What is the Best Vacuum for Pet Hair?

Chew on this: I may receive a small commission for affiliate links, but all products I “dig up” are ones I paw-thentically love!

There’s nothing better than snuggling with a fluffy cat or a soft, furry dog. We love our pets, hair and all! Just think, though – wouldn’t it be nice to invite your guests to sit in fur-free chairs, instead of wincing when you see them trying to brush pet hair off the furniture?

As much as we adore our furry friends, it’s easy to get frustrated with the amount of fluff that ends up on our clothes and in our homes. In fact, one BISSELL survey showed that a quarter of people who chose not to adopt a pet cited cleanup as their primary reason.

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It might seem overwhelming, but I can tell you from experience that pet cleanup is very manageable with the right tips and tools. So, to take the first step toward achieving a fur-free home, let’s talk strategy.

How Can You Prevent Shedding? 

The short answer is that you can’t. Even though there are times of the year when pets shed more, most pets will shed year-round to some extent.

Thankfully, though, there is plenty you can do to decrease the amount of fur your pet sheds.

First, make sure to regularly bathe your dog and bathe your cat as needed. Establish a consistent grooming routine to take care of pesky stray hairs. Some pet parents even use a grooming extension for their vacuums, like this Dyson Groom Accessory, to pick up loose fur right at the source. I’ve found the Furminator to be an excellent tool for both kitty and doggie grooming!

Personally, I love using the Booster Bath to keep my dogs clean at home. It lets me stand up straight while bathing my pups, and makes water drainage and cleanup easy! I’ve used it both indoors and outdoors, and I definitely recommend it for every pet parent.

I pair my Booster Bath with Vetericyn’s FoamCare Shampoo and the Waterpik Pet Wand Pro to keep bath time mess-free and stress-free for all of us. FoamCare’s pH-balanced formula never irritates my dog’s sensitive skin, and it rinses fast and clean. Of course, it’s easier to rinse when I use the Waterpik, which is designed to clean even the hardest-to-reach spots on your pet. I just attach it to my kitchen sink or my garden hose.

By the way, when you’re ready to try Vetericyn’s FoamCare Shampoo, don’t forget to use the code PETLIVING for 20% off your fur-st order!

Of course, despite your best efforts, your pet is still going to shed. So, the question remains: how do you manage all the fur?! You need the right tools.

The Best Vacuums for Pet Hair

As pet parents, we have to clean up messes pretty frequently. So, we need tools that will make the job easy.

Believe it or not, I have 5 vacuum cleaners — and I use them all. They range from cost-effective BISSELL vacuums designed to be paw-some at picking up pet hair, to high-end ones like a Meile canister model and Dyson’s pet vacuum.

Regardless of your budget, I’m confident you can find a vacuum cleaner that will effectively remove the furry flurries from your floors and upholstery.

The Best Vacuum for Hardwood Floors and Pet Hair

Dyson Ball Animal 2

My Dyson Ball Animal 2 is a life-saver for hard floors. It’s so lightweight that your arm won’t get tired even if you have a large house to clean! The self-adjusting cleaner head automatically raises and lowers itself to seal in suction across different surfaces, and can swivel to make cleaning under furniture a breeze. It’s also easy to empty, tangle-proof, and allergy-friendly.

Rubber Push Broom for Pet Hair

It’s also handy to have one of these rubber brooms lying around for those times when you don’t need to haul out the vacuum. It works almost like a magnet to clean up pet hair. Quick cleanup, here we come!

The Best Vacuum for Pet Hair on Carpet

BISSELL® Pet Hair Eraser® Lift-Off Vacuum with Tools

This is a brand close to my heart. The BISSELL family is dedicated to supporting pet rescue and helping pet parents keep their homes free of stains, odors, and hair. I love all of BISSELL’s Pet Hair Eraser models, and I even own a BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Turbo. This model combines power and convenience with a detachable, portable canister that you can use to clean all over your house. It also comes with the Pet TurboEraser tool to remove embedded hair from carpets and upholstery, a pet grooming attachment, a built-in telescoping wand to reach baseboards and ceilings, and an LED-lit crevice tool to uncover hidden dirt.

The Best Vacuum for Pet Hair on Upholstery

Miele Classic C1 Cat & Dog Canister Vacuum Cleaner

I absolutely love my Miele canister vacuum. Its six-speed motor, interchangeable floorheads, and uniquely engineered attachments make it the perfect cleaning machine for all types of hard floors, carpets, and upholstery. The automatic cord winder and crush-proof hose are built for both ease-of-use and durability. The mini turbo attachment easily removes hair from upholstery. It’s even built with an advanced charcoal filtration system designed to neutralize pet odors and remove 99.9% of lung-damaging particles from your home.

The Best Vacuum for Pet Hair in the Car

Shark Pet Perfect II Cordless Handheld Vacuum

This lightweight, rechargeable cordless vacuum is easy to handle and quick to use. It provides consistent, strong suction that works on all the different surfaces in a car to remove embedded pet hair. It comes with a wall-mount for convenient storage and a rubberized grip for confident cleaning, as well as a crevice tool and a dusting brush to give your vehicle that freshly-detailed finish.

The Best Cordless Vacuum for Pet Hair

Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

Designed to pick up and purify both larger particles and fine dust, this powerful stick vacuum received perfect scores in Good Housekeeping’s Pet Hair Pickup tests. It’s lightweight, versatile, and only uses battery power while it’s actually vacuuming, which means it can run for up to 60 minutes on a single charge. It also converts quickly into a handheld vacuum for use in the car or on the go, and its low profile makes it easy to reach even the most remote places where pet hair gathers. This machine picks up even ground-in dirt and fine dust, leaving you with a virtually spotless home.

The Best Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair

BISSELL EV675 Robot Vacuum Cleaner for Pet Hair with Self Charging Dock

This high-tech BISSELL robot vacuum can clean the floors while you’re on the couch, or even out of the house. It uses sensors to avoid dangerous areas like stairs and can be scheduled to perform cleanings automatically. Its Triple Action Cleaning System combines dual edge brushes, a rotating brush roll, and powerful suction to clean pet hair and debris on the floor, including along edges, under furniture, and in corners. A single charge provides up to 100 minutes of thorough, hands-off cleaning, which means more free time and fewer chores for you to stress over.

However, a word of warning is in order here — if your pet isn’t housebroken, using a robot vacuum can create a much bigger mess than a few clumps of pet hair!

The Best Allergy-Friendly Vacuum for Pet Hair

Kenmore Elite Pet Friendly Bagged Upright Vacuum

If you or another family member has a pet allergy, this vacuum might just be the answer to your doggie (or kitty) dilemmas. Certified by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, this device’s triple HEPA filtration system captures 99.97% of dust, dander, pollen, and other allergens so you can breathe easier. Its Pet Handimate hose and wand attachment make it easy for you to clean under furniture, on top of high shelves, along baseboards, in the car, and all over your upholstery to remove even the most stubborn pet hair and dander. It also comes with an LED Infrared Dirt Sensor that shows you where to focus your cleaning power, giving you confidence that when you’re done vacuuming, your surfaces are truly clean.

Tips for The Best Pet Hair Removal

Once you have the right tools for your cleanup job, follow these tips for the easiest fur removal!

• Start with a clean bag or empty canister.
• Use attachment tools for removing pet hair on upholstery or curtains.
• Make sure there’s nothing blocking the vacuum hose to get the strongest suction.

If you’re still struggling with pet hair in your home even after a thorough vacuuming, wash all pet bedding and blankets regularly. Those soft surfaces tend to accumulate pet hair which then migrates around the home on drafts, air currents, or even feet!

So, are you drowning in dog or cat hair? Is the thought of furry flurries keeping you from adopting a pet? Just remember: with the right tools and strategies, you can overcome even the hairiest of issues.

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