How to Get Pet Hair Out of the Washing Machine (and Stop It Ruining Every Load)
You put a load of clean washing on, and it comes out with more fur on it than it went in with. The clothes feel gritty, the drum has a grey fuzz around the seal, and the sheets you just washed look like the dog slept on them. If this is your washing machine, the problem isn't the machine. It's that pet hair doesn't dissolve, so every load just moves it around. Here's how to get it out, and how to stop putting it in.
Quick answer
Pet hair gets into your washing machine on bedding, throws and clothes, then collects in the drain filter, the door seal and the drum. Clean the filter and the seal, run an empty hot cycle, then stop the hair getting in by de-furring everything with a pet hair mitt before it goes in the drum. A short no-heat tumble before washing loosens what's left.
Why the washing machine makes pet hair worse
Water doesn't wash hair away. Instead, it floats loose hair off one item and deposits it on everything else in the load, and when the water drains, the hair is left behind in three places:
- The drain filter, which slowly clogs until the machine won't drain or starts to smell.
- The rubber door seal, where a grey felt of hair, lint and detergent builds up in the fold.
- The drum and the gap behind it, where hair sits waiting for the next load.
So a load of plain towels can come out hairy even though no pet went near them. The fix is in two halves: clear what's already in the machine, then stop feeding it.
Part 1: Get the hair out of the machine
1. Clean the drain filter
On most front-loaders the filter is behind a small flap at the bottom front of the machine. Check your manual for yours.
- Put a shallow tray and an old towel under the flap. Water will come out.
- Unscrew the filter slowly and let the water drain.
- Pull out the hair, coins and fluff. In a pet household this can be a small bird's nest.
- Rinse the filter under the tap, screw it back in firmly, and close the flap.
Do this once a month in moulting season. A clogged filter is the number one cause of "my machine won't drain" call-outs.
2. Wipe the door seal
Pull back the rubber seal around the door and wipe inside the fold with a damp cloth. You'll find hair, lint and sometimes a bit of mould. A paste of bicarbonate of soda or a splash of white vinegar on the cloth helps with any smell.
3. Run an empty hot cycle
With the drum empty, run the hottest cycle your machine has, or its drum-clean programme if it has one. Add a washing machine cleaner or a cup of white vinegar. This flushes loose hair out of the drum and the pipes. Wipe the drum afterwards and leave the door open to dry.
4. Check the detergent drawer
Hair and damp powder build up here too. Pull the drawer out (most lift and slide) and rinse it in the sink.
Part 2: Stop the hair getting in
This is the bit that makes the difference. Every hair you take off before the wash is one that isn't in the filter.
De-fur everything first
Before bedding, throws, pet blankets or hairy clothes go anywhere near the machine, go over them with a pet hair mitt. Lay the item flat, use short back-and-forth strokes so the hair gathers on the mitt, then a quick little shimmy rolls it up into a strip you can pick off and bin. On a double duvet cover it takes about a minute. A slightly damp rubber glove works too, just slower.
Shake it outside
Take bedding and throws outside, or hang them out of a window, and shake hard. You'll be surprised how much comes off.
Tumble before you wash
If you have a tumble dryer, put the hairy items in for 10 minutes on a no-heat or low-heat setting before washing. The tumbling knocks loose hair out of the fibres and it collects in the lint trap, where it's easy to bin. Wool dryer balls help. Empty the lint trap straight after.
Wash pet things separately
Dog beds, cat blankets and the throw from the sofa go in their own load, never with your clothes or sheets. If you can, use a mesh laundry bag for pet blankets to catch some of the hair.
Don't overload the drum
A packed drum can't move, so hair can't rinse away and ends up matted into the fabric. Leave a hand's width of space at the top.
Add an extra rinse
Most machines have an extra rinse option. For pet bedding it's worth it: more water carries more hair to the filter instead of leaving it on the fabric.
Does fabric conditioner or vinegar help?
A little. Both reduce static, so hair clings less and rinses away more easily. Half a cup of white vinegar in the drawer is cheap and won't leave a smell once dry. It won't fix a load that went in covered in fur, though. De-furring first is what matters.
Washing machine pet hair routine
| How often | What to do | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Every load | De-fur and shake items; no overloading | 1–2 minutes |
| Weekly | Wipe the door seal; leave the door open to dry | 1 minute |
| Monthly | Clean the drain filter and detergent drawer; empty hot cycle | 10 minutes |
FAQ
Can pet hair break a washing machine?
Over time, yes. Hair clogs the drain filter and pump, which is a common cause of machines refusing to drain. Regular filter cleaning and de-furring before washing prevents it.
Why does my washing come out with more hair than it went in with?
Hair left in the drum, seal and filter from previous loads is redistributed onto the new load. Clear the machine once, then stop hair going in and the problem goes away.
What's the best way to get dog hair off bedding before washing?
Lay it flat and sweep it with a pet hair mitt or damp rubber glove, shake it outside, then give it a short no-heat tumble if you have a dryer. See our full guide to getting dog hair off your bed.
Do washing machine pet hair catchers work?
Floating hair-catcher balls and lint catchers pick up some loose hair in the water, so they help a bit, but they don't replace de-furring before the wash or cleaning the filter.
Take the fur off before it goes in. The PawStatic Mitt is a reusable pet hair remover for bedding, throws, clothes and sofas: sweep, shimmy, pick off the fur, rinse the mitt. Keep one by the laundry basket. The 2-pack comes with free UK delivery. More guides: cat hair off clothes and the moulting season survival guide.