Dogs, cats, and rabbits make some of the cutest pets to own. However, they also come with another unwanted reality-pet hair, dander, and the dreaded litter box smell. Fortunately, with the best pet hair remover, you and your furry friend can live happily ever after with fewer smells, runny noses, and cleanups.

 

What makes a good pet hair remover? Whether you live with a dog, cat, rabbit, or dog, you are bound to deal with stray hairs everywhere—on your bed, living room rug, wardrobes, walls, etc.

 

The best cat or dog hair remover should not only eliminate pet hairs and dander, but it should also clear any traces of odour and the allergies that follow. That can be hard to achieve with the conventional methods of pet hair removal we have today.

 

 

Why is pet hair removal necessary?

A little pet hair here and there is nothing more than an annoyance when living with pets. However, if you live with a dog that sheds heavily, like a Corgi or Shiba Inu, the excess pet hair and dander can make you sick. The same can be said for a house with multiple cats. Rabbits do shed heavily too in their moulting season.

 

Pets carry bacteria and viruses in their skin and coat. These zoonotic (can be passed from animals to humans) pathogens hide in the pet's saliva, urine, or faeces. Bacteria and viruses travel from the saliva to the dog's skin and coat during grooming. And as you have already guessed, when pet hair and pet dander show up on your furniture, walls, or float in the air, they carry these allergy-causing pathogens that make us sick.

 

It is important to get a pet hair remover, especially if you suffer from a pet hair allergy. People who are allergic to pet hair or dander will have the following symptoms:

● Red eyes

● Coughing and wheezing

● A runny nose

● Sneezing

● Skin conditions

 

Asthmatics can suffer frequent attacks in a room with excess pet hair or pet dander. Pet dander consists of a protein that irritates the respiratory system of asthmatic people. Pet dander, dust, mites, mould and pollen can all trigger asthmatic attacks.

 

Pet hair carries parasites too, especially if your cat, dog, or rabbit spends a lot of time outdoors. Common parasites hiding in pet hair and dander are salmonella, brucella, campylobacter, staphylococcus intermedius, and leptospira.

 

Pet hair removal is necessary to fight off bacterial infections. As stated before, pets carry bacteria in their fur, and people who are vulnerable to bacteria can easily get an infection when they are in contact with contaminated pet hair/dander.

 

 

Do air purifiers work for pets?

Stray hairs from dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, or any other pet can be safely removed by an air purifier. However, there are various types of air purifiers, and you need to find the right one that gets the job done.

 

Four types of portable air purifiers that can deal with pet hair include;

● Ultraviolet air purifiers

● Carbon air purifiers

● Ionic air cleaners

● HEPA air purifiers

Ultraviolet air cleaners

Ultraviolet air purifiers use a special UV bulb to kill viruses, bacteria, and other harmful airborne pathogens. UV lighting is widely used in hospitals to sanitise areas with a high risk of contamination, like laboratories and patient rooms. The UV bulbs in ultraviolet purifiers not only eliminate bacteria and viruses, but they also kill mould with 99% efficiency.

 

However, UV air purifiers can only eliminate air contaminants that are smaller than 0.3 microns. They are not as efficient in removing larger particles like pet hair and dander that plague the homes of pet parents.

 

Carbon air purifiers

Do air purifiers help with litter box smells? Yes, and a carbon air purifier was designed to do just that. It has a special filter with activated carbon for combating odour, smoke, fumes, and noxious gases. A carbon air purifier will work wonders at eliminating litter box smells, especially if you live with multiple pets.

 

Unfortunately, just like UV air cleaners, carbon air purifiers cannot effectively eliminate particular matter of any size, from mould to pet dander.

Ionic air cleaners

Ionic air cleaners have an inbuilt negative ion generator that releases negatively charged particles into the air, a process called ionisation. These negatively charged molecules attach to positively charged airborne particles that are 2.5 microns in size, such as the ones that reduce air visibility. They include particles like dust, smog, and fumes.

 

Yet, an ionic air purifier does not make the best pet hair remover because it is ineffective in handling large particulate matter beyond 2.5 microns in size. Also, air cleaners with a negative ion generator filter produce ozone gas, which can be harmful to you and your pet's health.

HEPA air purifiers

If you are looking for an air purifier that works as an excellent cat hair remover, dog hair remover, or rabbit air purifier, your best bet is to get one with a medical-grade HEPA filter. The medical grade HEPA or H13 filter handles both small and large air particles - from 0.3 microns to 100 microns in size.

 

 

Do you need an air purifier for pets?

An air purifier is the best pet hair removal option compared to other methods of getting rid of stray hairs or dander. Some of the hair removal tactics used by pet owners include:

● Brushing

● Lint roller

● Vacuuming

● Washer

 

Pet hair remover brush

There are various kinds of pet hair remover brushes on the market today. The premium ones have an ergonomic design for removing stray hairs, even in tight spaces like the corners of your sofa.

 

They feature special bristles or jagged edges to lift embedded hair from any surface. These handheld hair remover brushes work on any surface, although you'll need a little elbow grease when cleaning large areas like a carpet.

 

Pet hair removal broom

The pet hair remover broom also works like a brush, only that it comes with a long handle for scooping stray hairs from the floor. High-quality hair removal brooms have an adjustable handle for multifunctionality. They have a rubber head and bristles which cause hair to stick to them through static attraction for a cleaner sweep. These brooms are ideal for both carpets and hard surfaces.

 

Lint roller

A sticky lint roller is a quick cat or dog hair remover solution that you can rely on, on the go. One swipe is enough to scoop large portions of hair from any surface. The sticky sheets are replaceable and are easily removable without touching the pet or dandering on them. However, lint rollers are not that eco-friendly due to the heavy use of plastic.

 

Washer

The good old washing machine does wonders in removing surface dirt on your clothes, including pet hair and dander. Add wool dryer balls to the washer during the drying cycle for maximum pet hair removal. However, a washer may not be as reliable when dealing with strands of hair embedded in fabrics.

 

Vacuuming

A vacuum cleaner can be handy for lifting stubborn pet hairs off surfaces, especially on carpets and upholstery. Yet, you will need a high-end vacuum cleaner designed with technology to handle pet hair and dander, and such units usually fetch a premium price.

 

 

Are air purifiers good for pet hair?

All the above pet hair removal techniques do help to some extent. However, they may not be as effective when dealing with airborne pet hair and dander, the viruses and bacteria carried in pet hair. An air purifier is more efficient as a pet hair remover, as it efficiently removes even the finest strands of hair and the odour they leave behind.

 

A high-quality pet hair remover air purifier with a medical-grade HEPA filter removes airborne allergens, including pet hair and dander, with 99.95% efficiency. In addition, modern air purifiers with HEPA filters feature a four-stage filtration system that combines the functions of the various air purifiers we mentioned.

 

A four-stage filtration HEPA air purifier is the sweet spot if you want to combine the functions of an ozone air cleaner, an ioniser air purifier, and a carbon air purifier. The filtration system comprises:

1. A pre-filter that actively removes large particles of hair like pet hair, human hair, sand particles, and dust

2. The HEPA filter removes microparticles as tiny as 0.1 microns from the air. These are usually unseen floating particles found in tobacco smoke, carbon dust, paint pigment, and asbestos. The HEPA filter also removes viruses, bacteria, and other disease-causing pollutants from the air we breathe.

3. An activated carbon filter that does the job of a dedicated carbon air purifier. This filter takes care of all odours, litter box smells, noxious gases, and any other sort of strange smell lingering in your home.

4. Ioniser booster filter that functions like a dedicated ioniser air purifier. The device is a negative ion generator that releases negatively charged molecules that bond to positively charged air particles. These particles are usually microscopic particles that manage to pass through the first filtration stages.

 

 

A HEPA filter with the advanced four-stage filtration system mentioned above is your safest option for combating pet hair, dander, and the odour left behind by pets. Some high-quality HEPA air purifiers have UV filters to kill bacteria and viruses like the COVID-19 virus.

Prevention is necessary in the long run.

With the best pet hair remover air purifier and a few housekeeping tricks, you can enjoy the cleanest air in your home, even with pets around. Here are some tips for keeping pet hair and dander at bay and minimising the time and money spent running your air purifier.

● Regularly clean your home to rid it of pet hair. Incorporate pet hair removal tools like a pet hair removal brush, broom, or squeegee.

● Regularly bathe your pet and clean its belongings to reduce the spread of pet hair, dander, viruses, and bacteria.

● Mop and wipe the surface to reduce dust

● Store clean fabrics safely away from your pet

● Designate specific areas in your home where your pet can eat, sleep, play, or rest.

 

FAQs

Do air purifiers reduce pet allergies?

Yes, pet allergies come from pet hair and pet dander. An air purifier removes hair and dander floating in the air, which affects our respiratory system.

 

Do air purifiers help with litter box smell?

An air purifier fitted with an activated carbon filter will help reduce the litter box smell. Activated carbon also eliminates tobacco smells, weed smoke, burning smells, and noxious gases.

 

Are air purifiers worth it if you have pets?

An air purifier is necessary if you live with cats, dogs, rabbits, or birds. As these pets shed a lot, the air purifier will take care of the hairs, dander, and tiny feather particles to maintain indoor air quality.

 

Which air purifier is best for dogs?

An air purifier with a HEPA filter is the best if you live with low-shedding and high-shedding dogs. The HEPA filter eliminates airborne particles like tiny hairs and pet dander hiding in the dust with 99.95% removal efficiency.