Cat owners are ditching lint rollers for this genius trick that removes fur instantly

Cat hair on black trousers. Cat hair on the sofa. Cat hair on your guest’s coat just as they reach for the door. The sticky-sheet era is quietly fading because pet owners have found a faster, cheaper way to sweep fur away. **And it doesn’t involve buying anything new.**

42am, and a man in a navy peacoat was battling his sleeve outside the station. His lint roller had run out three swipes ago; the cardboard cylinder squeaked uselessly. A tabby hair clung on like a punchline. I watched him sigh, slap the coat, and surrender to the day’s fluff.

Back home, I tried the tip a neighbour swore by: a single rubber glove from under the sink, a splash of water, and one slow sweep across the arm of my chair. The fur lifted in soft curls, gathering into a neat little cloud in my palm. No stickiness. No tearing sheets. Just… done.

It looked like a magic trick. It wasn’t.

The end of the sticky-sheet era

Lint rollers are brilliant for a quick fix, yet they stumble where cat fur truly thrives: textured fabric, woven coats, the inside of car seats. The adhesive grabs the first layer, then smears or leaves a thin film that needs another pass and another. **Lint rollers aren’t broken — they’re just not built for the way cat fur behaves on fabric.**

One Monday, Jess in Manchester counted nineteen used sheets to clear a single corduroy sofa cushion. She laughed mid-roll, took a photo, and binned the wad like a tiny paper burrito. Then she tried the glove move on the second cushion. Two slow swipes, one light rinse, done. Let’s be honest: nobody really does that every day.

What’s happening is simple physics. Cat hair is light, slightly oily, and prone to static. Adhesive pulls, but friction corrals. A damp rubber or silicone surface creates micro-grip and a whisper of static charge, nudging strands to cluster into visible clumps you can lift in one go. It’s not magic, just the right tool for the job.

The genius trick: a damp washing-up glove

Grab a clean rubber glove — the humble washing-up kind is perfect. Lightly wet the palm and fingers, shake off drips, and sweep your hand in one direction across the fabric. You’ll see fur gather into soft ropes that you can pick up or rinse away in the sink. On sofas or heavy coats, use broad, steady strokes; on sleeves or cushions, short passes work best. *It’s the sort of fix that makes you feel slightly smug.*

Don’t soak the glove; you want tacky-damp, not soggy. Too much water can smear fine hairs and darken delicate fabrics. Try a small, hidden patch first on silk or cashmere. For carpets or car mats, use the same glove but start with short circles to lift the hair, then finish with long sweeps to collect it. If you’ve got a silicone pet-grooming glove, it’s great here too. Keep a microfibre cloth nearby to nab any stray fluff.

There are a few easy wins that make the glove trick go from good to outrageously good. Use gentle pressure, rinse the glove often, and keep strokes consistent so fur has somewhere to go. Your future self will thank you.

“I swapped my lint rollers for a £1 pair of washing-up gloves and haven’t looked back,” says Sam Rowe, a professional housekeeper from Bristol. “It’s faster, it’s quieter, and it doesn’t leave that sticky feel on the fabric.”

• Go one-way: pick a direction and stick to it so hair clumps cleanly.
• Rinse resets the grip: a quick splash refreshes the tackiness.
• Pair with a 10-minute tumble on cool with a damp cloth to pre-loosen hair on clothes.
• Skip delicate weaves and embroidered patches; use a lint brush there instead.

Life after lint: small wins that stack up

Something shifts when fur stops owning your morning. You get back the two minutes you used to spend peeling sheets, and the headspace you spent scanning for stray fluff before a meeting. Your sofa looks like itself again. **Once you try the glove, the sticky sheets start to feel oddly old-fashioned.**

We’ve all had that moment when you spot a halo of cat hair under harsh lift lighting and pretend not to care. The glove trick lowers the stakes. It turns de-furring into three calm swipes, not a fiddly ritual. Soyons honnêtes: personne ne fait vraiment ça tous les jours — and now you don’t need to.

If it helps, think of it less as cleaning and more as grooming your home. A single tool, a bit of water, a minute of your time. Share it with the friend whose tuxedo cat loves their black jeans. Watch their face the first time the fur rolls up like a tiny cloud. That’s the bit you’ll remember.

FAQ :

• Can I use latex-free gloves if I have allergies?Yes. Nitrile or vinyl gloves work well; you may need a touch more moisture to mimic the same tacky feel.
• Will this trick damage wool coats or cashmere?No if you’re gentle. Test a hidden spot, go light, and keep the glove only slightly damp. For super-fine knits, use a soft fabric brush instead.
• Does it work on carpets and car upholstery?Very well. Start with small circles to lift embedded hair, then sweep in one direction to gather and lift the clumps.
• How do I clean the glove after?Rinse under warm water with a drop of washing-up liquid, rub palms together to release hair and oils, and hang to dry.
• What if I don’t have a rubber glove?Use a damp microfibre cloth, a silicone squeegee on flat fabric, or tumble clothes for 10 minutes on cool with a damp cloth to loosen hair before a quick brush.