The short answer: to get dog hair out of a washing machine, run an empty hot rinse cycle with half a cup of white vinegar, then wipe the drum, door seal and lid with a damp microfiber cloth. Clean the lint filter or drain-pump filter if your machine has one. To keep hair out next time, shake or brush pet bedding and clothes outside first, run them through a 10-minute dry-only tumble, and add a floating pet hair catcher to the wash.
Pet hair in the washing machine is more than an annoyance. Clumps of fur cling to the drum, end up on your clean clothes, and can build up in filters and drain hoses over time. The fix is two parts: clean the hair that is already in the machine, then stop most of it from getting in at all.
Step 1: Run an empty cleaning cycle
Start with the washer empty. Pour about half a cup of distilled white vinegar into the drum (or the fabric-softener dispenser) and run the hottest rinse or drum-clean cycle your machine offers. The rinse loosens hair that is stuck to the drum walls, and it flushes loose fur toward the filter, where you can remove it.
If your manual recommends a washer-cleaning tablet instead of vinegar, follow the manual. Never mix vinegar with bleach.
Step 2: Wipe the drum, seal and lid
When the cycle ends, leave the door open and let the drum air-dry for an hour. Dry hair is far easier to collect than wet hair. Then:
- Wipe the inside of the drum with a slightly damp microfiber cloth or paper towel. Hair balls up on the cloth instead of smearing around.
- On a front-loader, pull back the rubber door seal and wipe inside the folds. This is where most hair and lint hides.
- On a top-loader, wipe under the lid rim and around the agitator, if there is one.
- Finish with a handheld vacuum or a lint roller for anything left on dry surfaces.
Step 3: Clean the filters
Many washers have a lint filter or a drain-pump filter that catches hair. Front-loaders usually hide the pump filter behind a small panel at the bottom front; some top-loaders have a lint trap in the agitator or along the top rim of the drum. Check your manual for where yours is, put a towel and a shallow tray underneath before opening it, and pull out the trapped hair. Clean the dryer's lint screen too, after every load that includes pet items.
Step 4: Re-run a short rinse
Finish with one more short, empty rinse to wash away anything the cloth loosened. Your machine is now ready for regular laundry again. Most owners with a shedding dog find a monthly clean like this keeps the problem under control.
How to keep dog hair out of the washing machine
Cleaning the washer treats the symptom. These habits stop most of the hair from reaching it in the first place.
Remove loose hair before the wash
Take pet beds, blankets and furry clothes outside and give them a good shake. Then go over them with a lint roller, a rubber glove or a damp sponge, which pulls up fur that shaking misses. The less hair goes into the drum, the less ends up on everything else.
Tumble dry first, on no heat
This is the trick most people skip. Put the hairy items in the dryer for about 10 minutes on a no-heat or air-only setting before you wash them. The tumbling loosens hair and sends it to the lint screen. Empty the screen, then move the items to the washer.
Add a floating pet hair catcher
A floating catcher moves with the water and grabs loose hair and lint during the wash. Our WashCatch pet hair catcher is a reusable pair made for top-loading washers: drop one or two in with the load, then pull the hair off and rinse it afterwards. It reduces the hair left on laundry rather than removing all of it, so it works best alongside the shake-and-tumble steps above.
Wash pet items on their own
Keep dog beds, towels and blankets in a separate load from your clothes, and use a little less in each load so items move freely and hair can rinse away. Adding half a cup of vinegar to the rinse helps relax fibers so hair lets go more easily.
Use towels that hold less hair
Thick cotton towels trap fur deep in their loops. A smooth microfiber towel for drying your dog after baths and wet walks releases hair more easily in the wash and dries quickly between uses. Our QuickDry microfiber pet towel is one option; wash it warm and skip fabric softener so it keeps absorbing well.
Less shedding means less hair in the wash
The single biggest way to keep fur out of your laundry is to catch it on the brush instead. Brushing your dog a few times a week, outdoors when you can, removes loose undercoat before it lands on beds and blankets. Our guide on how to deshed a dog at home walks through it step by step, and types of dog brushes helps you pick the right brush for your dog's coat. For the tools themselves, see our grooming tools collection.
FAQ
Does vinegar dissolve dog hair in the washing machine?
No. Vinegar does not dissolve hair, but it helps loosen it from fabric and from the drum so the rinse can carry it away to the filter.
Can dog hair damage a washing machine?
Large amounts of hair can build up in filters and drain lines over time and slow draining. Cleaning the filter regularly and removing loose hair before washing help prevent this.
How often should I clean my washer if I have a dog?
About once a month for most homes with a shedding dog, or more often if you wash pet bedding weekly. Wipe the door seal after any very hairy load.
Do pet hair catchers work in front-load washers?
It depends on the product. The WashCatch is designed for top-loading machines. In a front-loader, rely on the dry tumble first, shaking items out and cleaning the door seal and pump filter.
What is the fastest way to get dog hair off clothes before washing?
A lint roller or a damp rubber glove swept over the fabric, followed by 10 minutes in the dryer on no heat. Empty the lint screen before moving the clothes to the washer.