A pet can be a wonderful addition to any family. Dogs, cats, and other furry critters make for extremely loyal companions that bring unbounded joy, love, and energy into your home.

Unfortunately, they also bring a decent amount of hair and dander as well, which can make a mess of furniture and carpets or exacerbate allergies. To stop the inevitable shedding from overtaking your home, here are some important tips on how to prevent and remove pet hair buildup:

• To stop pet hair from getting on your most expensive pieces of furniture, cover those items with fitted slipcovers or restrict access to the room by closing the door or installing a baby gate.
• Provide your pet with its own bed to help reduce the temptation to jump on the sofa or recliner. Heated dog beds, cat beds, and pet mats with washable fleece covers are a comfy and affordable alternative.
• Invest in a good vacuum cleaner with strong suctioning power that is rated for pet hair pickup. When vacuuming carpets, go over each area at least two times in different directions to help loosen and remove hair.
• If your current vacuum leaves behind too much pet hair, follow up with a squeegee. Firmly scrape the rubber end along the top of your carpet to gather all the fur remnants, repeating as necessary.
• To quickly remove pet hair from upholstered furniture, put on a pair of lightly dampened rubber dishwashing gloves. Run your gloved hands over the fabric to collect the hair, rinsing and repeating as often as necessary.
• Reduce shedding by frequently brushing your pet, keeping his coat clipped short, or using a de-shedding tool.

There’s no getting around the fact that a majority of dogs and cats shed copious amounts of fur throughout the year, but that doesn’t mean your furniture and carpets have to be permanently coated in pet hair. Using separate pet beds, buying a good vacuum cleaner, and maintaining a regular grooming schedule are just a few tips you can try for preventing and removing pet hair buildup.