Pet hair is something we can never actually get rid of, especially since our pets don’t actually know how to turn off the “shed” button. As a result, we end up cleaning now – and three hours later, the couch is once more clad with pet hair.
The hair seems to be getting everywhere – even if the pets aren’t allowed on the furniture!
This is exactly why a vacuum for pet hair is of so much help. It keeps our carpet and furniture clean; but among the multitude of choices, how do we know how to pick the most appropriate one for our house? Well, this article will fill you in on some important details.
In This Article You Will Learn About... What Are Pet Hair Vacuums?Differences From Regular Vacuum CleanersDifficulties Of Removing Pet Hair from Certain SurfacesTypes Of Pet Hair VacuumsHandheld VacuumStick VacuumCanister VacuumRobot VacuumCordless VacuumBagless VacuumProblems That Occur With Excess Pet HairAllergiesIngestionAestheticsManufacturersBissellDysonDirt DevilMaintenance And CleaningRegularly Replace The BagAttach The Bag ProperlyEmpty The Container For Bagless ModelsClean The Brush RollCheck The FiltersFinal ThoughtsWhat Are Pet Hair Vacuums?
A vacuum for pet hair is, obviously, a vacuum cleaner that can suck up the pet hair from your furniture and carpet. They are a good option for keeping your house allergen-free, removing all the health hazards that can make your house stuffy and dirty.
Differences From Regular Vacuum Cleaners
You may have an incredible vacuum cleaner at home that pulls up all the dirt from the floor; however, it might not work just the same with pet hair.
A regular vacuum cleaner simply will not be able to pull up the hairs that got stuck in the upholstery fibers and carpet.
Why? Well, that’s because most vacuum cleaners work with a hose-and-two-part-brush mechanism. This works perfectly when you want to pick up dust and debris from the floor since the brush stirs everything on the surface before sucking it up the hose.
However, doing that with pet hair will have the opposite effect. Instead of pulling it up, you’ll be pushing that hair further into the surface or into the vacuum brush, making it much more difficult to remove it.
Ideally, the best vacuum cleaner for pet hair will have a silicon brush that is completely the opposite of a soft hair brush. These specialized attachments and modified designs will ensure that the hair will not get tangled anywhere before getting sucked up, making it perfect for pet hair.
Some models of pet hair vacuums will also have additional space to add shampoo – making your carpet even cleaner.
Moreover, a vacuum for pet hair will have more suction power than your average vacuum cleaner, as well as a better filtration system.
This will help remove the dander from the air that was expelled, taking out the allergens and making the air much easier for you to breathe.
Difficulties Of Removing Pet Hair from Certain Surfaces
Pet hair can get stuck on different surfaces – the main ones being carpets, furniture, and hardwoods.
We have already established why pet hair is difficult to be cleaned from a carpet or any kind of interwoven surface.
Basically, the fibers will be yelling “my Precious!” each time new hairs come along, making themselves a “fur coat” that will stick to the surface.
Now you may be thinking: why would it be difficult to get the pet hair from hardwood, considering that the surface is flat? Well, good morning, Sherlock, because hardwood floors have cracks where the margins meet.
And once the hairs start sticking to those margins, they will eventually start poking out as if you have hair growing from your floors.
For both surfaces, you will need a vacuum cleaner that is strong enough to pull the “sticky” hair, without pushing it even further. As for hardwood, you might want to tone it down a notch, since they need a more gentle touch.
Types Of Pet Hair Vacuums
Regardless if you are looking for the best handheld vacuum for pet hair or something simple that you can easily stash in a supply closet, there are six main types of vacuum cleaners that work perfectly with pet hairs.
Handheld Vacuum
As mentioned, pet hair can get everywhere – even where you least expect it. So the dog is not allowed on the couch? Be sure that there will still be a lot of pet hair there anyway.
You touched the dog, played with it, and then sat on the couch; the hair simply transferred.
Now, how awkward would it be to take a regular-sized vacuum for pet hair and try to clean the air? It would be uncomfortable, wouldn’t it? This is exactly why a handheld vacuum cleaner would be such a convenient purchase.
If you have certain surfaces that need just an on-the-spot cleaning, a hand vacuum for pet hair will be less of a hassle. Why pull the full version just to clean a spot where your cat sat?
Stick Vacuum
Also known as upright vacuums, these models will “stick” up tall, covering a large area in less time.
Since a stick vacuum stays upright the entire time, you’ll be less likely to have back problems – simply because you will no longer have to hunch your back in order to vacuum. You’ll be able to hold a correct posture, making your job much easier.
Plus, a stick vacuum cleaner is generally the most reliable one, since it can dislodge dirt that has been deeply ingrained into the carpet. This is a feature we are all looking for, especially when it comes to cleaning pet shedding.
Canister Vacuum
Also known as a cylinder vacuum, this is the type of vacuum used by those wanting to save some space.
They are lighter and smaller than your average stick vacuum, and most of them can also be stored in a compact way. All you have to do is pull it along with you as you clean.
Thanks to the hose, the best canister vacuum for pet hair can get even in those hard to reach places, such as your curtain, furniture, or car. It’s like having your own handheld vacuum cleaner with the power of an upright one.
Robot Vacuum
Robot vacuums are not as common, but they are twice as loved. Who doesn’t love it when other people (or objects) do the job for them?
Plus, we’ve seen all the videos on the Internet of cats or dogs riding a robot vacuum cleaner – which is very fun! This is exactly why we all want our own pet robot.
There’s no rule as to how robot vacuums should look, but usually, they are round and flat. Since they have to crawl under the furniture, robotic vacuum cleaners need to be fairly slim.
They work with set algorithms and/or dirt-detecting software as they move around in your house.
Long story short, you can go on with your daily habits while a robot vacuum for pet hair will stroll around the house, picking up the shedding of your pet.
Keep in mind, however, that this type of vacuum cleaner has its limitations as well. One is that it will only vacuum the floors, so if you wanted something to also clean upholstery, then this model is not the one for you.
Another drawback is that most robotic vacuum cleaners work by a wall-to-wall system. They detect walls and then go from one side to another in order to clean the whole room.
This means that, if you have a set of stairs between two walls, the robot won’t know that. And we don’t need to tell you what will happen if an expensive robotic device falls down a flight of stairs.
Cordless Vacuum
Most models can also be with or without a cord – although you’ll have to deal with certain drawbacks from each of them.
A cordless vacuum cleaner, for example, may be easier to handle, since you won’t have to stumble into the cord each time you decide to make a turn.
Moreover, you won’t be stuck to a power socket, with a need to change it every time you go from one room to another.
The disadvantage, however, is that a cordless vacuum needs to be recharged – and it usually doesn’t last too long.
Even the best cordless vacuum for pet hair will only clean for half an hour at most, after which you will have to charge it again. This should be no problem if you live in a flat, but it can be slightly inconvenient if you live in a bigger house.
Bagless Vacuum
To bag or not to bag? That is the question. As its name implies, this type of vacuum cleaner relieves you of the need to replace the bag – which can be pretty costly. With bagless models, all you’ll have to do is empty the reservoir when it gets full.
However, there’s still a drawback. If your vacuum cleaner works with a bag, you can easily get away with using a one-use bag that you can throw away after you use it.
Bagless vacuums, however, need to be cleaned all the time – and it can get pretty dirty.
Problems That Occur With Excess Pet Hair
Shedding happens, we know; but when there’s too much of it, it can be really troublesome for your daily life. Here are just a few problems that might or will occur with excess hair shed.
Allergies
You may not be allergic to pets. You may be playing with your furry companion all day long, without having a care in the world about their fur.
Still, if there’s too much of it floating or lying around, your nose will definitely feel it – and guess who’ll be sneezing for the rest of the day because they inhaled the hairs.
Ingestion
Cats can ingest hair; they cough it out as fur balls anyway. Humans, however, are frowned upon when they start coughing them up – so you might not want to try that at home.
Now you may be thinking: how would I ingest these hairs? It’s not like I lick my cat on a daily basis. Well, you may not be, but you do touch the furniture. And no matter how many times you wash your hands, hairs will eventually get in your food – and therefore, your mouth.
This is even more likely to happen if you also have a kid in the house and they stick their hands in their mouth every five seconds.
No worries, though, you’ll know right away when you ingest pet hair. You’ll get that overwhelming sensation that you need to throw up everything from your stomach – even the stomach itself.
Aesthetics
As a pet owner, you probably made peace with the fact that each time you sit on the couch, you have a new “coat” on your back. It’s called FURniture for a reason.
If you clean it often, it won’t be a problem; you’ll see some hairs here and there, but nothing that can’t be solved with a little brushing.
Too much, however, will have you glued to the hip with the lint roller. You will look like you are shedding hair, not your pet.
To prevent this from happening, you may want to vacuum your home as often as possible – and don’t stick only to the floors. The furniture needs just as much cleaning, especially since you’ll be using and touching it all day.
You may also want to brush your pets as often as possible to prevent excessive fur shedding. If your pet seems to leave too much fur, then you might want to take it to a doctor; it might be a sign of parasites.
Manufacturers
When it comes to vacuum cleaners, no one really pays attention to the brand. As long as it’s not expensive, everything can be the best-rated vacuum for pet hair.
Still, just like you pay attention to brands when it comes to clothes, the same thing should happen with a vacuum for pet hair.
Here are a few brands that are very popular among pet owners. Apparently, they are the best deals for removing the excess hair from their floors and furniture.
Bissell
Bissell made it their business to get rid of cat and dog hairs from your carpet using innovative technologies.
For instance, Bissell is famous for their wet-cleaning technology that uses steam to pull out the hairs and debris from a carpet.
They have all types of vacuums that are suitable for carpets, upholstery, hard floor – and all of them combined. No matter if you need an upright or a handheld one, Bissell is a name that is trusted by pet owners.
The Bissell vacuum for pet hair also features powerful multi-cyclonic designs, with or without bags, as well as with various attachments that you may find suitable for your needs.
The high suction power will be enough to meet all your cleaning needs.
Dyson
Dyson is another brand that is famous for their pet hair cleaning technology. Besides their specialized tools and powerful suction, the Dyson vacuum for pet hair also uses animal ball technology that collects the pet hair and rolls it into a furball to be easily discarded.
Dyson also features various pet grooming tools to prevent shedding altogether. They are handheld and just comfortable enough for your pet to love them.
Plus, for the hairs that have already escaped, you can also pick from their line of handheld or stick vacuum cleaners. They are also said to have the best bagless vacuum for pet hair out of all highly-rated brands.
Dirt Devil
The Dirt Devil vacuum for pet hair is literally made to be the enemy of dirt and animal hair. They feature everything from handheld to upright and canister vacuum cleaners – all of which you’ll probably notice are a pretty shade of red.
These vacuums are very powerful – enough to uproot pet hair from difficult places. Some of their models also use the steam technology so that you can “steam out” the animal hair much easier.
You can go for bagless versions as well, and they also have a fairly decent line of cordless vacuum cleaners. Depending on the size of your home, you may pick the one that you fancy the most.
Maintenance And Cleaning
Your vacuum works very hard to keep pet hair at bay and provide you a fresh environment to live in. Many homeowners consider their vacuum to be an investment – and like every investment, it needs the proper care and maintenance.
There are many things that you may do in order to keep your vacuum cleaner up and running for many years to come. Let’s take a look at a few tips.
Regularly Replace The Bag
If you have a vacuum cleaner with a bag, you should replace the bag as often as possible. You don’t have to replace it every time you vacuum your home; just do it once the debris reaches 2/3 of the bag’s capacity.
Pet hair and debris need to go into the bag – so if there’s no space in it, it’s no wonder that the vacuum will no longer pick it up.
Once you see that the suction power is not quite as strong as when you placed the bag, you may want to change it.
Attach The Bag Properly
If you don’t attach the bag correctly, the vacuum cleaner might not last. Every vacuum for pet hair has different instructions regarding their bags, so you might want to read the manual carefully.
If the bag is not attached carefully, then the debris will indeed be suctioned – but it won’t go in the bag. It will go anywhere else but the bag. It will go inside the cleaner and will damage all its moving parts.
Empty The Container For Bagless Models
Just like with bagged models, you may want to do so when the debris reaches 2/3 of its capacity.
Depending on the model that you have, you should also rinse the container to make sure the dirt is out.
After you empty it, you should clean the filter. You can either knock it against the garbage can or dust it with a brush.
If the filter is washable, you may also want to give it a thorough cleaning. It will prevent dirt from going into the engine – you know this happened when it starts making a louder noise than usual.
Clean The Brush Roll
No matter if you use a silicone or a classic brush, you need to clean it every so often. You’d be surprised how many things can roll around it and prevent it from moving properly.
Whether you remove the roll or clean it while it’s still in place, that’s entirely up to you – and the model of your vacuum cleaner. Preferably, you may want to remove it; it will offer you a better chance of getting all the dirt out.
Check The Filters
The filters are the exact thing that’s keeping the air in your home clean when you are vacuuming. The air goes in, and it’s obvious that the air also has to go out eventually.
However, if it’s released with all the dust and particles that you previously collected, that could hardly be called successful vacuuming.
If you notice that there’s a sort of dusty, “burning” scent in the air as you are vacuuming, you might want to check the filter for debris.
If it’s made of plastic, you can wash it clean. On the other hand, if it’s paper or fabric, you may want to simply shake it clean.
Final Thoughts
Every pet owner needs to have a vacuum for pet hair – because as much as we may love those fluffy fellows, they shed hair like we shed socks.
The only way to keep your house looking sharp and clean is to vacuum it every day, in every nook and cranny – or at least the ones frequented by your cat/dog, etc.
If you are not yet certain which model to choose, you may want to take a look at our buying guide to see the selection that we made for you. No matter if you are looking for the best stick vacuum for pet hair or the best handheld one, we know what’s popular.
Resources:
Consumer ReportWikipediaHowStuff WorksiFixit
