Remove as Much Hair as Possible First
Washing and drying your clothes will help remove dog hair, but you can enjoy even better results by eliminating as much hair as possible before tossing your laundry in the wash.
You can start by simply shaking off as much hair as you can before you toss those clothes into the washer. Once you’ve done that, consider using any of the following tools to help remove even more hair.
Also consider upping your cleaning game – especially if you have a long-furred doggo or a multi-dog household. Our round-up of the best pet hair vacuums is a great place to start. A more powerful vacuum, along with regular usage, will reduce the amount of pet hair floating around your home, and keep fur off your clothes as a result!
Run Clothes Through the Dryer Before the Washing Machine
If you have some particularly hairy garments to launder, it may be worth running your clothes through the dryer before they’re washed. This softens the fabric and loosens the pet hair so that it can be collected in the dryer’s lint trap.
Just place your load in the dryer for about 10 minutes or so on a no-heat or low-heat cycle. You can also add a slightly damp cloth to the mix to improve your fur-fighting strategy.
The Top 10 Dryer Balls For Pet Hair
I’ve tried a few different types of dryer balls, but as they last for up to 10 years, I didn’t want to be wasteful by buying more. So, I asked all the pet owners I know what kind of dryer balls they use and how they found them. I also read through thousands of online reviews to come up with this guide to the bets dryer balls for pet hair.
These extra-large Ecoigy wool dryer balls are without a doubt the best for removing dog and cat hair from clothes.
These top-quality balls have been made using 100% New Zealand wool and are all-natural and 100% organic. They are fragrance-free (you can always add your own essential oils) and hypoallergenic which means that they are suitable for babies and anyone with sensitive skin.
These wool dryer balls will leave your clothes naturally soft without the need for dryer sheets or fabric softeners. They speed up drying time by 20-40% so you will save money on electricity.
Smart Sheep award-winning wool dryer balls were one of the first on the market and have been featured on numerous high-profile TV shows. They are manufactured using ethical fair trade policies.
They use New Zealand wool but are handmade in Nepal in a joint venture that provides work opportunities for marginalized women. They are packaged and inspected in the USA by work-at-home moms.
These dryer balls are better-made than many of the alternatives and hold up to repeated use without unraveling. They also smell pleasant and keep their shape. When it comes to pet hair, the general consensus is that they remove almost all of it, but you may still need to use a lint brush for stragglers.
If you find white wool dryer balls look a little, well, boring. Then give these Friendsheep ones a try. They are made to look like penguins, and I think that they’re super cute.
It’s not all about the look though, they are still high-quality wool dryer balls made from 100% New Zealand wool and they are ethically made in Nepal. They keep their shape well and will last you for several years before they need to be replaced.
If you prefer not to use dryer balls made from wool then you can get all of the same benefits from using plastic ones, including the removal of pet hair to some degree. That said, the hair doesn’t stick to these balls as well as it does to the wool ones.
In this pack of Colorsheng dryer balls, you get six tennis ball-sized spiky plastic drying balls – they should last for around 1000 uses. Plastic dryer balls are not as eco-friendly as wool ones as they aren’t made from a sustainable natural product, but they are more environmentally friendly than using single-use dryer sheets and fabric softener and they are the ethical choice for vegans.
Grand Fusion dryer balls are specifically aimed at removing pet hair from your clothes rather than being all-purpose balls like the rest. Some people use these alongside other types of dryer ball to get the best of both worlds and have been very pleased with the performance.
While many users have been happy with the performance of the foam balls, others have reported that they fall apart and pieces of foam have got stuck in their clothing so they may not be quite as reliable as the alternatives. They’re also a little more expensive.
So, you don’t like boring old white wool dryer balls but only like penguins a little bit? How about these adorable Wooly Heroes – where you get just one penguin and his five different animal friends?
Once again these are top quality New Zealand wool and ethically and fairly traded. They do everything you want of a dryer ball and look cute at the same time. As an extra bonus – you can play a game of guess the animal as you try and work out exactly what animal each of the creatures is supposed to be.
Ok, so you don’t want plain white dryer balls, but you really don’t want to have any penguins anywhere near your laundry. Not even one penguin with his cute friends. I get it, not everyone likes penguins.
So how about these bright little bumblebee balls. They are the same as the Friendsheep penguins, but, you guessed it, they look like bees!
They do exactly the same job, but somehow they cost a little more than the penguin variety, which is weird.
Who says plastic can’t be cute! If you are not keen on having wool dryer balls – perhaps you are vegan and don’t want to use an animal product – but still want a cute dryer ball then this could be the option for you.
These cute hedgehog-shaped dryer balls certainly look the part and the natural spikiness of a hedgehog means that they work well. They are a bit on the small side and there are only three of them, so I think the best option is to use these alongside some round plastic dryer balls.
If you like the idea of wool dryer balls, you don’t have to restrict yourself to just sheep’s wool.
These ones are made from 100% alpaca wool which is more hypoallergenic than sheep’s wool, making them perfect for babies or anyone with sensitive skin. These alpaca dryer balls are dye-free which means that they have a very natural look.
They are very sustainably produced as they have been hand-made in the USA using leftover fibers that would otherwise have gone to waste.
Ok, so you like wool dryer balls but you don’t want boring white ones. You don’t like penguins, or bees, or a collection of different animals.
You like the idea of using dryer balls made in the USA but don’t want ones that look too natural (and you don’t like white ones remember) or that are made from alpaca wool. Then maybe I have finally found the perfect wool dryer ball for you.
These Loo Hoo dryer balls are made in the USA with wool from American farms and they are available in a nice range of pastel shades. They also do a pretty decent job of removing pet hair from your clothes, according to online reviews.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading this post about the best dryer balls for pet hair.
I really think that we should all be using dryer balls as they have so many benefits and are much cheaper and more eco-friendly than alternatives like single-use dryer sheets and fabric softener.
I have tried to include something for everyone in this list and to be honest they will all do the job that you want them to., although some are better at removing pet hair than others.
The best dryer balls for pet owners are without a doubt the Ecoigy wool dryer balls. They also happen to be one of the cheapest, which is great.
I do also love the Friendsheep dryer balls as I really like their quality and the cute animal designs. They have plain ones, colored ones and a whole range of different creatures to choose from but for me there can be only one winner. The penguins!
Pet Hair Remover Laundry Dryer Balls – Grand Fusion | worst dog product we have review
Dogs and cats shed. A lot. That pet hair can get all over the house—on rugs, on bedsheets, and clothes. It sticks to fabrics and won’t go away. How maddening to find it on the clean clothes from the dryer. What’s a person to do?
Dear Anita: I’m pretty sure you’re talking about a Dryer Maid Ball that promises to automatically remove pet hair from clothes while in the dryer, and send it to the lint trap, while at the same time soften clothes and decrease wrinkles.
In the interest of full disclosure, I have not tested this product myself, because I do not have a pet. However, the customer reviews are positive from those who use this product to extract all that pet hair.
What I have tested and love are Wool Dryer Balls. These dryer balls soften as well as reduce static without fragrance or chemicals—and I have noticed that they pick up stray human hair that finds its way into the dryer.
Before you throw your laundry in the washing machine, run the clothes through a 10-minute dryer cycle on tumble, with no heat. This softens the fabrics and loosens the pet hair, which will be caught by the dryer’s lint trap. Then shake the clothes to get as many pet hairs out as possible, and toss them in the washer. When you’re done, clean your dryer’s lint trap so it’s hair-free when your load comes out of the wash.
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When you give these options a try, be sure to give us your review. I’m sure yours is a common problem within our big (and growing!) EC family.
Dear Louise: This build-up of fragrance and laundry products can be tough to deal with. Manufacturers of many cleaning and softening products have trained consumers to equate fragrance with “clean,” But that odor is certainly offensive to some of us and is yet another source of chemicals entering our lives and bodies. I am confident that Nok-Out can take care of those odors that can be so offensive.
In general, add 8 oz. (1 cup) Nok-Out to your washer load. If you have a top loader, set it to use the minimum amount of water. Fill the tub first, add the Nok-Out, mix it up a bit, and then add the sheets making sure every part is fully saturated.
Allow the machine to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, then complete the cycle, without adding detergent. Dry as usual.
For a front loader, use the same amount of Nok-Out, in a pre-wash soak. If possible, pause the cycle during the soak phase for about 15 to 20 minutes. Restart and complete the cycle as normal.
Another option would be to go low-tech. Use a washtub, deep sink, or bucket. Put the minimum amount of water needed to saturate the linens completely. Add 1 cup of Nok-Out, full strength. Add the sheets and make sure all of the fabric gets fully immersed and saturated, and then allow to sit for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Follow this by throwing the sheets into a spin cycle (no need to rinse) and then dry them normally.
Dear A.F.: Great question. And yes, flattery did get your letter to the top of the pile so good job on that!
Most of us use way too much laundry detergent, which can present all kinds of problems like skin irritation, grayish looking whites, and stiff scratchy clothes and linens.
Whatever amount of detergent you use, it must be completely rinsed away for the results to be beautifully clean, whiter-than-white, brighter-than-bright colors; soft clothes, and linens.
Generally, if you have soft water use 1 tablespoon (1/16 cup) of HE (high-efficiency) detergent per wash load in a front-loading machine; for top-loading refer to your owner manual, or about 1/4 cup if you can’t find it. If you have hard water use 2 tablespoons (1/8 cup), which begs the question “How do I know if my water is hard or soft?”
Call your water company or go to its website, to learn the grains of hardness per gallon (expressed as “gpg”) in your local water supply. According to the Water Quality Association,
If your water is moderately hard and you want to be very precise, use 1.5 tablespoons (4 1/2 teaspoons) of HE detergent per load.
Another variable will be washing machine capacity. If it’s a super-duper-jumbo size machine, you need to adjust the amount of detergent accordingly. Check the owner manual.
Also, you may need to use more or less detergent if you’re running a heavily soiled load (more) or a very small load (less).
Above all, the most important thing to consider when it comes to laundry detergent is whether or not the detergent gets completely rinsed away before that load of laundry is finished.
I always add 1/2 cup white vinegar to the last rinse (I pour it into the liquid softener compartment so it gets released at the proper time). Vinegar helps to get rid of all of the detergent, leaving items soft and fluffy without the need of any softening products, which can present allergic-like rashes, skin irritations, and even respiratory reactions in some people.
I love to do laundry. I’m crazy that way. And I enjoy discovering ways to do it more efficiently—and by efficient I do mean cheaper, better, and faster … read more
The next time that you do a load of wash, take a washcloth out of the dryer when finished and put it in a warm dish of water. If the water remains clean, you have not used too much detergent. If the water turns even slightly cloudy, it means that all of the detergents have not been removed. You’re using too much detergent.
If your whites have turned gray, that’s a good indication that your washing method has resulted in a build-up of left-in laundry detergent. If your towels come out stiff and scratchy—you guessed it—too much detergent.
Finding the exact amount of laundry detergent you need given the hardness of your water, the style (front-loading vs. top-loading) size of your washing machine, and the size of the laundry load may take experimentation. But once you discover what’s right for you—and you are getting all of that detergent out of the clothes, too—I think you’re going to be pleasantly surprised by the fantastic results.
I don’t think you’ll find a better (or cheaper!) HE laundry detergent than our homemade HE laundry detergent. It is concentrated and 2 tablespoons (or less) per load produces fantastic results!