the surface you’re trying to clean in a straight line, just like using it on glass
This will dislodge the pet hair and gather it up in small piles. Use the vacuum to vacuum it away.
Conclusion
I told you it was easy!
Using any of these 4 pet hair removal methods, you can now quickly and effectively get rid of pet hair from the interior of your car.
Even better, you can use the methods inside your house as well, to clean up the carpet or sofa.
I encourage you to try all these methods, and let me know which one is your favourite in the comments below.
Do you know any other method for removing pet hair? If so, how does it work?