Five ways to combat pet hair

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If you've decided to become a pet owner, chances are you're familiar with the perils of pet hair - it's part of the package of taking care of our little furry friends.

But you don't have to resign yourself to a life of lint rollers just yet - check out some of our top tips for reducing pet hair around the home (and on your clothes).

Good grooming habits
Let's start at the source: the best way to combat pet hair problems is by ensuring your pet is well groomed. Bathe, brush or even vacuum them regularly (yep, you can vacuum your pet if they'll let you - but make sure you have the correct animal hair attachment first!). If you can, do these tasks outside to avoid pet hair spreading throughout your home.

Sticky tape
Look, it's not a particularly sophisticated solution, but every pet owner should have a giant roll of sticky tape in the cupboard at all times. Wrap it around your fingers, sticky side facing out, for an instant lint-roller. It's not the best solution of the bunch but for an easy DIY fix, it's pretty good.

Rubber
Speaking of DIY fixes, rubber gloves are another great home item that can help remove pet hair from fabric and upholstery. Dampen them under the tap and run your hand over your furniture to attract hair, rinsing off the glove as it fills up and repeat. For carpeted floors, rubber brooms work wonders too. The wonders of static electricity...

Vacuum regularly
If you're not prepared to vacuum your home regularly, you should definitely re-think your ability to own a pet (especially if you have a lot of carpet). Pet owners need to pay special attention not only to vacuuming regularly but vacuuming well - go over tricky areas more than once, alternating directions to loosen any stubborn strands.

Wash, wash, wash
The same thing goes for washing your clothes. But did you know there are a number of extra things you can do to help combat pet hair? Pre-treat your clothes by chucking them in the dryer for a few minutes (no more than 10) on a heat-free, tumble-only cycle. This will help loosen the hair before the wash cycle. Some people add a half-cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle, also to help loosen hair. If using a tumble dryer, you can also get 'dryer balls' that help pick up leftover strands in the last part of the process.