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Dog hair in the car: keeping a pet owner's car tidy
Dog hair clings to fabric upholstery and mats so tightly that ordinary vacuuming cannot get it all out. Day to day, a seat cover and a rubber brush help. When a lot of hair has built up, you can add pet hair removal to an interior cleaning, priced according to the amount of hair.
Why the hair will not come out with a vacuum
Short, stiff hairs in particular work their way into the weave of the fabric and get caught in the fibres. The vacuum picks up the loose hair on the surface, but the hair caught in the weave stays put. Hair comes off leather and plastic more easily, so fabric upholstery and mats take the most work.
Everyday tricks
- Cover the seat. A washable seat cover on the back seat or in the boot catches most of the hair, and you can shake it out and wash it separately.
- Brush the dog before the trip. A coat brushed outdoors leaves less loose hair in the car, especially when the dog is shedding.
- Dry a wet dog. A wet coat brings moisture and smell into the car, and wet hair sticks to fabric more firmly.
- Loosen the hair before vacuuming. A rubber glove or rubber brush gathers the hair from the fabric into clumps when you draw it in one direction. Only vacuum after that.
- Vacuum often. Fresh hair comes off more easily than hair that has had weeks to work its way into the weave.
How to avoid damaging the upholstery
Do not scrub fabric upholstery with a wire brush or a coarse sponge, as they make the fabric bobble and fray. On leather a damp microfibre cloth is enough, because hair does not cling to it in the same way. If the dog's claws have scratched the leather or plastic, cleaning will not remove the scratches.
When there is a lot of hair
Pet hair removal is an add-on to interior cleaning: the hair is removed from the upholstery and mats. The price depends on the amount of hair (from €19).
Choose an interior cleaning as the base for the add-on. Full interior cleaning (€64–77) includes a full vacuum, a wipe-down of the surfaces and the inside of the windows, where the dog's nose leaves its marks. If the seats also have stains or mud splashes, Total interior cleaning adds wet cleaning of the seats, and leather seats are cleaned with a method of their own. The job takes 4–8 hours.
If the dog travels in the boot, choose Full or Total interior cleaning, as both include the boot. Light interior cleaning does not include the boot. When you book, mention in the Message to the shop field that the dog travels in the boot.
If the car smells of dog
Pet odour comes from hair and dander, so the hair is removed first and the smell after that. Ozone treatment (Ozone treatment / odour removal, from €79) removes the smell left in the upholstery once the car has been cleaned. There is more on this in our article on removing odours from your car.
Hair removed with an interior cleaning
Full interior cleaning €64–77 and Pet hair removal from €19. You can change the level of cleaning when you book.