🧺 Laundry problemsHow to remove lint, hair & pet fur on clothes

Remove it before washing · mixed loads and static are the cause

When black clothes come out of the wash covered in white lint, or pet fur stays put, it's because what came off in the washer moved onto other clothes. Fur and lint don't dissolve in water, so washing alone doesn't remove them well; the key is removing them before washing and not mixing loads.

🔬 Why this order works

Washing lint-shedding items like towels and microfiber blankets with clothes that grab lint moves the lint across. Synthetic fibers build static from friction and attract even more fur and lint, and a tissue left in a pocket covers the whole load in white bits.

🧺 Step by step

Tap a step when it's done to tick it off.

Empty pockets before washing, and remove fur from furry clothes with a lint roller or a hand in a rubber glove.
If you can use the tumble dryer, run fur-covered clothes on air-only, no-heat for about 10 minutes first to pull the fur into the lint trap.
Wash lint-shedding items like towels and blankets separately from black clothes and knits.
Turn lint-grabbing clothes inside out and put them in a mesh laundry bag, and empty the washer's lint filter and the dryer's lint trap every time.
Once dry, clear away any remaining lint with a lint roller or clothes brush.

🧰 By material

① Black cotton & knits

These show lint the most, so wash them inside out. With a lint roller, pressing and lifting rather than rolling is gentler on the fabric.

② Synthetics (static-prone clothes)

Static holds the fur, so sweeping down with a slightly damp rubber glove removes it well. Fabric softener reduces static, but don't use it on performance wear.

③ Wool coats & velvet

Pressing tape hard can crush the pile or pull out fibers. Brushing from top to bottom along the grain with a clothes brush is the safe way.

🚫 Don't

Washing with a tissue in a pocket — bits stick to everything.
Putting fur-covered clothes straight into the washer — fur spreads to other clothes and the drum.
Never emptying the washer's lint filter and the dryer's lint trap.

⏳ If it has already dried

If clothes dried with tissue bits on them, run just a rinse and spin again, then brush them off once dry. If you can use the tumble dryer, a short run will also pull them into the lint trap.

💡 Tip

After washing furry laundry, wipe the drum and rubber gasket with a damp cloth.

❓ Common questions

There's white powder on my clothes after washing. Is it lint?

If it crumbles when you rub it, it may be detergent residue. If it clings between the fibers like bits of thread, it's lint.

What if I don't have a lint roller?

Wrap wide packing tape around your hand and press and lift, or put on a rubber glove and sweep it together with a slightly damp hand.

🔗 Related stains

Check the care label firstBleach, wash and dryer symbols explained

🧭 All stains

🧼 Basic rules & cleaning-agent guide

General home methods. For valuable garments or unknown fabrics, take them to a dry cleaner and say what the stain is. Follow product labels for bleaches and solvents, ventilate, and never mix them.