FurZapper Review: Does This Tool Banish Pet Hair from Your Laundry?
Updated: May 02, 2024
Can the FurZapper really remove pet hair in the laundry cycle? Here's what we've found in our long testing process.
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As a certified animal behavior consultant, I write about pets for a living. And as a pet owner, I know the struggles of excess fur (which is why I always keep a lint roller on hand for pet hair removal). Two years ago, I started testing the FurZapper—and today, because fall shedding season increases the amount of pet hair I find all over me, I still use this laundry tool to fight the furry blizzard.
In the fall, cats and dogs grow thicker coats to prepare for colder weather. The new fur growth pushes out the old, so we end up with shed fur in drifts that we need to vacuum, or clinging to bedding (if you share a pillow with your furry love). But indoor pets shed year-round. Short fur proves even more difficult to remove from clothes, upholstery and carpet, because it needles into the fabric. There are many products for removing pet hair, but they often are ineffective or labor-intensive.
So, when I heard FurZapper removed pet hair in the laundry, I thought it sounded too good to be true. I put the product to the test by washing and drying hairy clothes to see if it lowered the fuzz quotient. And I share how the product has held up over many months of use.
What is the FurZapper?
The FurZapper loosens and removes pet hair from fabric in the laundry’s wash and dry cycle. It rinses away hair or collects the fur on the dryer filter. FurZapper comes in a blister pack with two 4-inch-round disks, each 0.5-inch thick with paw-shaped cut-outs. The sticky disks go right into the washer and dryer along with your fur-covered clothes, and lift out the fuzz.
VIA MERCHANT
We Tried It
FurZapper Pet Hair Remover
The FurZapper loosens and removes pet hair from fabric in the laundry's wash and dry cycles.
FurZapper Features
I wasn’t sure what to expect. From the outside of the package, the two FurZapper disks looked like solid plastic. When I opened the packaging, they felt both heavier and flimsier than expected, and wiggled like Jell-O. Each disk feels spongy, like dense foam rubber, but there’s no rubbery scent.
All the surface area—front, back and inside of the cut-outs—feels sticky, clearly designed to grab pet hair. The two disks come in bright neon yellow and green. I suspect the bright colors help you find and retrieve the disk from the jumble of clothing once each cycle finishes.
How We Tested It
To make sure my FurZapper review would be as thorough as possible, during the first few months of testing, I included hair-covered pet blankets, lap throws we use daily and even my fur-covered winter coat. I also snuggled with my cat, Karma, and my dog, Shadow—what a hardship on them! The extra cuddles ensured that several sweatshirts and sweaters collected even more dog and cat fur.
Before washing and drying each load, I emptied the dryer lint trap to better measure any hair captured. I prepared to wash laundry as I use do, by placing washables inside the washer, but then I also dropped in one or two FurZapper discs (depending how hairy my pieces had gotten) and ran the cycle as normal. The FurZapper circulates with the clothes, dislodging hair and pet fur, so it rinses out and drains with the water. I only saw a few stray hairs clinging to the FurZapper, but, in the wash cycle, the loosened fur washes down the drain. Pro tip: Don’t overload the washer or dryer, as the disk needs room to circulate. Also, don’t add fabric softener, as it interferes with hair removal.
When the washing process was finished, I placed my clothes into the dryer along with the disks. Warmth from the dryer helps activate and increase the “stickiness” to pull off even more pet hair. In the dryer cycle, the loosened hair collects in the lint catcher, not on the disk itself. Another tip: Avoid dryer sheets, which reduces the effectiveness.
My dog and both cats have relatively short fur and a thick undercoat, so I don’t see the sort of dramatic results one might expect from a long-haired breed. Also, in the wintertime, I really need the added anti-static properties of fabric softener or a dryer sheet, so I disliked choosing between static or fur.
Still, I noticed a marked improvement in the clothes coming out of the dryer, and an increase in debris in the lint trap. The disks don’t collect all of the fur, but they seem to loosen it enough to wash through or be caught by the lint trap. For me, the FurZapper worked moderately well, especially in the dryer. With heavily shedding pets, you’ll notice the most improvement during the spring and fall shed season.
Over the couple years of use, the FurZapper continues to hold up well. I don’t use it all the time, but it helps enormously during the spring and fall peak shedding seasons. Between washes, you can run pet hair-covered clothes in the dryer with a FurZapper disc to pull off extra fuzz. To “refresh” the product, it does need cleaning from time to time. Packaging recommends handwashing the FurZapper with dish soap after every two or three laundry loads of use. I was worried the stickiness would eventually wash away, or that the disk would stick to the sides of the washer or dryer. But nearly two years after my initial FurZapper review, the stickiness remains nearly as good as straight out of the package!
Pros
- Reduces pet hair on clothes and fabrics
- Easy to use—just throw it in the washer and dryer
- Reusable and lasts a long time
- Little to no maintenance
- Affordable
Cons
- Works best for short-coated pets
- Shouldn’t use with fabric softener or dryer sheets
What Other Reviewers Had to Say
There are more than 51,900 FurZapper ratings on Amazon. Here’s what other real-life shoppers had to say:
“I was surprised how well these actually work!” writes verified purchaser, Thomo. “When I used these the first time, it looked like there was a whole cat’s worth of hair stuck to them! They work great with bulky items like blankets and with regular clothing. It probably cut down my lint rolling by like 50%. I clean it between washer and dryer cycles, and it gets off even more hair! So happy I found these!”
Five-star reviewer, T Poisson, says, “I have a very big dog—140 pounds worth of furry. He has a fuzzy undercoat that is incredible, but it gets everywhere. I use both of the FurZappers in the load. I put them in the washer and the dryer. For those loads with a lot of fuzz on them, I put the load in the dryer with the FurZappers before I wash to remove some of the excess. Then I wash the load with both FurZappers and then put them in the dryer. It beats trying to use a lint brush on your laundry before you wash.”
Deb.Bee, another verified buyer, shares, “Exactly what I needed! I have two German Shepherds, so controlling the fur is a never-ending battle. I am really happy to report that this product lives up to their claim. All of my dark clothes are coming out of the dryer practically fur-free. I use both disks at the same time and handwash them with dish soap to remove the fur and make them sticky again.”
Product Comparison
Over the years, I’ve tried many products to help control the fur on my clothes. The FurZapper shouldn’t replace grooming your pet. (I suspect that many of the most negative reviews hoped that the FurZapper would negate the need for combing and brushing the pet.) Used in combination with grooming tools, like the Furminator, goes a long way toward reducing the hair that ends up on clothes. It also prevents painful matted fur and cat hairballs that require hairball treatment, so you don’t step on them while barefoot at 3 a.m. You’ll still want to groom and brush your cat to keep the fur and skin healthy.
Most other products, like lint rollers for pet hair, pet hair removers and fabric scrapers that de-pill sweaters and remove fur from clothes, require a lot of work. Brushing and combing your clothes takes time and, if you’re like me, you have better things to do.
Pet hair dissolvers only work in front-loading, high-temperature washers, with mixed reviews. Another pet hair remover for laundry uses a dozen soft nylon and fabric balls with tiny hooks that collect hair in the dryer, but you must tediously clean each one after the dryer finishes. For an easy-to-use, inexpensive answer to reducing pet hair on clothes, the FurZapper can’t be beat.
Final Verdict
Does the FurZapper live up to the hype? There are mixed reviews, and frankly, that probably has to do with a couple of things. First, following the directions gives the FurZapper the best opportunity to work. I’ll admit that, for the first couple of loads I tested, I added a dryer sheet without thinking about it. When I remembered to leave it out, I had better results. Also, the FurZapper doesn’t collect the fur, so you won’t see satisfying clumps of hair on the product. Finally, your success depends on your individual pet, how many animals you have and the clothes involved. After all, every dog’s and cat’s fur interacts differently with a variety of fabrics. In my experience, it works best in the dryer rather than the washer.
The FurZapper isn’t a miracle worker, but it’s easy to use and offers modest-to-great results (depending on the pets and fabrics), and at an economical price. Even better, the FurZapper lasts virtually forever—one reviewer noted she’s had hers since 2017, and they still work!
For me, it’s well worth adding the FurZapper to my laundry routine, especially when I’m washing winter dog coats and fur-covered blankets.
Where to Buy the FurZapper
You can snag a two-pack of the FurZappers for around $13 at Amazon, Walmart and Chewy. Just think—you already do laundry, so why not try removing pet hair in a smarter way in the process?
VIA MERCHANT
We Tried It
FurZapper Pet Hair Remover
Got clothes covered in dog or cat hair? The FurZapper works to remove it in the laundry-washing process.
Originally Published: December 31, 1969
