Your Own Pet Hair Removal Electric Tool With A Hand Mixer

Lint rollers and bushes work great for small areas, but with two large dogs and two cats, I needed something a little more…powerful. I tried various vacuum attachments and special pet hair-sucking appliances, but none of them really did the job. I wouldn’t say they sucked, but that was kind of the problem.

Then, in a moment of inspiration, I came up with my own pet hair-removing power tool. All you need is a hand mixer — yes, the kind in your kitchen drawer — a rubber band, a cotton sock you don’t need, scissors and a spray bottle of water.

Here’s how to make it and use it:

Attach one beater to the hand mixer.
Cut the ankle part of the sock off since all you need is the foot part.
Slip the sock over the end of a beater.
Secure the open part of the sock right above the beater blades by wrapping it with a rubber band.
Lightly mist the furniture cushion with water.
Turn the mixer on low.
Hold the sock lightly against the cushion and move it back and forth over the hairy area.

Ta-daaa! Your furniture will be hair-free. The friction wipes all of the hair into a ball that clings to the sock.

Some things to remember

First, try this technique out on a bit of your furniture that’s a little less visible, just to make sure that the water and friction don’t do something weird to the fabric.

Second, keep pets and little kids away from the tool while it’s on for safety. As long as you keep your hands away from the beater, this process is about as safe as whipping cake batter.

Third, you may not want to use a fancy, expensive hand mixer, because it puts extra wear and tear on the motor. Look for a cheap mixer at a thrift store or yard sale for this purpose. You can also get hand mixers at big-box stores like Walmart for less than $20.