Pet hair goes with anything, right? If you share your life with a cat or dog (or both), you’ve probably come to that conclusion. Unhappily, there are times when clinging pet hair doesn’t work. For instance, those rare instances when you hit the town in your fanciest clothes. Cat and dog hair don’t make for stylish accessories. Rather than forfeit date night, try keeping pet hair lint rollers on hand.
Where’s the Hair Coming From?
Cats and dogs shed. While it’s on a much smaller scale, even hairless cat and dog breeds have a few hairs drop here and there. Shed hairs represent old and loose hairs from the coat your pet no longer needs. Shedding grants room for fresh, new hair to grow in to keep your pet looking sleek and shiny. Pet hair lint rollers keep those brittle, old hairs from making YOU look shabby.
Cats and dogs typically undergo two major sheds a year: in the spring and autumn. If you own a breed with a double-layered coat, that shed equates to a HUGE amount of hair. (Pet hair lint rollers might not keep up – consider a pet vacuum cleaner)
However, pets that spend most of their lives indoors miss important seasonal cues. This is why you find shed hair throughout the year. It doesn’t mean you have to boot your poor cat into an outdoor cat house for the rest of their life; just expect to find hair everywhere.
Abnormal Shed Hair
While shedding is normal, you CAN see excessive pet hair on your clothes and furniture for medical reasons. If your pet hair lint rollers don’t make a dent in your wardrobe, you may need to consider a trip to the vet. Several medical conditions prompt pet hair to fall out:
- Allergies
- Auto-immune diseases
- Certain medications
- Excessive licking
- Fleas
- Lice
- Pregnancy (hopefully that one’s not a surprise)
- Skin infections
- Sunburn
Do Pet Hair Lint Rollers Work ON Pets?
Maybe you’d like to consider going straight to the source. There’s nothing wrong with that. If your dog or cat tolerates the feel of a pet hair lint roller on their fur, you CAN gather loose fur that way. You need to avoid their face, so you don’t accidentally catch on sensitive whiskers or eyelashes.
However, the best way to collect the hair that’s preparing to drop is with a brush. Dogs and cats usually tolerate the feeling of a grooming brush over the sticky sensation of a lint roller.
Types of Pet Hair Lint Rollers
You have three main choices when it comes to pet hair lint rollers. They all work in the same way. A friction surface adheres to the pet hair (both long and short), collecting it from the fabric for easy disposal. Each type comes with its pros and cons, summarized in the table below.
| Pet Hair Lint Roller Type | Pros | Cons |
| Disposable | Picks up hair, fibers, strings, dirt, and lint | Wasteful: One roller can produce 99 feet of unrecyclable sticky paper |
| Reusable | No waste, picks up hair, lint, fibers, string | Stickiness may run out; Can leave sticky residue behind on fabric |
| Reusable Fabric | No waste, picks up hair, lint, fibers, string | May not feature a collection device for hair |
Choosing a Pet Hair Lint Roller
Regardless of which pet hair lint roller you choose, it’s best to confine the task to touch-ups between major cleaning. If you attempt to use a roller to remove every stray hair from the house, you’ll break your back. (You may entertain your pets, though) As a quick fix for loose hairs on your outfit or a once-over for the couch before company drops by, pet hair lint rollers do the trick. Just keep a few key features in mind before you make your purchase:
- Number of Rollers: If you opt for disposable pet hair lint rollers, aim for the most sheets per roll or as many rolls per order as possible. You want the most economical choice possible.
- Efficiency: If the roller requires you to spend hours to remove a single clump of pet hair, you’re wasting time and energy. By that point, tweezers might seem more reasonable. You want a roller that gets the job done.
- Availability: You want pet hair lint rollers that work on as many fabric types as possible. Different fabric weaves trap pet hair differently, so a roller needs to work equally well on cotton as it does on wool.
- Flexibility: Yes, you want to erase the pet hair, but it’d be nice if your pet hair lint roller picked up other annoying flecks, too, right? Lint, dirt, and loose fibers should also come up. Plus, the roller should work on your clothes, furniture, carpets, and even the car.
- Handle: You shouldn’t get carpal tunnel from wielding your pet hair lint roller. Look for an ergonomic handle to make using the roller as easy as possible.
Best Pet Hair Lint Rollers
Maybe you’ve gotten used to coordinating your outfit with your pet’s hair. It’s not always an easy task. If you have a multi-colored pet or multiple pets, it’s probably more work than it’s worth. Pet hair lint rollers give you back your wardrobe.
Best Disposable Pet Hair Lint Rollers
No one argues with the efficiency of disposable pet hair lint rollers. That sticky surface removes just about everything from fabric surfaces. You’ll pull up dirt and dust you didn’t even know was there! However, that capability comes at a steep price. These are the most wasteful pet hair lint rollers on the market. The sheets often come in small sizes, and you go through dozens on a single garment. Accidentally tear a sheet due to poor perforation, and that’s a wasted sheet. All of that waste fills landfills, taking years to break down while releasing harmful plastics into the environment. It’s a balancing act you’ll want to weigh before you make your purchase.
If you’ve worked in an office, odds are you’ve seen Scotch-Brite rollers positioned in key locations. The budget-friendly multi-packs provide 95 sheets with five refill rolls, for a total of 500 sheets. The ergonomic handle keeps your wrist from aching while you pull pet hair, dirt, dust, and other debris from your clothes, carpet, or furniture.
Downsides? While the cost isn’t exorbitant, you need to buy refill rolls, which can add up (especially if you have a fluffy pet). The sheets don’t always tear very well, which can add to the cost and waste. And the adhesive doesn’t work as well on nylon.
The Good
- 95 sheets and 5 refill rolls
- Ergonomic handle
The Bad
- Refill purchases add up
- Doesn't always tear well
- Adhesive doesn't work well on nylon
Evercare provides extra stickiness on their pet hair lint rollers, promising to pull pet hair from every possible fabric type, even wool. Each package comes with a standard roller on an ergonomic handle, with two refills of 60 sheets. That provides a total of 120 sheets. Precision zip-peeling means you won’t have to worry about the sheets tearing, cutting down on excessive waste.
The downsides? Even with the larger size options, people still found themselves needing to order refills quickly. And for people with double-coated breeds, the extra-sticky sheets failed to collect the pet hair.
The Good
- 60 sheets and 2 refills
- Ergonomic handle
- Precision zip-peeling
The Bad
- Refill purchases add up
- Extra-sticky sheets still fail to pick up thick pet hair
When it comes to battling shedding hair, you need as much sticking power as possible. And Pet Lovers promises to lift away hair, lint, dust, and dirt. They even tested the sheets out on “Canine Executive Officer” Jax – a Husky – to make sure you get a quality pet hair lint roller! Every roller comes with 90 sheets, and you get five in an order, for a total of 450 sheets. The ergonomic handle rolls a full 360 degrees to make it easy to reach every crevice.
So what are the downsides? The sheets on this roller are perforated in a spiral. It makes them difficult to tear, and it means you’re constantly battling leftover hair on a new sheet. That adds up to extra waste. The roller itself is also on the short side.
The Good
- 90 sheets and 4 refills
- Ergonomic handle
- Rolls a full 360 degrees
The Bad
- Refill purchases add up
- Perforated in spiral
- Short roller
Best Reusable Pet Hair Lint Rollers
If you’d prefer to skip adding to the overflowing landfills, reusable pet hair lint rollers make a great alternative. You still get a surface to collect pet hair from fabric, but instead of tossing a sheet of paper in the trash, you either rinse the hair down the drain or throw it in the trash. (Pet hair is entirely biodegradable) If you want to avoid clogged drains, place some steel wool over your drain to collect the hair, and then you can toss the clump in the trash for easy disposal.
ChomChom doesn’t utilize any adhesives, making it one of the most popular reusable pet hair lint rollers on the market. A fine-bristled roller collects the pet hair and other loose fibers, storing it within a chamber in the comfort-grip handle until you’re ready to empty it. For most households, the compartment holds enough hair to touch up an entire couch! Just roll the ChomChom back and forth and watch the hair disappear.
Downsides? You need to spend a little more on the ChomChom than other pet hair lint rollers. (However, it’s reusable, so that’s a bonus) Also, it works best on the clothes you’re wearing, as you need to keep the fabric in a fixed position. And it doesn’t work great on hard surfaces.
The Good
- Fine-bristled roller
- Comfort-grip handle
- Hair collects in handle
The Bad
- Expensive
- Need to use while wearing clothing
- Doesn't work well on hard surfaces
If you’d prefer to keep the disposable pet hair lint roller stickiness, then iLifeTech combines that feature into a reusable design. The roller sports a sticky surface that collects pet hair and fibers from a variety of fabric types. No need to worry about adhesive staying behind, either – the sticky surface stays on the roller. When you finish, rinse the roller with soap and warm water to refresh it. As soon as it dries, it’s ready to go. As a bonus, they provide you with a handy travel size, keeping you looking your best wherever you go (since we know pet hair sneaks into luggage).
The downsides? Each time you wash the roller, it loses a little more stickiness. So, eventually, you WILL have to replace this pet hair lint roller. Also, people reported the handles weren’t comfortable.
The Good
- Sticky roller
- Includes a travel size
The Bad
- Loses stickiness with each rinse
- Uncomfortable handle
Similar to ChomChom, Nado’s pet hair lint roller uses tiny brushes to collect pet hair from fabrics. The hair stays in the cover until you dump it into the trash. To refresh the roller, wipe the brush down with a damp cloth (don’t rinse it). Even thick clumps of hair snag on the bristles, coming off carpets, clothes, and couches.
So what are the downsides? People had mixed reviews on the effectiveness of this pet hair roller. Make sure you test it out. Also, the newer version doesn’t have the same durability as the original.
The Good
- Tiny brush roller
- Hair collects in cover
The Bad
- Mixed reviews on effectiveness
- Newer version less durable than original
Yes, the Fur-Zoff looks – well, it looks hideous. It also doesn’t resemble other pet hair lint rollers. However, this reusable option gets the job done. The stone’s surface naturally snags pet hair, fibers, and lint from fabrics, lifting them away. The shape makes it easy to get between couch cushions, something other rollers might struggle with. When you’re done, pluck the hair off and toss it in the trash.
Downsides? The Fur-Zoff snags fibers, which means it can snag clothing fibers and cause damage. You might want to skip using it on delicate items. People also noted “fuzzing” on areas such as their car floors, so, again, be careful. And all of those pitted surfaces make cleaning this pet hair lint roller a little tricky.
The Good
- Stone surface snags pet hair, fibers, and lint
- Can fit between couch cushions
The Bad
- Snags all fibers, including clothing fibers
- Can cause "fuzzing"
- Difficult to clean due to shape
Yes, the Gonzo looks like a sponge. But unlike a sponge you might use to wash dishes or the car, this one works best dry. All of those tiny holes make it one of the top pet hair lint rollers! You rub it over clothing, furniture, and carpets, and the hair collects on the surface. Small, circular motions work best, but you can find a pattern that works best for you. It even works on hard surfaces! When you’re done, rinse it with water and let it dry completely.
The downsides? If you get the sponge damp, it WILL fail to work. Not to mention it’ll start to crumble and fall apart on you. Some people also noted a lingering odor after using the sponge. If you’re sensitive, you may want to skip it.
The Good
- Sponge collects hair, fiber, lint, dander, and dust
- Can fit between couch cushions
- Works on hard surfaces
The Bad
- Must be used dry
- May leave a odor on surfaces
Best Reusable Fabric Pet Hair Lint Rollers
Technically, these pet hair lint rollers aren’t specifically “rollers.” They have a different design. However, reusable fabric pet hair lint rollers perform the same function. They utilize static electricity to collect pet hair, pulling even the lightest fur out of crevices in the couch. As the body of the roller is made of fabric, they work perfectly on all fabric types.
OXO already has a reputation for going easy on your hands, and they carried their ergonomic design over to their FurLifter. Swipe the brush along your clothes or furniture in one direction and watch pet hair (even your hair) collect on the red fabric. When the brush is full, slide it into the base, and it pulls all of the hair away for you. No need to pluck hair off with your fingers! Most people cleared entire couches before they needed to empty the base.
Downsides? While comfortable, some people felt the handle was a little short. You do need to make sure you only work the brush in a single direction, or you’ll redistribute the hair on the fabric. Also, tiny, spiky pet hairs sometimes escape the brush.
The Good
- Ergonomic design
- Brush collects pet hair and deposits into base
- Base holds enough to clean a couch
The Bad
- Handle on the short side
- Must work brush in single direction
- Misses tiny, spiky hairs
Brellavi works in much the same way as OXO. You can utilize both sides of the brush to clean pet hair off your clothes or furniture. As soon as you erase the last hair, set it in the base. When you need it next, the brush emerges clean and ready to go. Best of all, they provide a smaller, travel pet hair lint roller in the bargain. That way, when you notice stray hairs at the office, you have the perfect solution!
The downsides? People didn’t always feel this pet hair lint roller worked. The same concern with shorter pet hair cropped up as with the OXO (tiny pet hair seems to plague many people).
The Good
- Brush collects pet hair and deposits into base
- Includes travel size
The Bad
- Doesn't always work
- Must work brush in single direction
- Misses tiny, spiky hairs
To balance the potential waste of their disposable pet hair lint rollers, Evercare provides a more environmentally-friendly option in their Magick Brush. You can purchase up to three brushes, quickly removing pet hair, lint, and even dander with a few swipes. Even wool gives up those pesky hairs, making this roller effective on even the toughest materials.
So what are the downsides? You have to pull all of the pet hair and other debris off the brush yourself. Also, the handle CAN break if you get aggressive with your rolling, so take it easy with your pet hair removal process. (Then again, you can buy three brushes at a time)
The Good
- Can purchase up to 3 brushes
- Works on wool
The Bad
- No collection area
- Must work brush in single direction
- Handle can break
Fuzz Be-Gone
As pet owners, we never mind a little pet hair here and there. However, our guests might, especially if they have allergies. And if you need to look sharp in the office, that coating of pet hair down your suit may not do the trick. Pet hair lint rollers help us minimize the fuzz during shedding season.
You can still love your cat and dog. You just don’t have to love the extra pet hair.
4 Comments
You should take a look at the self-cleaning lint brushes by De Novo http://www.bedenovo.com I have found them to be really good, require no sticky sheets, and their sleek and nice.
Hi Eliana,
I’m glad you like the De Novo. I did actually take a look at that at them when I was conducting my research. However, they only had 13 reviews. When we recommend our products, we look for a high number of reviews to ensure that we’re recommending products with a high satisfaction rating for our readers. That’s the reason I didn’t include them on our list. But I’m glad they work well for you!
~Andria
Hi Andria-
I think it’s really important to have lots of reviews when you recommend. Thanks for doing such a thorough job! Makes it feel more reliable 🙂
Eliana,
Absolutely! We want to make sure that we’re providing our readers with the best products and information. It’s a commitment we feel helps us stand out.
~Andria