# Best way(s) to get cat hair out of clothing? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 15, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926 "2003-06-15T00:13:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/1 "2003-06-15T00:13:57Z")
There are three cats, and they are shedding something fierce. I would like to wear clothes that aren’t decorated with it, and for some reason, I’d like to get the cat hair out of my sweaters before putting them away for the summer (I’m being optimistic about the weather, it’s been a whole two weeks since it’s been warm enough not to need one.) The sticky tape-roller isn’t doing the job anymore, and the washable one(roller) never did anything much. Do those “magic sponges” really work? What else does? And is it wrong to want to shave them? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Necromancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@Necromancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necromancer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/2 "2003-06-15T01:12:00Z")
I have a clothes brush that’s supposed to do the trick but it’s not always effective. I tend to use a slightly damp sponge and I wipe the fur off in one direction. You could try using duct tape. Also, whenever you get some time, brush your cats with those trowel-shaped cat grooming brushes…this will help eliminate a bit of the fur that ends up on your clothes. ---
**Author:** ![X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbe5ce/32.png) [@X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X_Slayer_ALE)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/3 "2003-06-15T02:24:12Z")
throw the cat out. ---
**Author:** ![Necromancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@Necromancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necromancer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/4 "2003-06-15T02:26:50Z")
No way. Keep the cat and just buy new clothes every week. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/5 "2003-06-15T02:44:54Z")
After years of dealing with this problem, I have come to the conclusion that the only solution is to have the cats varnished. ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/6 "2003-06-15T06:19:50Z")
I’ve found that yellow rubber gloves work well for fuzzier surfaces like sweaters. ---
**Author:** ![X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbe5ce/32.png) [@X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X_Slayer_ALE)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/7 "2003-06-15T06:49:34Z")
yeah but how do you put yellow rubber gloves on a cat? ---
**Author:** ![BadBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71c47a/32.png) [@BadBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BadBaby)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/8 "2003-06-15T06:50:24Z")
First, brush your cats daily. This’ll keep the amount of loose hair to a minimum. Second, vacuum and/or sweep often. Next, try dressing right before you head out the door. At least you’ll be less furry at work. Those magic sponges sorta work. I use mine for furniture though, since it stutters all over the folds of my clothes. Sticky tape roller doohickeys are the best I’ve found. ---
**Author:** ![lorinada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@lorinada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorinada)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/9 "2003-06-15T07:09:40Z")
I’m surprised you aren’t having luck with the sticky rollers. Mine have been wonderful. I’ve had them for decades. Plain ole tape works well, too, though, like has been metioned. Duct, scotch, electrical - any kind will do. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/10 "2003-06-15T16:12:56Z")
Buy clothes that match your cat. I bring furballs when I go shopping. ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/11 "2003-06-15T16:34:34Z")
my patented cat hair removal system: Kill Cat Burn Clothes ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/12 "2003-06-15T17:55:26Z")
Other types of tape aren’t working any better than the sticky-tape ☹ ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/13 "2003-06-15T19:47:13Z")
I work at a consignment shop (used clothes), and the best thing I’ve found for cat hair is duct tape. Make sure you spread the garment out on a hard, flat surface - it seems to help. Also, steaming the garments seems to sort of bring the hair to the surface (I won’t notice a garment is fuzzy until I steam it sometimes, though I’ve no idea why.) If it’s really bad, I’d go over the garment with duct tape to get as much hair off as possible, run an iron over the garment on the steam setting to pull the rest to the surface, then duct tape again (you’ll also have to de-fur the iron). ---
**Author:** ![mr.splitfoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@mr.splitfoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.splitfoot)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/14 "2003-06-15T23:15:54Z")
Well, I was going to suggest throwing out the cat, but if you don’t want to go that route, shave the cat. If the cat doesn’t like it, tough shit. Does it have a job and help pay the bills? I didn’t think so. If it whines, tell it it can grow it’s hair as long as it wants when it gets its own apartment. Or, if you want appearance over comfort, hang your clothes inside out in your closet. Then when you get ready to wear them…NO CAT HAIR PRESENT! This method can help you do pennance at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-s-to-get-cat-hair-out-of-clothing/181926/15 "2003-06-16T06:22:18Z")
If it’s really tricky and into the fabric of the sweaters, dry cleaning gets them out. I have 6 cats. =)