To remove pet hair from carpets, sofas and bedding, first check which brushes come with the vacuum cleaner or are compatible with it, then consider how easy the roller and filters are to maintain. A bagged cylinder vacuum can suit longer cleaning sessions covering several rooms, while a cordless stick vacuum makes frequent quick cleans easier, provided its battery life in the mode you need and its bin capacity meet your requirements.
If pet hair sticks to your sofas, cushions or bedding, look at upholstery tools as well as the floor head. Rowenta France, for example, offers a mini turbo brush designed for these surfaces; check that it’s compatible with your specific vacuum cleaner.
For these floor coverings, check which brush is used to lift fibres. In its test of the Rowenta RO8366EA Silence Force Animal Care Pro, UFC-Que Choisir reported different results with the turbo brush and the standard brush. The range name alone isn’t enough to judge every configuration.
If you regularly need to pick up visible pet hair from floors, stairs or furniture, a cordless stick vacuum can be handy to grab and go. However, check its battery life in the mode you’ll use, as well as how easy the bin is to empty and the brush is to access.
Start by considering the surfaces you need to clean and how often you’ll vacuum. Then check the accessories and maintenance requirements for the model you’re considering.
Worth considering: for cleaning sessions covering several rooms and carpets, with a suitable brush and tools for the fabrics in question.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to move the appliance around and find compatible bags and filters when you need replacements.
Worth considering: for short, frequent cleans in areas where pet hair keeps reappearing, provided the brushes are also suitable for your carpets or fabrics.
Bear in mind: battery life depends on the mode you choose, and you’ll need to empty the bin according to how much pet hair you’ve vacuumed up.
| Factor | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Pet hair on fabrics | Whether a mini turbo brush is included or compatible; access to the roller to remove tangled hair. | When pet hair sticks to the sofa, cushions or bedding, I want to clean these fabrics without relying solely on the floor head. Around 29% of consumers make this a priority. |
| Floors and carpets | Heads suited to each floor type; results for each surface, where a test of the model is available. | In a home with a mix of hard floors and carpets, I want an appliance that works well on both, rather than assuming its carpet performance from its results on hard floors. Around 29% of consumers prioritise this coverage. |
| Frequent quick cleans | Battery life in the mode you need; bin capacity and ease of charging. | If I pick up pet hair from small areas several times a week, I prefer an appliance that’s quick to get started, even if I need to keep an eye on the battery and empty the bin. Around 24% of consumers prioritise this ease of use. |
| Maintenance | Access to the filters and roller; details of compatible bags or filters. | When pet hair builds up quickly, I want to clean the brush and empty the vacuum without making every session more of a chore. Around 18% of consumers make this upkeep a priority. |
In a test of the Rowenta RO8366EA Silence Force Animal Care Pro, UFC-Que Choisir found that the turbo brush performed well on carpet and rug fibres, while the standard brush performed very poorly on this measure. These findings apply to this model and these brushes.
Check which accessories are actually included and, where available, the results on each of your floor coverings.
The Rowenta ZR900601 mini turbo brush is listed for certain tubes measuring 32 to 35 mm, with restrictions depending on the locking system. So a similar diameter doesn’t always confirm compatibility.
Before choosing a separate accessory, check the list of compatible appliances, the tube diameter and the locking mechanism.
Battery life varies according to the power setting. UFC-Que Choisir reports that a stick vacuum lasts around ten minutes on average at full power; this average doesn’t represent the battery life of every model.
For carpets or embedded pet hair, look for battery life figures for the mode you’ll need.
Hair tangled around the roller or a filter that’s difficult to reach can make maintenance more of a chore, whatever type of vacuum you choose.
Before buying, find out how to remove the brush, access the filters and identify compatible replacements.
The Guard M1 Cat & Dog is an example of Miele France’s bagged cylinder vacuum range for homes that also need to clean rugs and carpets.
Rowenta France’s Animal Care range includes bagged cylinder vacuums and accessories designed for surfaces such as upholstery.
The V16 Piston Animal is an example of the cordless stick vacuums Dyson France offers for frequent cleaning and pet hair removal.
This selection includes cordless stick vacuums for frequent quick cleans, a bagged cylinder vacuum for longer cleaning sessions, and a convertible corded stick vacuum. For each one, check that the brushes are suitable for the surfaces where pet hair builds up in your home.
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Worth considering for frequent cleaning of floors and carpets. Check which accessory you’ll need for your fabrics.
The product name states 60,000 Pa, an anti-tangle brush and up to 65 minutes of battery life; compare this with the runtime in the mode you’ll use.
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Worth considering for regular cleaning of hard floors and carpets, but check that the brush is suitable for your other fabrics.
The product name states 55 kPa, 550 W, an anti-tangle brush and up to 55 minutes of battery life; check the runtime in carpet mode.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a stick vacuum for regular cleans. Check that the accessories are suitable for your sofa and carpets.
The product name states 45,000 Pa, a removable battery, an anti-tangle brush and 60 minutes of battery life; check the runtime for the mode you choose.
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Worth considering if you prefer a bagged cylinder vacuum for cleaning several rooms. Check which brushes are included for your carpets and fabrics, as well as the reference number for compatible bags.
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Worth considering for cleaning floors and furniture if a convertible corded appliance suits you. Check that the brush is suitable for carpets and fabrics where pet hair tends to cling.
The product name states that it has a 0.5 L bin and a 4.5 m cable; consider how much pet hair you need to collect and where your plug sockets are.
It can help clean a sofa if it’s compatible with your vacuum cleaner and suitable for the fabric. It won’t replace a floor head for larger areas; before buying one separately, check the tube diameter and locking mechanism.
Choose based on how you prefer to empty the appliance and maintain its filters. A bagged model needs compatible bags that you’ll have to replace; a bagless model avoids the need for bags, but you’ll need to empty its bin. Also check how easy it is to access the filter and roller on the model you’re considering.
Not necessarily: the stated runtime may be for a lower-powered mode than the one you’ll use on your carpets. UFC-Que Choisir reports an average battery life of around ten minutes at full power for stick vacuums, so look for figures for the specific model and mode you’re interested in.