Pet fur & hair removal with foam

Foam has an incredible number of intended uses, and advanced innovations are continuously happening in order to find the best uses for such a versatile material. However, sometimes it is the simplest of inventions that are most useful to us. For many of us pet owners, pet hair is often a pain when it sticks to sofas, armchairs and other upholstered items. Lint and other materials such as hair are also a frequent nuisance on clothing.

Typically, lint rollers are the recommended product for the removal of pet hair, lint and other debris from fabrics. Yet these are often single use and are not wholly effective as they rely on adhesive to collect debris. Furthermore, as a single use product, lint rollers are not environmentally friendly. For pet owners dealing with dog and cat hair on furniture and carpets on a daily basis, lint rollers are not cost effective either and will soon burn a money-sized hole in your pocket!

A simple alternative to the popular lint roller is foam. Often not immediately thought of, foam is a brilliant material due to its small open-cell pockets that naturally attract hair, fur and debris. It is this open-celled structure that draws and traps small materials to it without causing static – another nightmare issue brought by other lint and pet hair collection tools that often fail to do the job. The foam we recommend for this use is reticulated polyether foam. This is more commonly known as aquatic filter foam and serves the same purpose in ponds – the filtering out of small particle debris and other unwanted materials.

Not only is foam an efficient material for the job, but it is also cost effective. Unlike other fabric lint removal and pet hair collection products, foam does the same job without the unnecessary branding and cost often adopted by mass-market products created for profit. It is these same products that also have a limited – and sometimes one-use – lifespan, however, a foam lint and fur collection tool is reusable. Using a fine-tooth comb (applying minimal pressure) and running water, debris can be easily released from the foam to clean it. Due to its open-celled structure, it can be quickly air-dried and reused again.

At eFoam, we offer cut to size capabilities that make the creation of your own lint and fur collection tool easy. Our high-quality materials also offer superior value for money. When looking for a tool to remove pet hair and lint from furniture such as sofas and armchairs, we recommend ordering a triangular-shaped handheld tool. The addition of this thinner edge allows for easy access into the smaller crevices and corners of furniture. For clothing and other fabrics, we recommend a small, rectangular handheld block of reticulated polyurethane approximately 10cm by 10cm in size.

You may wish to attach some sort of handle to your foam tool for ease of use. To do so, source your required handle (likely a short plastic piece) and cut a small slit into the side of your foam block, approximately half-way into the component. Apply a small amount of foam-friendly adhesive to the end of your ‘handle’ and insert this into the foam component.

eFoam specialises in supplying foam for a range of applications. To discuss your requirements, please contact us.