Vacuum attachments are tools that are used to help suck up dirt and debris from carpets, furniture, and other household items. Just like it sounds, they attach to your vacuum to help make your vacuum more powerful and effective. Many vacuums come with a set of vacuum attachments meant for different types of surfaces and spaces, but if your vacuum doesn’t include the style of attachment you want you can find aftermarket universal adapters and attachments.
There are a wide variety of vacuum attachments on the market, each with its own specific purpose. Some of the most common types of vacuum attachments include:
- Upholstery brushes
- Crevice tools
- Dusting brush
- Floor nozzle
- Carpet brush
- Pet tools
The best vacuum attachments for pet hair & what they do
The vacuum attachments listed above are the general styles of attachments. Vacuum attachments made for cleaning up pet hair have special designs that make them more effective for dog or cat hair. That might include features that reduce hair tangling or make it easier to grab hair off of surfaces, or even pet grooming attachments.
If you have pets, you likely have:
- Dust
- Dander
- Dirt
- Hair
Whatever type of attachments you have, whether they say they’re specifically made for pet hair or not, if they’re made to deal with those types of debris, you’ll probably be able to do a decent cleanup job. Where you can run into trouble is if your pet’s hair gets tangled in the vacuum, or if your vacuum can’t quite pull the hair away from your home’s surfaces.
The different types of vacuum attachments can be used to help clean a variety of surfaces and debris in your home. If you’re looking to expand the types of attachments that came with your vacuum purchase, you’ll want to look into universal vacuum attachments.
Pet hair attachment… or pet vac?
If you’re interested in getting a vacuum that’s specifically made to deal with pet hair, check out this guide to choosing the perfect vacuum for you and your pet, then take a look at this list of the best cordless vacuums for pet parents.
Universal pet hair attachments & adapters
For an example of a universal vacuum attachment set check out this one.
It includes:
- Turbo Brush
- Crevice Tool
- Horsehair Bristles Brush
- Upholstery Tool
- Utility Nozzle With Brush
- Brush & Nozzle Combination Tool
- Adapters For Dyson
- Vacuum Attachment Adapter Kit
Vacuum adapters
The attachment set above comes with a good variety of tools, but equally as important it comes with adapters. Adapters are what make your new vacuum attachments “universal.” They allow you to adapt the new attachments to your current vacuum’s hoses.
For instance, the Dyson attachment tool included in the above set works with Dyson V6 DC30 DC31 DC34 DC35 DC39 DC41 DC44 DC45 DC52 DC58 DC59 DC61 DC62 DC63 DC74.
It can be confusing figuring out what kind of adapter you need, but sellers should list what models do and do not work with the adapters.
What you need to know to choose the right vacuum tool adapters
Vacuum adapters help your current vacuum attach to new tools. For that to work, all you really need to know is:
a) What size (diameter) is your current vacuum hose
b) What size does your adapter work with – what size does it transform the attachment hook up to
For a more complete guide to universal vacuum adapters take a read through this post where we go into more depth about choosing an adapter.
Alternatives to vacuum pet hair attachments
Vacuum attachments aren’t the only quick-cleanup option to take care of pet hair in your home. There are other pet hair cleaning tools that you might want to invest in to keep your house’s pet hair under control.
Uproot Pet Hair Cleaner Pro
This pet hair tool allows you to scrape up embedded pet hair from various surfaces. Even expensive pet vacuums with high suction can have a hard time pulling up embedded pet hair, but if you use a tool like this first you can either vacuum up the clump of pet hair or simply grab it and throw it away.
Reusable Pet Roller
You’ve no doubt used lint rollers before, and they work well. As an alternative to lint rollers, which have peel-away layers that are used and thrown away, try a reusable lint roller to get rid of your pet hair. It gathers pet hair from all of your home’s surfaces and even your clothing, then stashes it in an easy-to-empty compartment.
Mini Pet Hair Remover
If you get one of these little useful tools… get two!
That’s not just a sales pitch. These little tools are mini and mobile. Stash one in a kitchen drawer, the laundry room, a purse, a car compartment, etc. That way you always have a little help removing unwanted pet hair wherever it happens to be!
Lilly Brush Pro Pet Hair Tool Kit
This little pet hair remover tool is famous. It’s well-known, and well-loved for detailing use to get rid of stubborn, embedded pet hair. Have you ever taken your fur-covered car to get detailed only to have it returned practically hair free? There’s a good chance the detailer used this tool to get the job done.
Just like the other mini pet hair remover, it’s a good idea to get a couple of these to stash anywhere you might need them.
RAYCOP Handheld Allergen Vacuum
For something a little more high-tech, check out the RAYCOP Handheld Allergen Vacuum. It has UV technology that eliminates over 99% of bacteria and viruses and helps to eliminate pesky dust mites, a TRUEHEPA filtration system, which is VERY important when you’re dealing with allergens, and a brush to loosen dirt, dust, and pet hair.
Carpet Rake for Pet Hair
If you have carpet you should definitely check out a carpet rake like this one. Use this awesome pet hair tool to loosen up and gather up stubborn pet hair in your home’s carpets. Use it in together with a great pet vacuum to help keep your houses’s carpets hair-free. The rubber bristles have the added benefit of being easy to wash as well.
Choose your pet hair tools!
So there’s a lot of choices here right? From vacuum attachments to carpet rakes, there are a ton of choices to help you keep your home clean and (almost) pet hair-free. You’ll likely want to pick a combination of pet hair tools to maximize your cleaning efforts.
Universal vacuum attachments use adapters that can expand the abilities of your current vacuum. Handheld pet hair tools can do the job that even expensive vacuums struggle with. Choose wisely and you’ll have a much easier time cleaning your pet-friendly home. If you’re looking for more ideas check out this list of 15 super-useful cleaning tools.
