No matter if you have a short-haired dog or a long-haired one, dealing with dog hair will be one of your main tasks as a dog owner. Especially when they start shedding.
So, the title of this article doesn’t aim to say that your dog is just going to come and rip your bed to shreds. Heaven forbid!
And trust us when we say that their hair can get EVERYWHERE! From your wardrobe or your terrace to that space behind that stove you’ve been meaning to clean. There’s just no avoiding that.
And it doesn’t matter if you have a huge and fluffy Newfoundland dog or a Frenchie, there will be hair floating across your floor.
But one of the most important places you want to protect is your bed. Simply, you want to get a good night’s sleep, not to wake up every now and again to cough up hairballs.
So, if this issue is something you’re worried about, this is the text for you. Keep reading!
How can I protect myself from dog hair?
So, what can you do to protect yourself (and your bed) from your dog’s hair? Well, there are two different approaches to this problem - you can focus on your dog or you can focus on your bed.
Or maybe you just combine both if you have the time.
In any case, here are a few useful tips you should consider.
1 - Dress your bed with durable materials
The first thing to do is take a look at how you dress your bed. The quality and the type of your bedding matter and can actually make your life a whole lot easier, especially if you allow (or are considering) your pet to hop on in and sleep with you.
You will want materials that contain a high number of threads for this because that way, the surface will be smooth and quite easy to clean.
The smoother the material, the easier your job will be, so you might want to consider things like linen, satin, cotton, microfiber, or even silk. True, the latter choice may be costly if the claws on your pet’s paws are sharp, but if not, you just might be able to add a splash of luxury to your bedroom and save a lot of time cleaning the bed.
Microfiber is also fairly popular for this particular purpose, but the best thing to do is to do your own research and then come to a conclusion. Don’t be quick to write the material off.
2 - Keep alternate sheets ready!
Apart from just getting dog hair on your sheets, many other accidents can happen.
Maybe your pet decides that the bone they’ve found outside would look awesome waiting for you until you turn in for the night.
Or maybe they just don’t see the problem in hopping right onto that warm and snuggly bed after a walk through a muddy park. Naturally, they will have to shake the rain off first.
Because of these and many similar situations, having clean sheets nearby can be extremely important. Not to mention that you can get rid of all accumulated hair from your bed in one fell swoop if you want, which is a great thing to do if your pet is shedding.
Not to mention that it’s recommended these new sheets be of hair-resistant materials, too.
In just a minute or two, your bed will be as good as new!
3 - Use a blanket
You can also solve this problem with something as simple as a blanket. Just cover the bed with it and protect the bedding.
This can actually be a pretty smart solution if you can find a blanket that is resistant to all kinds of problems pets can bring (drool, hair, even pee). And your dog will love resting on it because it’s so warm and comfy.
Dog blankets can also be a fantastic gift for your pet for any occasion because they can easily be personalized with a hilarious picture of your pet as an astronaut or a member of a royal family.
Not only will the dog love it, but it’s bound to be a conversation starter when your guests see it.
Later you simply remove the blanket when you’re about to go to sleep and use it again tomorrow and continue doing that until the blanket needs washing. Pro tip: look for blankets made of hair-resistant materials.
4 - Get your dog a sleeping bed
If you don’t want your dog sleeping on your bet at all, get him (or her) a bed of their own! These can be incredibly comfortable, which will certainly help your pet get used to it.
There is an abundance of these products on the market, so you can just hop on over to the nearest pet shop and choose the one you think your pet will like best.
For them, it will be like they’re sleeping on a cloud, and very soon you will see them playing and loving their new crib. And if you add their own blanket into the mix, you will see loads of cuddling in the bed with your pets as they play and hide and enjoy their cosy little den with you.
Dog beds too can be made of hair-resistant materials if you’re still worried about that, and polyester, suede, and microfiber are among the most popular ones.
So, if you’ve planned to give your pet a corner in your apartment or your house which they can call their own, getting a dog bed will go a long way in helping them get settled in.
5 - Brush and bathe your dog
You can always tackle this issue at its root and groom your dog regularly. A well-groomed dog will not shed hair, so you’ll be able to cuddle with your pet in your bed as much as you want.
However, do keep in mind that this can be quite a challenge, especially if you have a bigger dog. Not only can they become very curious about something in the other room just when you’re about to start brushing them, but getting them to take a bath can be a challenge of its own, too.
Investing in some quality equipment should be a priority as well because you’d be surprised what a difference a good brush can make when you’re trying to remove old hair from your dog.
Arm yourself with combs and brushes and get to work!
How to get pet hair out of your blankets?
Sometimes, however, there’s just no helping it - you will have to deal with pet hair in your blankets.
Maybe you’re simply away from your house/apartment for a while, or maybe you have an awesome playing session with your pet on your bed, but there WILL come a time when you have to face this kind of problem.
Of course, it helps if you have blankets made of one of the materials mentioned before.
Just don’t put the blankets in the washer right away because that can damage your washer seriously. The har just clumps up and clogs the pump, which ends up spelling problems for you.
1 - Shake it
The simplest methods are often the most efficient, which is why a good way of getting rid of your pet’s hair from your blankets is just to shake it off.
Now, obviously, this method may not always work, but given how simple it is, it’s worth giving it a shot.
Remember, there are materials out there that make removing pet hair much easier, so if you have a blanket made out of one of them, dog hair will be a much smaller problem in your household.
You may want to use things like lint rollers and/or scotch tape to remove the more stubborn hairs from the blanket. If possible, do this both before and after shaking the blanket. Latex gloves serve the same purpose - just put them on and rub the surface. The static electricity will make the hair stick to them.
Definitely a good method if you don’t have a vacuum or a dryer handy. If, however, you do...
2 - Use a vacuumer
If shaking the blanket and making the hairs stick to something is simply too much work for you, you can always use a vacuum cleaner to get the hair out. Those small handheld vacuum cleaners can be particularly handy in this kind of situation.
A brush attachment can also be exceptionally useful when you’re trying to get the hair out of your blankets.
The thing about this method is that you have to use it fairly regularly if you want to keep everything clean. There is a nice tip to make your life a bit easier, though: anti-static spray can help a whole lot because it can prevent the hair from sticking to your bed or even sofa.
Use it after you’ve removed all the from the surface of your furniture.
But here’s an idea: use your vacuum cleaner on your dog! If they can stand the sound, that is. That way, you can get all the hair much before it gets onto your bed and generally diminish the amount of hair in your household.
Do keep in mind that many dogs don’t like the sound of the vacuum cleaner, and it may even take a while for them to get used to its sound when you first bring them home. Be patient and don’t force anything onto your pet. Otherwise, you will cause a completely opposite effect - the dog will never want to come anywhere near the vacuum cleaner.
3 - Use a dryer
There’s another neat trick that will make the process of removing pet hair from your blankets much more efficient - just put the blanket in the dryer for 10 minutes! This will loosen any hair that’s been stuck too tightly.
Just remember that you shouldn’t use any heat in the process.
And don’t forget that this method requires you to clean the dryer’s filter once those 10 minutes are up. Seriously, don’t waste any time doing this, otherwise, your dryer could be in trouble.
Another useful trick for this procedure is to use dryer sheets. The fact that they’re anti-static works to your advantage here, as they will help repel the hair and help it accumulate in the lint trap.
After this short cycle is done, just take out the blanket and give it another good shake before you put it in the washer.
Conclusion
So, dog hair can be quite a problem in a household, but fortunately, there are some really simple ways to get around it when it comes to your bed. You can get a blanket to cover everything, use bedding made of specific materials or simply get your dog their own bed.
You can also tackle the issue at its root and just vacuum your pet, provided that they’re not afraid of the sound. If they are, don’t force anything on them. With time, they may get used to the noise.
Obviously, there will be situations in which you simply cannot protect your bed enough. You may have to leave the house and they just can't wait to hop on, or maybe you just can’t resist playing with your pet there, but there are fairly simple solutions for that, too.
Vacuuming, lint rollers and even latex gloves can all be used to remove dog hair quickly and efficiently from your bed. Furthermore, you can use a dryer if you have one home - just 10 minutes without any heat should do the trick, especially if you have some dryer sheets you can use, too.
So, with just a little bit of effort, your dog’s hair doesn’t need to be a problem in your home at all! A few simple steps will make sure you can deal with this issue in a matter of moments.
