Remove pet hair from your upholstery with these helpful tips and tricks.

You love Fluffy and Fido, but not the hair they leave behind on your upholstery. Our resourceful research editor, Mary Levitski, provides helpful tips and tricks to help clean up the mess.

Photography by Virginia Macdonald

Removing pet hair
1 Before getting started, remove as much hair as possible by vacuuming the surface thoroughly.

2 Fill a small bucket halfway with room temperature water. This will save you frequent trips back and forth to the faucet.

3 Wearing a latex or rubber glove, dip your palm in the water. In a smooth motion, run your hand along the surface, pressing firmly. The hair will stick to the glove. Repeat once or twice until that section is totally hair-free. Dip your hand back into the bucket to remove the stuck-on hair. Repeat until the entire surface is clean.

Alternative pet hair removers
These quick-swipe pet hair removers will keep your pet-friendly home fresh for those impromptu visitors.

1 Sponge
Use this sponge dry to quickly wipe up pet hair. Four Paws Magic Coat pet hair remover, PetOnly.ca, $11.

2 Roller
Designed to easily glide over the flat surface of upholstery as its sticky heets pick up lint and pet hair alike. Scotch Upholstery lint roller, Canadian Tire, $6.

3 Brush
Rubber bristles that point in different irections attract hair, making it perfect for nooks and crannies. 3M Petcare Pet Hair Removal brush, PetSmart, $11.

Stylish solutions
What better way to keep your sofa fur-free than to give your pooch or kitty a comfy spot all their own? We love this custom dog bed by Lilly & Abbie. Just toss the cover in the wash regularly to keep it clean. Custom dog bed, lillyandabbie.com, from $125 USD.

Choosing the right tools
Pet ownership means frequent vacuuming, so choose a machine that’s made for fur pickup.

1 Small but mighty
A cordless handheld that’s as powerful as a corded vacuum. Digital Slim Animal Dyson DC62 vacuum, dysoncanada.ca, $550.

2 Large capacity
The 4.5-litre canister can ut away tons of pet hair. S8 Contour vacuum, miele.ca, $799.