We all love our furry friends but we’re sure you’d agree, we don’t love all the hair they shed. If you have a bad shedder and you are tired of the nuisance of cleaning all of that pet hair, then today’s blog post is for you. We’ll go over the best ways to clean all of that pet hair, why using a dust mop is a great way to clean pet hair, and how to choose the best dust mop for pet hair.
Why Use a Dust Mop for Pet Hair?
You may wonder why a dust mop is even necessary. Why not just sweep or vacuum? Well, there are a lot of reasons a dust mop is a tool to have in your cleaning arsenal, and they are especially helpful if you have pets. Let’s go over some of the reasons a dust mop is great to have handy.
Allergies
A dust mop is great for picking up pretty much everything, which is important if you have allergies, whether you have pets or not. If you have indoor allergies, just sweeping or vacuuming alone doesn’t cut it. It’s difficult to effectively capture dust with vacuuming and sweeping, but a good quality dust mop will do the trick.
As you may know, if you have allergies to dogs or other pets, you aren’t actually allergic to the hair, but rather the dander they shed. What you may not know, is pets who shed a lot of hair also shed a lot of dander. Unfortunately, no matter how little your pet may shed, any accumulation of dander makes it very difficult for some people to clean without needing to take a ton of allergy meds.
Better Cleaning
Whether or not you have allergies, you’ve probably noticed that sweeping alone can kick up particles into the air. You may think that a vacuum could solve this problem, but many vacuums can still kick up dust if the bag or container gets full, or if the roller gets stuck with hair. While they are definitely the best option for carpets, they aren’t nearly as good for a hard floor as a dust mop can be. Even if you only have a few non-carpeted parts of your home, like your kitchen and bathroom, it is highly recommended to invest in a good dust mop.
For those of us growing up in the modern age, we tend to forget that traditional housekeeping methods aren’t necessarily ineffective. Dry mopping is one technique that we didn’t really do anymore once the disposable systems came out. However, reusable dust mops tend to be more durable, and they are much more capable of collecting and trapping dust than the floor cleaning systems that use disposable dry cloths.
Another great thing about dust mops is they are gentle, so they are safe to use on laminate and wooden flooring, without worrying about scratching your beautiful floors. If you’re frustrated with all of the pet hair on your hardwood floors, try dry mopping with a high-quality dust mop.
Versatility
Dust mops aren’t just good for floors either, as this type of mop can be used on other surfaces such as walls and ceilings in your home. A good dust mop easily cleans dusty areas that are hard to reach due to height, and it helps keep away those pesky cobwebs. Having a dust mop is especially great for hardwood floors. A good dust mop for hardwood floors won’t scratch the floors and they are a great option for quick everyday cleaning.
Choosing the Best Dust Mop for Pet Hair
It can seem like a daunting task to choose the best dust mop for pet hair. Aren’t all dust mops created equal? The short answer is no. But let’s go over the ins and outs of dust mops to see why they aren’t, and how to make the best choice. Not just to pick up the hair from your animals, but to choose a premium quality dust mop for all of your cleaning needs.
The Problem with Disposable Systems
We aren’t going to name any names here, but we’re sure if you try to think of a disposable system, there is a big name that comes to mind. Whether it’s a brand name or a generic, disposable system, it seems like they would be the best choice right? Well, that’s where you would be wrong. Here’s a list of the disadvantages of using disposable dust mop floor cleaning systems:
- The disposable sheets aren’t eco-friendly
- The system isn’t cost-effective
- Can’t collect as much dust and pet hair
- Disposable dust mops aren’t as easy-to-use
We should probably go over each point in a bit more detail.
It isn’t easy being green
We all love life hacks, and disposable systems definitely seem more convenient. But if you are concerned about the environment even a little, these systems are big environmental offenders. Disposable dry cloths for these systems are made of polyester and polypropylene. Polyester is made using a chemical reaction involving coal and petroleum. Both polyester and polypropylene are petroleum-derived. So they create a larger carbon footprint to produce, and they aren’t recyclable or biodegradable, so they create more waste.
Lower costs add up over time
It’s true that many disposable systems may have cheaper upfront costs, but the need to buy refill sheets adds up to a lot more total cost over time. A reusable system may cost more, but you won’t have to replace the heads for a very long time. Reusable dust mops are much more durable and therefore long-lasting products that will save you tons of money in the long term.
Gotta change that sheet again
One of the most frustrating things you’ll deal with when using a disposable system is it always seemed like you have to use multiple sheets just to clean one room. Take into account our previous two disadvantages and it paints a grim picture. Not only is that garbage issue literally piling up, but we’re also buying more of those sheets, furthering our total cost. It just isn’t a great solution.
Disposable systems are awkward
You may find disposable systems to be a major hassle because they tend to have large heads that don’t fit into a lot of spaces in the home. People also seem to have a hard time with the disposable heads flipping over on them all the time. We all just want to work quickly and efficiently, and a disposable system doesn’t help us do that.
Reusable Dust Mop Benefits
Unlike disposable systems, reusable systems have a lot of great benefits. They are much more green, they are more affordable in the long run, and everyone loves a dust mop with a good, sturdy head. That said, some reusable mops aren’t as good as others. You really want one designed to attract and collect dust and hair effectively. It’s better to spend a little more on a good dust mop than to buy a cheaper one that will need to be replaced often.
How to choose the Best Dust Mop for Pet Hair
The above factors should help you decide on the best dust mop for pet hair. The Champion Old Fashioned Dust Mop is made with unique Elecrylin fibers that retain a static charge much longer than its competitors. Due to its proprietary fibers and superior capabilities, this dust mop collects and traps dirt, dust, hairs, and debris like no other, but what customers love most about it is its easy-to-use nature.
The swivel head is sturdy, so it won’t flip on you, and thanks to the fringed edges, you can clean wide swaths of the floor. It’ll fit its head into tight corners and under furniture so you can get dust bunnies hiding in unseen places. It’s also lightweight enough that it’s great to dust surfaces such as walls, baseboards, and ceilings.
You’ll love that you don’t have to deal with kicking dust all over the place also. It cleans pet hair and gathers up all of the dust so it doesn’t end up making the rest of your house dusty. While it holds all of the dust fibers, all you have to do is go outside and shake the head out to get rid of it with no trouble. You may want to wash it occasionally with plain water, but you don’t have to do that often.
This dry mop’s superior durability will ensure that it is a long-term, money-saving dusting companion. It’s definitely one of the best dust mops on the market today.
Cleaning Pet Hair
A dust mop, while helpful, isn’t going to fix the issue of pet hair alone. The best way to tackle all of that pet hair is to be proactive. The best way to thoroughly clean all of that pet hair is to reduce the shedding as much as possible, use every tool available to clean hair from your furniture and other surfaces, and practice proper floor care to get the best deep cleaning possible.
Reducing Shedding
It makes sense to try and resolve the issue of pet hair at the source. But it may seem like there’s no way you can prevent your dogs from shedding. While you can’t stop all of it, you can do a few things to lessen the amount of shedding.
Brush regularly
This may seem obvious, but the best way to reduce shedding is to brush your pets regularly. However, you may not know how often you should. You should brush your pets at least a couple of times a week, but daily is ideal.
You can also get a removing glove, or a special pet vacuum if your pet doesn’t like the brush. The gloves are great at collecting all of the hair on the textured surface, and you can remove all of the pet hair from the glove at once. Plus, your pets will love it since they will feel like they are just getting pets from you. Overall it’s a great way to groom them comfortably.
Bathing
Depending on the breed of your pet and their health they may need more or less bathing than others. As a general rule, you should bathe your dogs once a week. This is especially true if your dogs get fleas or other parasites because they shed more when they do.
Feed your pet a good diet
This may not seem to have a connection, but your pet’s fur is a good indicator of health, and an animal that sheds excessively, or has a dull coat might not be getting all of the nutrients they need.
Keep them hydrated
Just like proper nutrition, proper hydration is key to keeping your pets, and their fur, in great condition. You should make sure they always have clean, fresh, and cool water to drink. In the summer you can also help them beat the heat by giving them ice to lick. A really fun treat is to take animal broths and make icy treats for them. The extra flavor will encourage them to finish them easier than they might with plain ice cubes.
Trimming
With animals who have long coats or those with difficult to maintain coats, keeping your pet trimmed or shaved may also help with the shedding. Many pet owners tend to do this in the summer to help their pets beat the heat and be comfortable, but it’s great for shedding issues too.
It’s important to remember that there are certain breeds of animals that shed more than others. There are also certain times of the year, like spring, where your pets may shed more. All of these can factor into how often you have to groom your pets.
Cleaning Furniture
While you can break out your vacuum cleaner for deep cleaning your furniture, there are ways to clean your furniture in between. To clean pet hair from upholstery, use a wet rubber glove and run your hands over your furniture. Remove the hair periodically until you are done. Rubber gloves can also be used dry to pick up some hair, so you can keep one tucked in your couch to remove lighter hair clumps quicker.
Another good tool is a reusable lint brush. There are disposable ones, and while they are effective, the reusable ones are more eco-friendly. You can use a lint brush to remove pet hair from your clothes and upholstery too. For other surfaces, you can use a good all-purpose cleaner. For wooden furniture, you can use a microfiber dry cloth to remove dust and pet hair before polishing with quality furniture polish.
Proper Floor Care
Part of dealing with pet hair removal is proper floor cleaning. We’ve touched on some of the pros and cons of different types of cleaning, but there are a few different types of floor mops you need for your household. A dry dust mop is great for hard floors, but what do you do about carpet?
We personally don’t recommend having carpet in homes with pets, especially if you have allergies, but don’t despair. If you aren’t willing to part with your carpet, there are ways to get up as much pet hair from your carpets as possible.
If you search for dog hair brooms, it turns out that they actually exist! You can find pet hair brooms that are specially designed for carpets. They are great for low pile carpets, and a good option for cleaning up pet hair in between vacuuming and rug cleaning. They typically have rubber bristles that help trap the hair and remove it from the carpet. Many people found this helpful for cleaning pet hair out of their carpets.
While those brooms are great for daily cleaning, you need to vacuum at least once a week to remove all of the dirt and dust from your carpets. You may have to vacuum more if you have deep-pile or shag carpeting. We also recommend doing a deep cleaning with a rug shampooer at least once a year, but 2-4 times a year is better.
You have a lot of options to easily remove dog hair on hardwood and other hard floors such as laminate and tile. We find it’s best to use dry mops every day. You want to make sure to sweep or vacuum, and use a dust mop before using wet mops for dog hair especially, but it can be a hassle for other pet hair too. You won’t be able to effectively clean up pet hair with just a wet mop. Any remaining hair on the floor tends to clump up and you’ll just move it around.
For high traffic areas, or if you have pets and kids, you can use a damp mop without any cleaners daily after using a dry mop. This method can be safely done on both hardwood and other hard floor surfaces as long as you aren’t allowing water to pool on hardwood floors.
For deep cleaning and polishing of all of your hard floors, you’ll need the following:
- Dry dust mop
- Synthetic wet floor mop
- Handheld scrubber (optional)
- Deck mop or grout brush (optional)
- All-purpose floor cleaner
For hardwood floors, less is more. You want to avoid scrubbing them as much as possible. For other floors, you may want to use a deck mop, also known as a carpet scrubber, or a deck broom. Many people like to do a deck scrubbing of their laminate floors about once every month or so. If you don’t have a large area that’s dirty, you can use a hand-held scrub brush to spot scrub areas with a stuck-on mess. For tile floors, it’s best to occasionally use a deck broom or grout scrubber because it’s easier to use.
Whenever using a deck scrubber, mix a cleaning solution with water and pour water in small puddles on the floor and scrub it in sections. Then use a synthetic wet mop like the Champion Yellow Wet Mop to absorb the dirty water. After wringing the mop out, rinse it and go back over with the wet mop. While all of that is general, we’d like to talk about some of Champion’s products and how you can use them when you’re cleaning your floors.
Soft Sweep Upright Broom
Compared to other brooms you’ve used, the Champion Soft Sweep Upright Broom easily cleans pet hair from your floors and gets all of the dirt and debris you may have. It is great for weekly sweepings and cleaning up any daily messes you might encounter. It’s great for hardwood floors too because the bristles are soft and gentle so it won’t damage the floor. Customers say they like to use it in higher traffic areas daily, and then follow it up by dry mopping to completely clean their floors. This is the best pet hair-busting broom!
Old Fashioned Dust Mop
Our old-style dust mop is an excellent cleaning tool and pet hair mop. It’s the best mop for dog hair and one of the best dust mops for hardwood floors. Like we said before, it works great for dusting walls and ceilings, as well as floors. You can use it daily, and it’s always great to use after sweeping. There really isn’t a dust mop out there that stands up in comparison.
Super Yellow Mop
If you’re looking for the best synthetic wet mop, this is the one for you. It’s lightweight and it can easily clean every type of floor surface. This mop is extremely convenient to use, because the mop head is extremely easy to wring out by hand, and the mop has unique fibers that absorb up to 5 times more water than other leading brands. While other mops can scratch your floors, you’ll find the soft fibers of this mop are very gentle on hardwood floors and other floor types.
Hardwood and Laminate Floor Cleaner
Now with hardwood floors, you can clean with water only. In fact, if you aren’t careful, the wrong kind of cleaner can ruin your hardwood floors.
You’ll love this product for cleaning all of your floors. It helps remove any mess you have effortlessly, making mopping a breeze. It’s non-toxic and really earns its name as the perfect cleaner for hardwood floors. It’s specifically designed to gently and safely clean polyurethane-sealed hardwood floors. No matter the surface, it cleans easily and leaves no residue behind.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, you now have some excellent cleaning tools in your cleaning arsenal and know specifically how to choose the best dust mop for pet hair. We hope you liked this article because we always love sharing our tips, from our home to yours.