Shedding Season: Furniture That Makes Dog Hair Cleanup Easy

Anyone who owns a dog that sheds knows the struggle of trying to keep your home hair-free. (And why is it that the dogs that shed the most always want to be lap dogs, regardless of their size!?)

Dog hair furniture problems typically peak in spring and fall. For many pets, the process goes fairly quickly. The issue is where that hair goes once your pet sheds it.

The type of furniture you own plays a big role in whether cleanup takes ten minutes or a whole weekend.

Here is how to pick the best pet-friendly (and shed-friendly) furniture and set up your space to keep shedding season under control.

 

When Shedding Season Hits, and Why Your Patio Takes the Brunt

What Time of Year Do Dogs Shed the Most?

Each dog’s true shedding timeline is different. But dogs tend to shed the most in spring and fall, when changes in daylight and temperature tell their coats to adjust. If you have a double-coated breed, like Labrador retrievers, German shepherds, or Siberian huskies, you’ll find they blow their undercoat in large clumps.

Many experts put this “coat blow” process at about two to four weeks per season. Outdoor dogs start dropping their winter coat around March and begin the fall shed around September.

• The spring is when a dog's winter coat comes out, roughly March through June for outdoor dogs
• During fall, the heavier winter coat comes in, and shedding picks up around September.
• Single-coated breeds may skip the seasonal blowout and shed at a steadier pace all year.

 

How Does Dog Hair End Up on Your Furniture?

For many pets, a coat blow drops hair all at once. But that hair often blows around your home or outdoor space, clumps together, and then sticks to the first piece of furniture it can find. Outdoor furniture can accumulate hair where most sweeps won’t reach. Outdoor furniture dog hair builds up wherever your dog settles, and it clings differently depending on the surface.

 

• Cushions and fabric: shed hair can press into the chair's weave whenever a dog sits on it.
  
• Textured surfaces: shed hair can lodge into wood-grain textures and may require a good brushing to get it all out.
• Hard-to-reach corners: spaces such as seams, joints, and the space under a seat collect what drifts down.

 

What to Look for in Dog-Friendly Outdoor Furniture

Go for Easy-to-Clean, Low-Maintenance Surfaces

The reality is that science hasn’t yet designed furniture that is 100% mess-resistant. The trick is picking furniture that is built to naturally repel hair when it comes into contact with it. If hair has nothing to weave into, it brushes or rinses away more easily.

Highwood builds its furniture from high-density polystyrene (HDPS) poly lumber, which is a solid plastic made from recycled materials. The best part? There’s no fabric to trap hair. Simply use a soft-bristled brush on the textured grain with a bit of dish soap and water for a quick and easy clean.

 

• Use a soft bristled brush first to lift the hair out of the wood-grain texture before adding water.
• When cleaning, always wash with water and dish soap, then rinse the entire set clean with fresh water.
• Skip any furniture cleaners that use aromatic solvents.

 

What about Cushions and Pet Blankets?

The first place you’ll find (and feel and smell) dog hair is in your cushions. Your furniture cushions are where dog hair digs in, so keep them to the seats you use and give your dog a surface of its own. The Lehigh Deep Seating Collection has reversible Sunbrella cushions you can flip when one side fills up with hair.

 

 

You can also use a washable pet blanket placed over your dog's favorite cushion to catch any shed hair instead. Go with a blanket that’s safe in the wash, so you can throw it in there occasionally and replace it, your dog will thank you!

• You don't have to banish your pet from the furniture! Just lay a washable blanket on any cushion you dog likes and clean it occasionally (particularly during heavy shedding seasons).
• Set up a consistent routine to brush any loose hair off cushions with a soft bristle brush.
• Run a damp rubber glove across the fabric to gather whatever the brush leaves behind. 

 

Furniture Styles That Keep Dog Hair Cleanup Easier

Adirondack Chairs

Adirondack chairs are among the easiest styles to clean because they have no cushions or crevices for hair to hide in. The Classic Westport Adirondack Chair is solid poly lumber, so hair comes off with a brush or a damp cloth. Does your dog like to lie beside your chair rather than on it? The Hamilton Folding & Reclining Adirondack Chair folds up, which clears the seat and the ground underneath for cleaning.

 

• If you have furniture without a cushion, there's no fabric for hair to cling to or become embedded in.
• All furniture can get messy at some point, so look for a solid construction that wipes down in one pass.
• If your dog has a heavy coat blow, simply give your outdoor furniture a good hose-down to wash the hair away.

 

Benches

Outdoor benches are one of the best dog-friendly pieces of furniture, mostly because there’s nowhere for hair to hide and accumulate! The Weatherly Garden Bench is solid poly lumber with no cushion, so no worries about gathering hair. Plus, benches are great for giving a dog space to stretch out (and you can clean them from end to end in a single pass).

 

• When shopping for benches, look for one made with high-quality, solid poly lumber with no cushion.
• Benches are great for pets, as they are designed for quick cleaning with a simple wipe-down of the flat seat.
• A washable blanket on top covers a dog that likes to sprawl.

 

Tips for Building a Dog Zone and Cleaning Up Through the Season

Create a Designated Dog “Zone”

We love the idea of designing your space with specific zones, a zone for working out, a zone for chilling out, etc. So why not add a dog zone? Having a dedicated dog zone means there’s one specific place for hair to shed and gather, making it easier to clean. Pick a bench or chair, lay a washable blanket on it, and the dog has a spot that is clearly theirs. Keep cushioned seating on the other side of the patio, and brush your dog outside before they claim the furniture!

• When picking a dog zone, choose a bench or chair in a corner or provide a washable blanket.
• Keep any cushioned seating you'd prefer to keep dog hair free away from the zone.
• Brush the dog outside before they head to their spot, this will help you avoid many unexpected shedding moments.

 

Cleanup Tips for Shedding Season

You’ll find that cleanup goes fastest as a short routine. For dogs, this could mean keeping a quick-clean routine on hand throughout the two to four weeks of a coat blow. Dry first, damp second, rinse last. Once the blow passes, a seasonal wash is all the frame needs until the next one.

• Brush hair off frames and cushions every couple of days while the dog is blowing coat.
• Launder blankets weekly and hand-wash cushion covers when the brush can't keep up.
• Finish with a rinse of water and dish soap on the frame, then let it air-dry. 

 

Key Takeaways

• Dogs shed the most in spring and fall, and a coat blow in double-coated breeds lasts about two to four weeks.
• Cushions and textured surfaces hold dog hair, so solid, non-upholstered furniture cleans up faster.
• A washable blanket between your dog and the cushion is the simplest way to keep hair out of the fabric.
• One designated dog zone and a dry, damp rinse routine keeps shedding season manageable.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

When is shedding season for dogs?

Most dogs shed the most in spring and fall. It’s often the change in daylight and temperature that can trigger a coat change. Many breeds, like Labrador retrievers and German shepherds, are double-coated, so they’ll blow their undercoat for about two to four weeks each season.

What is the best outdoor furniture material if my dog sheds a lot?

The best furniture for a dog that sheds is solid, non-upholstered furniture such as HDPS poly lumber. This type of furniture lacks any fabric that hair can easily weave into and embed itself in. A soft-bristle brush, a damp cloth, and a rinse can clear it without special tools.

How do I keep dog hair off outdoor cushions?

One of the best ways is to put a washable blanket over the cushion your dog uses. You can also keep up a routine of brushing loose hair with a soft-bristle brush after any extended lounging. Run a damp rubber glove over the fabric to gather the rest. Flip reversible cushions and hand-wash removable covers in lukewarm water with dish soap when needed.

How do I clean dog hair off patio furniture?

Think dry, then wipe, then wet clean. Brush your furniture down first, wipe with a damp cloth or rubber glove, then wash the frame with water and dish soap and rinse. Avoid cleaners with aromatic solvents.