Now that spring has finally sprung, you may notice that your much-loved dog or cat is beginning to shed excessive amounts of their heavier winter coat for their lightweight coat.
The shedding process lasts for around 3-4 weeks (although it can feel like you’re hoovering up after them forever) and can potentially post several health risks if you often share a bed with your pet.
Yup, sorry pet co-sleepers, your furry friend’s loose fur can harbour bugs and germs that can be passed onto you as you sleep.
According to the experts at Happy Beds, it’s commonly misconstrued that fur is the main cause of these risks, but it is in fact animal dander that can cause serious health problems.
Dander refers to tiny flakes of skin shed by warm-blooded animals with fur or hair. These small particles can be inhaled through the air, causing potential problems with breathing and the lungs. It can also eventually lead to asthma in severe cases.
The protein is found in the pet’s hair, saliva, skin, and waste and is made up of minuscule particles which are where the risk lies. Any loose hair in the bed can heavily impact sleep quality too, as breathing in polluted air can add strain to the respiratory system, causing the body to not fully rest at night.
As hard as it may be to say no to those puppy dog eyes (literally), steering clear of sharing a bed with your pet is probably for the best. However, there are other ways to reduce the number of pet hairs hiding around your home:
- Add an air purifier to your bedroom to remove dander and aid breathing.
- Buy an additional attachment for your vacuum that specifically targets pet hair.
- Alternatively, if you can’t afford one or find one online, you can use a lint roller to remove excess fur from your bedding, sofa and anywhere else that your pet sits that you also sit. Make sure to clean the area at least twice a week, unless it’s your bed, which you should do every day given that you sleep here.
- If you have pet hair that is hard to remove due to it being embedded into your furniture, which can happen with fabric furnishings, then all you need is fabric softener. Simply add a cap full of fabric softener into a spray bottle, and then fill the rest up with water. You can then spray this homemade solution onto any hairy areas around your home. Make sure to let it set for 15 minutes allowing the solution to loosen the hair. You can then use a lint roller, vacuum or brush to remove it.
- If you find that your pet has fallen asleep on your bedding, grab a dryer sheet and keep rubbing it back and forth on the pillow or bedding. The static electricity will quickly remove the pet hair from your bed set, whilst leaving it a lovely odour.
- Brush your pet daily to remove excess fur and reduce shedding.