# "I read somewhere dog hair is used to clean oil spills. Waddyathink? Ask your board."

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-read-somewhere-dog-hair-is-used-to-clean-oil-spills-waddyathink-ask-your-board/685475>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 6, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-read-somewhere-dog-hair-is-used-to-clean-oil-spills-waddyathink-ask-your-board/685475 "2014-04-06T15:12:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-read-somewhere-dog-hair-is-used-to-clean-oil-spills-waddyathink-ask-your-board/685475/1 "2014-04-06T15:12:23Z")

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The words in the subject header are not mine. They are a direct quotation. They comprise a statement, question, and a command. I have no choice but to carry out this command.

I think Mrs. Bloom knows where I keep each of my serotonin molecules and doles them out at her whim.

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-read-somewhere-dog-hair-is-used-to-clean-oil-spills-waddyathink-ask-your-board/685475/2 "2014-04-06T15:18:32Z")

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I remember an experiment where hair, feathers, and something else were bundled into huge mesh bags and suspended in a river. Analysis of the material showed that it was very effective in absorbing a variety of pollutants. Never heard any more about it, but they believed animal and human hair would be extremely low cost since it generally gets thrown away.

So what I think is that it makes more sense than manfacturing materials that would do the same job. I might have a different opinion if the hair wasn’t removed from the dog first.

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**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-read-somewhere-dog-hair-is-used-to-clean-oil-spills-waddyathink-ask-your-board/685475/3 "2014-04-06T15:26:13Z")

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I heard that hairdressers donated their floor sweepings (human hair clippings) for this purpose.

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**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-read-somewhere-dog-hair-is-used-to-clean-oil-spills-waddyathink-ask-your-board/685475/4 "2014-04-06T15:28:46Z")

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Google it and you ll. get the Straight Dope: human hair oil spill cleanup