The Best Ways to Keep Your Hardwood Floors Clear of Dog Hair

Wondering what is the best way to clean dog hair off your hardwood floors? While it’s definitely easier than cleaning your carpets, it still comes with challenges, especially if Fido sheds like crazy. With hardwood flooring being one of the biggest selling points of houses these days, you’re even more likely than ever to have a home full of them.  Regardless of how your dog sheds (which could be a post all on its own – individual hairs, clumps, tumbleweeds, etc.), dog hair maintenance on wood floors is not for the faint of heart. Here are some of the best ways to keep your hardwood floors clear of dog hair.

Best Ways to Clean Dog Hair Off Hardwood Floors

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1. Microfiber duster. Microfiber is officially one of the best inventions ever. Those wonderful little fibers act as a magnet for everything – dirt, dust, and dog hair – and with a quick swish around the floors, you’ve got a pile that you can easily vacuum or sweep. This one by O-Cedar even has a flexible head so you can bend it and clean the baseboards at the same time you’re cleaning the floors. Bonus!
2. Microfiber slippers. Continuing with the glory that is microfiber, you can look into getting slippers with microfiber on the bottom. It may take longer than cleaning with the duster referenced above, but this is actually a great way to also get a workout in while you clean! You skate your feet along your floors almost as though you’re cross-country skiing, so you’ll get a good workout for your calves, thighs, and bottom in the process!
3. Bona hardwood floor cleaner. This has been my favorite hardwood floor cleaner for years – it is a mild cleaner so it won’t damage your floors. It’s a good idea to get at least one extra pad so that you don’t have to worry if one is dirty and you didn’t have a chance to wash it yet. You simply squeeze a trigger on the handle, a spray of solution comes out, and you wipe. It’s best to wipe in the direction of your wood slats, as it will keep any streaks (which will be limited) from showing, as well as not spreading dirt in-between the wood slats.
4. Simple Green for dirtier messes. If you haven’t yet discovered Simple Green, you are missing out. This is officially my favorite all-purpose cleaner for any surface other than windows. My Golden Retriever LOVES to play in the mud, so I have big messes on my wood floors when it rains. If I try to use the Bona right away, the pad will get dirty immediately and the rest of my floors will be smeared with dirt. I spray Simple Green on my floor and wipe it with a soft, washable cleaning cloth. Once the major mess is gone, I may use the Bona or I may not right away – the Simple Green cleans the floor without streaking. Make sure your wood is properly sealed before you use Simple Green, though. It is a natural cleanser, but it still could damage unsealed wood.
5. Vacuum once every few weeks or once a month. It’s a good idea to vacuum the floors on the bare floor setting every few weeks or once a month to get any dirt that may be hiding between the slats of your wood floor. The microfiber pads do a great job, but they don’t have the suction power that a vacuum has. Taking the time to vacuum every so often will help get that deep-down dirt and hair.

Are there other tried and true ways or products you swear by for keeping your hardwood floors clean and clear of dog hair? We’d love to hear about them!