Cat hair and laundry - need suggestions!

Hello everyone,

As the mommy to 8 cats, you can imagine how much cat hair is around my house. 7 are shorthair, one is longhair and they are all indoors only, so they shed year round. However, since Turtle (the longhair) came into the mix, the amount of hair on everything is astounding. Good thing I don't mind! ;-)

My question is about the laundry - when I wash anything - blankets, sheets, clothes, towels - everything comes out with little tight balls of hair stuck or woven into EVERYTHING.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get some of the cat hair off in the laundry? I've seen those dryer balls, would they work? Something to attract the hair in the dryer would be ideal, I just can't think of what would work?

I do brush them as much as they'll let me, but most of the time, they won't let me. :-)

Thanks all!

Sounds like a dryer problem. Pull the dryer out and remove the exhaust hose and clean it out. Lint can build up in there and effect how well the dryer works, plus be a fire hazard. You should also pull the lint screen out and try cleaning out the lint trap.
If you use fabric softener or dryer sheets you actually need to pull the lint screen out and wash that regularly, too.

As for why you are seeing it more now, if you're wondering. The increase in cats would mean more hair going into the dryer. It could have finally built up.

Do you vacuum regularly? I have 2 cats, one with long hair. I have bat. 2300 sf house. I vacuum at least once a week, and I have to empty the dust bin on my Shark vacuum about 3 times every time I vacuum. Keeping the fur off the floor helps with the amount of fur everywhere else.

I once read that when getting ready to wash pet bedding, to toss the articles into the dryer with a damp fabric softner sheet for 5-10 minutes - apparently that pulls some of the hair off before you do the actual wash.

But, me too - vacuum at least weekly, always check the dryer lint screen and trap.

Tossing clothing, bedding, etc into the dryer with a damp rag and a dryer sheet BEFORE you wash helps a lot. And I ditto everything else others have said about vacuuming and lint. also keep the kitties as groomed as you can with zoom groom or a furminator to reduce the amt of fur they are throwing off in the first place.

It is a never-ending battle.

I agree about the wet dryer sheet before washing.

The problem isn't the dryer, it's the washing machine. Water makes the hair stick to clothing and itself, causing it to clump up. By the time you put the clothes in the dryer, they all have clumps of fur sticking to them, but they are small due to the water. The dryer then puffs these clumps up and thats when you notice them.

Well...my motto is no outfit is complete without cat fur. Between our own kitties and the fosters, I'm always covered. Anyone who looks at me will automatically know I have cats. No, I'm not a slob, I vacuum and have a pretty good dryer, but it's a neverending battle around here.

Adding an extra dryer sheet or two might be something to consider as helpful, although the extra cost ...

Originally Posted by c1atsite

Adding an extra dryer sheet or two might be something to consider as helpful, although the extra cost ...

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And the nasty chemicals you're putting on the clothing you just washed...

Well, I only have 5 cats. But 2 have long hair. I don't really have a cat hair problem, though. I use towels or washable throws on the places they like to hang, other than their beds. I vacuum the area rugs regularly, though usually only once or twice a week. I have a Dyson vacuum. I don't say it is the best or anything. I thought it was when I bought it, about 5 years ago, but now I don't know.

I use those disposable duster sheets for the floors, also for dusting on upper surfaces. I use a pet remover (3M) thingy sometimes, though usually I just vacuum the upholstery. And I wash the towels and throws every week or two.

I do use dryer sheets - chemicals and all. And I brush my cats with a wire (or pin) brush pretty often, though not every day. And a couple of them only get a minimal brush. They like it, just not too much of it. I do get a lot of hair off them.

I can't say I have any real cat hair problem after all that. No hair stuck in the clean clothes. I do clean out the dryer lint catcher.

So, I'm wondering, if, like has been said, it is a dryer or washer problem. Mine are 11 years old as I got them with when the house was bought. They are nothing fancy.

I don't think my cats shed so much. Maybe it is a diet problem? Just brainstorming here. Trying to be helpful.


Robin

Originally Posted by bastetservant

I do use dryer sheets - chemicals and all.

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We also have asthmatics in the house, including cats...

Do the dryer maintenance. Despite some dismissing that you should actually do this regularly anyways. Especially cleaning lint out of the exhaust hose. It can prevent a fire.
I don't remember who it was on here that did have a fire start from that, but was luckily home to catch it at the time.

Other things over looked - pulling out appliances and cleaning out dust and cat hair to prevent fires or the motors burning up. If your fridge coils get too much fur and dust built up on them it can mess it up. People without pets don't have to worry about this as much, but they also don't have pet hair to deal with.

Id def clean the exhaust hose out. Before my dryer blew up for the 2nd time and finally got replaced we had to clean the exhaust hose out and the lint catcher thinger was always full of hair so I would have to sometimes clean it out twice in one cycle, it especially depended on what I washed too. If I washed Hercules blanket that he sleeps on I definately had to clean the lint trap twice because all his fur that was on it.

Yeah, clogged drier vent is a major fire hazard. It happened to my mother's neighbor. There was lots of damage from the fire.

Also, it's never a good idea to leave the house with the drier going and no people home or paying attention to it.



Robin

Originally Posted by 3CatsN1Dog

If I washed Hercules blanket that he sleeps on I definately had to clean the lint trap twice because all his fur that was on it.

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If i'm washing something that I KNOW has alot of cat fur on it, I will use a lint brush on it FIRST, before putting it in the washer.

I ran across this http://www.catclaws.com/products/magic-furball.php and was wondering if anyone here knows about it and/or thinks it's good/bad/just okay

I picked up some dryer balls at dollar store and accidentally rewashed a load with them and noticed the cat hair balled up a lot easier. So I have been adding them to the wash on all cycles now(I keep 4 just for washer and 4 just for dryer)

I have the old style top loader and electric dryer

I have a 28 pound Maine Coon.  Until last year, when my house was flooded, I had no cat hair problems.  Now that I was forced to buy a new washing machine and dryer, I have HUGE cat hair issues with the laundry.  I have tried every suggestion, I comb and brush my boy every other day, the house is vacuumed every other day, etc.  It must come down to something with the make and model of the machines since the old washer and dryer left my laundry cat hair free.

hi I am brand new here, hope it's ok to butt in! I have one of those rubber cat grooming mitts with the teeth and if u immerse it in water, shake off excess and run it up and down on cat trees, carpet upholstery and blankets the hair comes off in rolls. for the washed in hair I'm thinking of getting a sweater pill shaver.

darlili said:

I once read that when getting ready to wash pet bedding, to toss the articles into the dryer with a damp fabric softner sheet for 5-10 minutes - apparently that pulls some of the hair off before you do the actual wash.

But, me too - vacuum at least weekly, always check the dryer lint screen and trap.

Click to expand...

Why a wet dryer sheet? The dry ones don't work as well?

I usually just throw in two or three dryer sheets at a time, and put them inside sweatpants or sweatshirts which I turn inside out because I know they collect a crazy amount of fur. I also stop the dryer halfway and throw in new sheets. I believe that the sheets collect lint--if this isn't true, I would appreciate someone correct me on that haha. 

Additionally, I have a super sticky big lint roller. It's the best we can do. 

Add vinegar to the rinse cycle, then add a microfiber cloth to the dryer.