How to Get Pet Hair Out of Clothes in the Washer and Dryer

If you're trying to figure out how to get pet hair out of clothes, don't rely on the washing machine alone. The best approach is to remove as much loose dog or cat hair as possible before washing, avoid overloading the washer, and use the dryer strategically when the garment's care instructions allow it.

Pet hair can cling stubbornly to clothing, blankets, towels, and bedding—especially fleece, leggings, athletic fabrics, and other materials that attract hair. Washing can remove some of it, but wet pet hair may also clump together and remain attached to fabric or collect inside your washing machine.

For households with dogs or cats, the solution is usually a combination of pre-wash hair removal, proper washing, thorough drying, and regular washer and dryer maintenance.

Here's how to do it.

What Is the Best Way to Get Pet Hair Out of Clothes?

For heavily covered clothing, use this basic process:

1. Shake out the clothing outside or somewhere easy to clean.
2. Remove as much loose hair as possible with a lint roller, garment brush, or other fabric-safe method.
3. Check the garment's care label.
4. If appropriate for the fabric, a short dryer cycle before washing can help loosen additional hair.
5. Clean the dryer's lint filter.
6. Wash the clothing without overloading the machine.
7. Dry according to the care label.
8. Clean the lint filter again after drying.
9. Check the washer and dryer for accumulated pet hair.

The most important principle is simple:

The less pet hair that enters your washing machine, the less hair the washer has to deal with.

Does Washing Clothes Remove Pet Hair?

Washing can remove some pet hair, but a washing machine isn't designed specifically as a pet-hair-removal machine.

Once hair becomes wet, it may:

• Clump together
• Stick to other garments
• Remain attached to fabric
• Collect around the washer
• Settle into areas of the machine

That's why putting a sweatshirt covered in dog hair directly into the washer may not produce the result you're expecting.

You'll usually get better results by removing as much loose hair as practical while everything is still dry.

Should You Remove Pet Hair Before Washing Clothes?

Yes, particularly when an item is heavily covered.

Dry pet hair is generally easier to remove mechanically than hair that has become wet and mixed throughout a load of laundry.

Before washing, try:

• Shaking the garment
• Using a lint roller
• Using a garment brush
• Wiping with an appropriate reusable pet-hair remover
• Using a vacuum attachment on sturdy household textiles

You don't need to remove every individual hair.

The goal is to significantly reduce the amount entering the washer.

Does the Dryer Remove Pet Hair From Clothes?

A dryer can help loosen pet hair from certain machine-dryable fabrics because tumbling and airflow can separate loose hair from the textile.

Some of that hair is then captured by the lint filter.

For particularly hairy clothing, some people use a brief tumble before washing to loosen hair first.

However, always check the care label.

Don't put something into a dryer simply because it has pet hair on it. Some garments shouldn't be tumble dried, and heat can damage certain fabrics.

If you're using the dryer primarily to loosen hair before washing, excessive heat isn't the goal.

Can You Put Clothes in the Dryer Before Washing Them?

For appropriate machine-dryable fabrics, a brief tumble can sometimes help remove loose pet hair before the clothes enter the washing machine.

The idea isn't to clean dirty clothes in the dryer.

It's to use:

Tumbling + airflow + lint filtration

to remove some loose hair while the fabric and hair are still dry.

Afterward, clean the lint filter and wash the clothing normally.

This technique isn't appropriate for every garment, so care instructions still come first.

If you're unsure what a garment's symbols mean, read our guide to how to read laundry symbols and care labels.

Why Is There Still Pet Hair on My Clothes After Washing?

There are several possible reasons.

Too Much Hair Went Into the Washer

If a garment is completely covered in dog or cat hair, the washing machine has a lot to remove.

Pre-cleaning makes the job easier.

The Washer Was Overloaded

Clothes need room to move.

An overloaded machine can interfere with water circulation, detergent distribution, rinsing, and removal of loose debris.

The Fabric Attracts Hair

Some fabrics simply hold onto pet hair more stubbornly than others.

Hair Transferred Between Garments

Loose hair can move from one garment to another during washing.

The Washer Already Contains Pet Hair

If you regularly wash heavily covered pet bedding or clothing, hair may accumulate within accessible areas of the machine.

Why Does Pet Hair Stick to Some Clothes More Than Others?

Anyone with a shedding dog or cat has probably noticed that certain clothes seem to attract every hair in the house.

Pet hair can be particularly noticeable on:

• Fleece
• Leggings
• Athletic clothing
• Synthetic fabrics
• Knits
• Certain sweaters
• Dark clothing
• Textured fabrics

Static electricity and the physical structure of a textile can both influence how readily hair clings to it.

A smooth cotton garment may release loose hair more readily than a fuzzy fleece sweatshirt.

That means two garments washed in exactly the same load can come out with very different amounts of visible pet hair.

How to Get Dog Hair Out of Clothes

If you're trying to remove dog hair from clothing, start before the washer.

Step 1: Shake Out the Clothes

Remove loose hair before bringing heavily covered items into the laundry process.

Step 2: Use a Lint Roller or Garment Tool

Focus on areas where hair collects heavily.

Step 3: Check the Care Label

Determine how the garment can safely be washed and dried.

Step 4: Consider a Brief Dryer Tumble

For suitable fabrics, tumbling can help release additional loose hair before washing.

Step 5: Wash Without Overloading

Give the garments room to move.

Step 6: Dry Properly

If machine drying is allowed, dryer movement can help release additional hair.

Step 7: Clean the Lint Filter

A household with a shedding dog may need to pay particularly close attention to lint-filter buildup.

How to Get Cat Hair Out of Clothes

The general process for cat hair is similar.

Remove as much as possible before washing, particularly from fabrics where fine cat hair becomes deeply embedded.

A lint roller or appropriate fabric brush can be especially useful.

Then wash the clothing according to its care instructions without overcrowding the machine.

If tumble drying is allowed, the dryer may remove additional loose hair.

For households with multiple cats or heavy shedders, frequent removal is usually easier than allowing hair to build up over several wears.

How Do You Get Pet Hair Out of Black Clothes?

Black clothing doesn't necessarily collect more pet hair.

It just makes light-colored hair extremely easy to see.

For black pants, shirts, and other dark garments:

1. Remove visible hair before washing.
2. Turn garments inside out if appropriate.
3. Avoid overloading the machine.
4. Wash according to the care label.
5. Inspect after drying.
6. Finish with a lint roller if necessary.

Also consider where you store clean dark clothing.

A perfectly clean black shirt placed on a bed or couch covered in pet hair can look hairy again within minutes.

How Do You Get Dog Hair Out of Leggings?

Leggings can be particularly frustrating because many are made from synthetic performance fabrics that readily hold onto hair.

Before washing:

• Shake them out.
• Use a lint roller.
• Pay attention to seams.
• Remove concentrated patches of hair.

Then follow the manufacturer's washing instructions.

Avoid assuming that hotter water or more detergent will solve a hair problem.

Pet hair is primarily a physical debris problem, not something that requires stronger detergent.

Does More Detergent Remove More Pet Hair?

No.

Adding extra detergent isn't an effective substitute for removing hair before washing.

In fact, overdosing detergent can create its own problems by making laundry more difficult to rinse completely.

Use the appropriate detergent dose for:

• Machine size
• Load size
• Soil level
• Water conditions
• Detergent concentration

If you're unsure how much you're supposed to use, our guide to how much laundry detergent to use explains why filling the cap isn't always the right answer.

Should You Use Fabric Softener for Pet Hair?

Fabric softener is sometimes recommended because reducing static may help with hair release on certain fabrics.

However, it isn't appropriate for every textile.

Fabric softener can affect the performance of some materials, particularly items designed for:

• Moisture wicking
• Absorbency
• Certain technical functions

Follow the garment and product instructions.

Don't add fabric softener solely because you're dealing with pet hair without considering what you're washing.

Do Dryer Sheets Help Remove Pet Hair?

Dryer sheets may reduce static on appropriate machine-dryable laundry, which can help some loose hair release from fabrics.

But they aren't a substitute for physically removing a heavy layer of pet hair before washing.

And like fabric softener, dryer sheets aren't ideal for every textile.

If you use them, follow the product and garment instructions.

Do Laundry Pet-Hair Removers Work?

You'll find reusable laundry products marketed specifically for catching pet hair in washers and dryers.

Results can vary based on:

• Product design
• Amount of hair
• Fabric
• Load size
• Washer type

They may help in some situations, but I wouldn't build your entire pet-hair laundry routine around one gadget.

The fundamentals matter more:

Remove loose hair → don't overload → wash correctly → dry correctly → maintain your machines.

How Do You Get Pet Hair Out of Blankets?

Pet blankets can collect dramatically more hair than ordinary clothing because pets spend hours lying directly on them.

Before washing a heavily covered blanket:

Take it outside and shake it thoroughly.

Then remove as much remaining loose hair as practical.

Depending on the material, you might use:

• A lint roller
• Pet-hair brush
• Vacuum attachment
• Other fabric-safe removal method

Check the care label before washing.

Also make sure the blanket actually fits comfortably inside your washer.

A pet blanket that's both large and covered in hair can be a difficult load for a small residential machine.

If it doesn't fit properly, a large-capacity laundromat washer may be a better option.

How Do You Wash Pet Bedding Covered in Hair?

Start by checking the manufacturer's cleaning instructions.

Some pet beds have removable machine-washable covers.

Others contain:

• Foam
• Loose filling
• Structured inserts
• Waterproof materials
• Components that shouldn't go into a washing machine

Don't assume the entire bed is machine washable because the exterior fabric looks washable.

For a removable washable cover:

1. Remove as much hair as possible while dry.
2. Inspect for tears or damaged seams.
3. Follow the care label.
4. Wash it separately if it's heavily covered.
5. Dry completely according to instructions.

Large or heavily soiled pet bedding may require additional consideration.

Should You Wash Pet Blankets With Your Clothes?

If a blanket is heavily covered in pet hair, I generally wouldn't put it into the same load as relatively hair-free clothing simply to save a wash cycle.

Loose hair can transfer.

Separating particularly hairy pet textiles can help prevent that hair from being distributed across your everyday clothes.

This is especially useful when washing:

• Pet blankets
• Crate bedding
• Couch covers
• Pet towels
• Heavily covered sheets

You can still wash compatible items together, but use common sense about how much hair you're introducing into one load.

How Do You Get Pet Hair Out of Sheets and Bedding?

Beds can collect enormous amounts of pet hair when dogs or cats sleep with you.

Before washing sheets:

• Shake them out.
• Remove concentrated hair.
• Check corners and fitted-sheet edges.
• Don't overload the washer.
• Dry thoroughly according to the care instructions.

If your pet sleeps on top of the comforter, consider using a washable top blanket.

It's much easier to regularly wash a smaller protective blanket than repeatedly clean an entire bulky comforter.

If you're unsure how often the rest of your bedding should be cleaned, see our guide to how often you should wash your sheets.

Can Pet Hair Clog a Washing Machine?

Large amounts of hair can accumulate in laundry equipment over time.

Exactly where debris collects depends on the washer design.

Potential areas can include:

• Drum surfaces
• Door seals
• Filters
• Drain-related components
• Other accessible areas

That's another reason to remove excessive hair before washing rather than expecting the machine to deal with all of it.

Follow your washing machine manufacturer's instructions for cleaning filters and other user-serviceable components.

How Do You Clean Pet Hair Out of a Washing Machine?

After washing heavily covered pet items, inspect accessible parts of the washer.

Depending on your machine, that may include:

• The drum
• Door
• Rubber gasket
• Detergent dispenser
• User-accessible filter

Remove visible hair and follow the manufacturer's maintenance instructions.

Don't disassemble parts of the washer that aren't intended for consumer servicing.

If hair or drainage problems persist, consult the manufacturer's documentation or an appliance professional.

Don't Forget About the Dryer Lint Filter

If the dryer is successfully removing pet hair, much of that material needs somewhere to go.

The lint filter is one of the places it can collect.

Clean the filter as directed by the dryer manufacturer, particularly when drying heavily shedding textiles.

A heavily obstructed lint screen reduces airflow and can negatively affect drying performance.

Pet-owning households may simply need to pay more attention to lint buildup than households without animals.

Why Is Pet Hair Still on Clothes After the Dryer?

The dryer can help, but it isn't going to remove every embedded hair.

Hair can remain trapped in:

• Fleece
• Knits
• Seams
• Synthetic fibers
• Textured fabrics

For a few remaining hairs, finishing with a lint roller may be much easier than repeatedly rewashing the garment.

If a particular fabric consistently comes out covered in hair, focus on preventing that garment from accumulating so much hair in the first place.

How Can You Keep Pet Hair Off Clean Laundry?

This part is easy to overlook.

Sometimes the washing process isn't the problem.

Your clean laundry comes out looking great.

Then you:

• Fold it on a hairy couch.
• Put the basket on a pet bed.
• Leave clothes on your bed.
• Let the cat climb into the clean laundry basket.
• Put freshly folded clothes on a hairy surface.

And suddenly the hair is back.

Use a clean folding surface and store finished laundry promptly.

For pet households, what happens after laundry is clean matters almost as much as the wash itself.

How Can You Reduce Pet Hair in Laundry?

You probably can't eliminate pet hair from a home with shedding animals, but you can reduce how much reaches your laundry.

Helpful habits include:

• Regular pet grooming
• Frequent vacuuming
• Washing pet blankets routinely
• Using washable furniture covers
• Keeping clean laundry off pet-accessible surfaces
• Removing hair before putting garments in the hamper
• Allowing heavily covered items to be processed separately

A little maintenance throughout the week is easier than trying to remove an enormous amount of accumulated hair on laundry day.

Is Professional Laundry Service Good for Pet Owners?

It can be, particularly for households generating a large amount of everyday laundry, towels, sheets, and washable bedding.

Pets can increase household laundry substantially.

You may find yourself regularly washing:

• Clothing
• Towels
• Sheets
• Pillowcases
• Pet blankets
• Couch covers
• Washable bedding

At Get Fresh Start Laundry, our residential laundry pickup and delivery service handles everyday household laundry from pickup through washing, drying, folding, quality control, packaging, and return delivery.

If your laundry has an unusual amount of pet hair or other special circumstances, tell us when scheduling your pickup so our team understands what we're receiving.

It's also important to understand that extremely hair-covered items may require additional preparation or may not be appropriate for standard wash and fold depending on their condition.

What If You Have a Lot of Pet Blankets and Bedding?

This is where deciding between a laundromat and pickup and delivery can make sense.

If you want to do the laundry yourself but your home washer isn't large enough, commercial equipment at a laundromat can give bulky washable items more room.

If your bigger problem is the time involved, professional pickup and delivery can remove much of the work.

The right option depends on whether you're trying to solve an:

Equipment problem — you need bigger machines.

or a

Time problem — you don't want to do all the laundry yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Hair and Laundry

How to get pet hair out of clothes?

To get pet hair out of clothes, remove as much loose hair as possible before washing, avoid overloading the washer, and use the dryer when permitted by the care label to help loosen additional hair. Finish stubborn areas with a lint roller if necessary.

Does washing clothes get rid of pet hair?

Washing can remove some pet hair, but it may not remove everything. Hair can clump when wet or remain attached to certain fabrics, so removing loose hair before washing usually improves results.

Does the dryer remove dog hair from clothes?

Dryer tumbling and airflow can help release loose dog hair from machine-dryable fabrics, with some hair collecting in the lint filter. Always follow the garment's drying instructions.

Should I remove dog hair before putting clothes in the washer?

Yes, particularly when clothing is heavily covered. Shaking, brushing, or lint-rolling dry clothing can reduce the amount of hair entering your washing machine.

Why is there still cat hair on my clothes after washing?

Cat hair can cling stubbornly to certain fabrics, and wet hair may remain attached or transfer between garments. Pre-wash removal, appropriate load size, and proper drying can help.

Can I wash pet blankets with my clothes?

Lightly covered compatible items may sometimes be washed together, but heavily hair-covered pet blankets are generally better separated from relatively hair-free everyday clothing.

Can pet hair damage a washing machine?

Large amounts of pet hair can accumulate in parts of laundry equipment. Remove excessive hair before washing and maintain your machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.

What fabrics attract the most pet hair?

Fleece, synthetic athletic fabrics, leggings, knits, and other textured materials can hold onto pet hair particularly stubbornly.

Does more detergent help remove pet hair?

No. Pet hair is largely a physical debris problem. Using excessive detergent isn't a substitute for removing loose hair before washing and can make proper rinsing more difficult.

How do I keep pet hair off clothes after washing?

Fold laundry on a clean surface, keep clean baskets away from pets, store clothes promptly, and avoid putting clean garments on hairy beds, couches, or other surfaces.

Get Pet Hair Out of Clothes—and Keep It Out

Learning how to get pet hair out of clothes is easier when you stop expecting the washing machine to do the entire job.

For the best results:

Remove loose hair while it's dry.

Don't overload your washer.

Wash according to the care label.

Use dryer tumbling when appropriate.

Clean the lint filter and maintain your machines.

Keep finished laundry away from hairy surfaces.

If you have a dog or cat that sheds heavily, you may never eliminate every stray hair from your home—and that's okay. The goal is to keep it manageable and prevent excessive hair from being carried through every load of laundry.

And if the growing pile of pet blankets, towels, bedding, and everyday clothing is becoming more work than you want to handle, Get Fresh Start Laundry's residential laundry pickup and delivery service can take much of laundry day off your schedule.

We pick up, professionally process, fold, quality check, package, and return your household laundry so you can spend less time dealing with the hamper—and more time with the family members who keep filling it with fur.