Furry Suits!
March 4, 2010 8:03 AM

What is the best lint brush to remove pet hair from clothes?

I have cats. I wear suits to work. I do not wish to put these suits in the dryer (at least often) because it's bad for the fabric, wasteful of energy, etc. But air drying doesn't seem to get rid of cat hair. The lint brush I have (one of those jobbies with the directional velvety bristles, like this) merely gets the hair going all one direction. Is there anything (preferably not disposable or single use) that will actually remove the cat hair from my suits?
posted by Kurichina to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (18 answers total) 15 users marked this as a favorite
Stroke the suit all over with a rubber glove; this will herd all the hair into clumps that are much easier to grab.
posted by fish tick at 8:09 AM on March 4, 2010


I know you're looking for something reusable, but the 3M pet hair roller is the best solution I've found for this. The disposable part is really only a sheet of adhesive paper if it makes you feel better.
posted by IanMorr at 8:20 AM on March 4, 2010


The easiest (and most effective) thing to use are the sticky-tape roller thingies... Doesn't pass your "not disposable" clause, but you are only disposing a "sheet" a day.
There are also re-usable versions that you just wash each time with a little soapy water.
posted by crenquis at 8:20 AM on March 4, 2010


Surprisingly, I've had great success with stiff-bristled brushes. Y'know those cheap double-sided animal brushes? One side with metal bristles that have rubbery knobs (usually), and the other side with a bunch of tightly-packed synthetic bristles? Well, those tightly-packed bristles work wonders at picking up fur from couches, rugs, pillows, sheets, quilts, pants, et cetera. You have to pull the fur wads out when they build up too much, but that's it... works great. You don't have to get that specific type of double-sided animal brush, either, I'm just using it as an example - I've used a plain old brush with tightly-packed, stiff bristles and it's just as effective. Cheap and reusable, won't damage fabrics so long as the bristles have soft (not sharp/pokey) ends!
posted by fraula at 8:24 AM on March 4, 2010


I've used the re-usable ones that you wash similar to what crenquis linked to, and they work great... but I could never completely de-lint what I was wearing without having to go and rewash and dry it. That was a deal breaker. So now I use the 3M or Evercare sticky tape ones.
posted by kimdog at 8:25 AM on March 4, 2010


I agree that the sticky-rollers are the best.

But I've also had good success with a damp terrycloth towel, or, damp hands. Of course, in the damp hands method, you end up with a clump of damp cat hair in your hand, but it does work.
posted by The Deej at 8:34 AM on March 4, 2010


I have a couple of Mr. Sticky rollers, and they work extremely well.
posted by orange swan at 8:37 AM on March 4, 2010


Wind Scotch tape around your hand, sticky side out. Then pat the suit all over.
posted by tel3path at 8:40 AM on March 4, 2010


Wind Scotch tape around your hand, sticky side out. Then pat the suit all over.

Much easier and faster with packing tape.
posted by mudpuppie at 8:55 AM on March 4, 2010


But then you're just using a slightly less convenient version of the sticky roller. A sticky roller is just wide masking tape on a stick.
posted by kestrel251 at 9:07 AM on March 4, 2010


I have one of these and it's reusable and works really well. The adhesive always loses its stick and never seems to grab enough.
posted by inkytea at 9:19 AM on March 4, 2010


(It's similar to the one you posted. The only difference being it's double-sided for going up or down; you just switch directions.)
posted by inkytea at 9:21 AM on March 4, 2010


The Sticky Critter Washable Lint Roller has an adhesive roller that loses it's adhesive property when wetted. So, you use it dry, like a tape roller, and it picks up hair about as well as tape. Then you rinse it in the sink, and on the contact of the water stream, the hair is released, and the roller is again clean. A shake or two of the roller dispel any remaining water droplets, and the roller is ready to go again.

Good for years of use.
posted by paulsc at 10:00 AM on March 4, 2010


FedEx labels.

Especially those plastic baggie type FedEx label holders. As a former FedEx employee I consider these to be part of my retirement stipend.
posted by 26.2 at 10:45 AM on March 4, 2010


Masking tape is the poor man's lint brush, and I use it all the time, because you can just throw a roll in your car console and take it with you.

I also have the 3M pet hair roller and it works great for furniture (which is wear your clothes might be picking up the cat hair in the first place).
posted by misha at 10:49 AM on March 4, 2010


Wiping vigorously downward with clean damp hands is surprisingly, although not 100%, effective. (I own lots of black clothes and two partly-white cats.)
posted by stuck on an island at 12:40 PM on March 4, 2010


Cheap dishwashing handled brushes, the type with splayed-out bristles. Those low-quality bristles have tiny burrs on their tips, which grab cat hair which other brushes miss.

brush photo
posted by billb at 3:00 PM on March 4, 2010


I'll add my vote for parcel tape wrapped round your hand. I was visiting a friend not long ago, who has a very soft fluffy white rabbit. Of course I cuddled said rabbit, and was left with a massive amount of white fur all over my torso and arms... When I asked my friend's mum if she had a lint brush, she pulled out the parcel tape and it works amazingly well.


Although having your friend's mum basically grope you with parcel tape to defuzz you is a little disconcerting.

posted by badmoonrising at 5:21 AM on March 5, 2010


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