This 5-Minute Trick Will Eliminate Pet Hair from Clothing—See Why Laundry Experts Swear by It

If you’re a pet parent, chances are you’ve accepted that fur-covered bedding and clothes are simply part of the deal. But when you need your items to look their best (like a lucky pair of pants for a job interview or blankets for unexpected overnight guests), it’s essential to know the fastest way to tackle pet hair.

That's why it's important to have a quick, easy, and inexpensive hack for treating stubborn pet hair. The question is, do quick fixes actually work, or are they too good to be true? To find out, we turned to a laundry scientist who knows what it takes to eliminate pet hair from blankets and clothes.

No-Heat Dryer Hack for Eliminating Pet Hair

The technique is simple—run a fuzz-filled item in the dryer without heat for 5-10 minutes with a dryer sheet. According to Sammy Wang, senior laundry scientist at P&G Fabric Care, the no-heat version of this hack may not deliver the results you're hoping for. “Dryer sheets are designed to be used with wet clothes in a dryer and are therefore heat-activated, so they do require heat from the dryer to deliver these benefits,” Wang says.

Putting a few items in the dryer with a dryer sheet may reduce some visible pet hair, especially if the items were recently worn or used. But without heat, the dryer sheet can’t do its job correctly. There is some good news, though. “While this exact hack will likely not be effective as-is, a few small modifications will allow you to get the full pet hair-fighting benefits of a Bounce dryer sheet,” Wang says.

A Better Way to Eliminate Pet Hair

Instead of running your items in a no-heat cycle, Wang suggests turning up the heat. Start by loading the dryer with the items you want to defuzz. Then, add a dryer sheet and a clean, damp towel (something as small as a hand towel can do the trick). Finally, run the dryer on low to medium heat for 5-10 minutes. (The more pet hair there is, the longer you'll need to run the dryer.) Wang says that the damp towel will prompt the humidity sensors in the dryer while the heat will activate the dryer sheet, allowing it to reduce static, release hair, and prevent it from sticking in the future.

“While the pet hair may not all stick to the dryer sheet at the end of the cycle, it will be less stuck to the fabrics and will be easier to brush off,” Wang says. “This will also help the pet hair make it to the lint trap, which can be wiped off and should be cleaned after every dryer cycle.”

Why Pet Hair Sticks to Clothing

Wang says there are two main scientific reasons why pet hair clings to clothing, and the first reason involves electrostatics. “Fabrics can build up static electricity and tend to hold a negative charge, [while] pet hair is often positively charged, especially when the pet has been rubbing their fur against furniture and blankets,” she says. The positively charged hair is attracted to the negative charge in your clothes, which causes them to stick together.

The second reason pet hair clings to clothing is due to mechanical friction, a process that creates static electricity. When pets rub against textured fabric, even if it’s a subtle texture, the hair gets trapped deep in the fibers. “Pet hair can be quite coarse, especially for certain breeds, which makes it easier for it to get physically ‘entangled’ and attach to fabrics,” Wang says.

Even if your leggings might look or feel smooth to the touch, she explains that they’re often ‘sueded’ and contain tiny fibers that can catch hair. So, while you might love to cuddle your four-legged friends in your favorite loungewear, be aware that it could be acting like Velcro for their hair.

More Tips for Eliminating Pet Hair

Learn other quick and easy ways to remove and prevent pet hair from clinging to your favorite clothing items.

1. Prevention Is Key

Rather than chasing stray hairs after the fact, it’s easier to prevent them from latching on in the first place. Fortunately, it doesn't involve stopping snuggling your pet. “Most people don't want to avoid their pets completely, so the best thing is to stop static from building up on your clothes to prevent the static cling that attaches pet hair to clothes,” says Wang.

This is where a specially designed product, like Bounce Pet Hair and Lint Guard dryer sheets, comes in. Stronger at fighting hair than regular dryer sheets, Wang notes that they work hard to prevent static cling and reduce wrinkles while also removing and, more importantly, fending off future hair and lint.

2. Get a Head Start in the Wash

The dryer isn’t the only appliance that can help eliminate pet hair. For clothes heavily covered in fur, starting with a wash cycle can help loosen it before a tumble in the dryer. This is especially helpful if you’re dealing with bulky items like blankets or jackets that have close contact with your pets. Wang suggests using a high-quality detergent, like Tide Odor Defense + Oxi, to ensure you’re effectively tackling both odors and hair.

3. Choose the Right Clothes

To avoid being covered in fur, it's important to know which clothes attract and which repel it. “Synthetic fabrics tend to build up more static, which could make them more attracted to pet hair if you haven't taken care of the static cling,” Wang says. There is also the matter of smooth versus textured clothing, which we discussed earlier. She says most lounge or workout wear is made from materials that easily collect fur. Certain items, like shiny yoga pants, are a better choice because they don't trap as much hair.

Matching your clothes to your pet’s coloring isn’t just a cute aesthetic, it’s practical, too. Light-colored fur won’t show up as much on white or beige clothing, while black or navy will hide dark hair better. Still, wardrobe planning only goes so far.

“While some fabrics may be able to prevent hair from sticking better than others, it’s challenging to build an entire wardrobe around certain fabrics or colors only,” Wang says. In addition to trying her modified hack dryer, she recommends keeping a lint roller or fabric brush handy to remove any lingering fur from your favorite fluffy friends.