How to Get Pet Hair Off Clothes and Bedding in the Wash

To get pet hair off clothes and bedding in the wash, take most of it off while the fabric is still dry, tumble it on no heat so the dryer’s lint filter catches the loose remainder, and only then wash it. Afterward, clean the washer and dryer so hair doesn’t carry over to your next load.

Why hair survives the wash

Pet hair doesn’t rinse away like dirt. Consumer Reports explains that water and pet hair form clumps that stick to fabric and the sides of the washer drum, and that those wet clumps can stop a washer draining properly and put strain on the machine. Dry fabric is easier to work with: shaking and a short no-heat tumble loosen the hair, and it ends up in the dryer’s lint trap. That’s why the routine below starts with a dry step, not the wash.

Fabric matters too. As a rule of thumb, fleece, knits, corduroy, velvet, and other fuzzy or napped fabrics hold hair far more stubbornly than smooth, tightly woven ones. Expect to spend more time on a fleece throw than on a cotton sheet.

The routine: dry, wash, dry

1. Shake everything outdoors. Hoover’s laundry advice is to shake clothes out vigorously before they go in the machine. It costs nothing and removes the loosest hair.
2. Lift visible hair while it’s dry. Consumer Reports says a lint roller or masking tape is the best way to get hair off clothes. For sheets and blankets, it suggests running a rubber glove dampened with a little water over the fabric. A reusable pet-hair roller is another option for large areas.
3. Tumble on no heat for about 10 minutes, if the care label allows tumble drying. Speed Queen recommends a 10-minute tumble with no heat before washing, and Consumer Reports suggests the same no-heat “air fluff” cycle. Start with a clean lint filter, then clear it again and shake the items out before they go in the washer.
4. Wash smaller loads. The all® laundry brand advises against overloading the washer, and Hoover suggests washing heavily covered items on their own so hair doesn’t spread to other clothes. Hoover also suggests a laundry bag for small items like socks. Use the cycle and temperature on each care label.
5. Add an extra rinse for hairy loads. Speed Queen recommends an extra rinse to help make sure pet hair is removed from inside the washer.
6. Dry with a clean filter, and clear it midway on hairy loads. The U.S. Fire Administration says to clean the lint filter before and after each cycle. Consumer Reports and Speed Queen both suggest clearing it halfway through drying as well, since a cleaner filter catches more hair.
7. Touch up once dry. A last pass with a lint roller picks up any stragglers.

Hoover and Consumer Reports both note that dryer sheets can reduce static, which makes hair less likely to cling. Skip them on anything whose care label says not to use fabric softener.

What to do for each type of laundry

Item	Before the wash	In the washer and dryer
Everyday clothes (cotton, denim, T-shirts)	Shake out, then lint roller	No-heat tumble, normal wash, clean filter before drying
Fleece, sweaters, and knits	Lint roller or damp rubber glove, light pressure	Use the wash and dry settings on the label. Clear the lint filter midway if they’re very hairy
Sheets, duvet covers, and throws	Shake outdoors, then a reusable roller or damp glove	Don’t overload. Check the lint filter midway
Comforters and duvets	Shake outdoors and roll the hairiest areas	Only if the label allows machine washing and your washer has room for it to move freely
Pet beds and pet blankets	Vacuum or lint-brush off as much fur as you can	If the label allows machine washing, wash on their own and add an extra rinse. Air-dry, or clear the lint filter midway
Wool, delicates, and dry-clean-only	Light lint-roller pass or a soft clothes brush	Follow the label exactly. Dry-clean-only stays out of the washer

Speed Queen suggests washing any bedding your pet uses once a week. Little and often keeps each load manageable, and it means less hair reaches the rest of your laundry.

Buying criteria

Choosing reusable pet-hair rollers

• An easy-to-empty chamber
• Suitable for your fabric type

• Use on delicate, vintage, or looped fabric

We haven’t verified specific products here yet, so we list criteria instead of guessing.

Search Amazon for “reusable pet hair roller” (opens in a new tab; affiliate link)

Search results aren’t vetted by us, so check each listing against the criteria above. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Clean the washer and dryer after a hairy load

Hair left in the drum ends up on your next load, so a quick cleanup pays off.

• Wipe the drum, door, and door seal with a damp cloth. Consumer Reports suggests doing this after running an empty wash or self-clean cycle.
• Lift dried-on hair with a microfiber cloth once the washer drum is dry and the dryer is cool, or vacuum the washer and dryer drums, as the all® laundry brand suggests.
• Clean the pump filter on a front-loader. Front-load washers have a debris filter that needs regular cleaning. Samsung, for example, recommends cleaning its washers’ pump filter at least once a month or about every 40 washes, with a towel and a shallow container ready for the water that drains out. If the washer just ran a hot cycle, let the water cool first. Locations and steps vary, so follow your own manual.
• Clean the lint filter on the dryer before you start the next load.

No dryer? Line-drying and laundromats

Without a dryer you lose the no-heat tumble and the lint filter, so do more of the work up front.

• Spend longer on the dry removal step. Lint-roll or glove every item and shake it outdoors before it goes in the washer.
• Use an extra rinse if your washer has one.
• Shake each damp item hard before you hang it, then lint-roll it once it’s dry.
• At a laundromat, you can run a short no-heat tumble before washing, which does the same job as at home. It’s also worth wiping out a shared washer’s drum before you load it, in case the last user had pets.

When this won’t work

• Pilled fleece and knits. Hair caught in pills is tangled into the fibers, so a lint roller only lifts what’s on the surface. Some garments may never come fully clean.
• A washer that leaves hair on every load or drains slowly may have a clogged filter or drain. Clean the filter if your manual shows how. If that doesn’t fix it, call an appliance service technician rather than taking the machine apart.
• Pet beds too big for your washer. Check whether the cover unzips and can be washed on its own. If not, a laundromat’s large-capacity machines may fit it, or follow the bed’s care label for spot cleaning.

Stop so much hair reaching the laundry

The less hair on your clothes and bedding to begin with, the easier every wash gets.

• Cover your pet’s favorite spots with a washable throw, and wash it per its label.
• Brush your pet regularly, outdoors when you can. Consumer Reports and Speed Queen both suggest daily brushing to keep loose hair down. If shedding suddenly increases or you notice bald patches, check with your vet.
• Keep clean laundry off beds, sofas, and floors where your pet lies while you fold.
• Clear hair from the furniture itself. Hair left on the sofa transfers to whatever touches it, including your clothes. See our guides to pet hair on a velvet couch and pet hair on a microfiber couch, or pulling pet hair out of carpet.

Want a step-by-step plan for your couch? Try the Fix Finder for pet hair on furniture, or browse more pet guides.