Best Type Of Rug Material And/or Vacuum

Eli's Meema

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Not sure this is the right spot and my "search" skills here are terrible.

Anyway, love having a rug under my feet, but also know that previous area rugs get cat hair ground all up in them and are eventually impossible to vacuum out. I'm looking to get an area rug for the living room in my new place with hardwood floors.. what is the best for dealing with the cat hair problem? I usually have gotten wool-like, short nap ones but ..ick. i love the shag ones but lord I can't imagine what it's like to vacuum that, or what cat hair does to them.

So, please share thoughts, ideas and solutions you've found as far as area rug materials, nap and also what vacuums may just be so amazing that rug type won't matter.

Thanks!!
 

denice

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I can't really make recommendations on a rug, I rent and the place came with carpet. You will find that people here fall into two groups as far as the best vacuum, Dyson or Shark. Shark is cheaper then Dyson though it isn't cheap. I think Dyson usually edges out shark in these threads. I think Dyson is a heavier sturdier machine then the Shark. They both do a good job picking up pet hair and dander.
 

nurseangel

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I hope this doesn't offend anyone, but we have a new cowhide rug. (The cow wasn't slaughtered specifically to make the rug; it is a by-product of meat production.) I did some research prior to purchasing and found this to be very durable. Daisy has had her little hands and sharp teeth all over it, clawing and chewing. Hasn't hurt it a bit. I don't think it has to be vacuumed; only spot cleaned. We like it so much we are buying another.
 

Kflowers

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Of all the rugs we've had the one that attracted the most cat hair and tried to refuse to let it go, was wool. Go with the best vacuum you can afford denice denice has some nice suggestions. I didn't have much of a vacuum then, and used the cat brush on it. That worked, but it did not give me a fondly feeling for the rug.
 

Jem

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I learned a trick to get hair and other stuff off carpets when the vacuum just won't cut it.
Use a running shoe! (Use the shoe you have with the most treads on it) Put the shoe on your hand and pull the shoe across the carpet in short strokes. It gets everything up and even loosens dirt and sand from deep inside and brings some of it to the surface so you can vacuum it up after. Not something I would recommend for a fully carpeted room, that would take forever. But it works really well on area rugs, welcome mats etc... I've never done it on a shag, not sure how it would do there.
 

susanm9006

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I have hardwood throughout my house but like to have a rug in the living room. I buy bound carpet remnants that run around $40 each. When they become to soiled or worn I just buy a new one, so maybe every four or five years. From a cat hair standpoint a synthetic short pile carpet seems to clean best. And no looped carpet or it will be full of snags. I just have inexpensive vacuums and they work just fine. My aunt has a Dyson and the suction on it is so strong that it is really hard to get it through the carpet.
 

LTS3

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I learned a trick to get hair and other stuff off carpets when the vacuum just won't cut it.
Use a running shoe! (Use the shoe you have with the most treads on it) Put the shoe on your hand and pull the shoe across the carpet in short strokes. It gets everything up and even loosens dirt and sand from deep inside and brings some of it to the surface so you can vacuum it up after. Not something I would recommend for a fully carpeted room, that would take forever. But it works really well on area rugs, welcome mats etc... I've never done it on a shag, not sure how it would do there.

A rubber glove works well for sofas and clothes. I have seen rubber brooms for use on carpet to get pet hair out. Not a squeegee, although that would work on non-carpeted floors, but with rubber teeth to get between the carpet fibers like this https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Buddies-PB5579-FurStatic-Broom/dp/B0032GEHAS
 

di and bob

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I have been using the Shark Duo Clean with that cloth roller in the front. Out of Dyson and 5 OTHERS (that are now in the garage for a garage sale) it has been the absolute best for sucking up hair on both hardwood floors and carpet. You can see a path where it goes because it wipes up the dust that accumulates dailty on hardwood floors. It literally sucks the hair out of corners and under furniture from 6 inches away. I am definitely getting another one for downstairs. I absolutely love it and highly recommend it!
 

micknsnicks2mom

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i use an Armourall small shop vacuum, made for use in automobiles. it's lightweight (easy to carry upstairs), and has excellent suction (the first time i used it, it picked up...some gritty stuff out of my rugs that i didn't even know was there, and i vacuum regularly. it sucks up cat litter, no problem.). it also costs around $30, so a 'nice price'.
 

susanm9006

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One other thing about vacuums is that I absolutely won’t go with a bagless. They all have to be emptied and they all have a filter that must be periodically cleaned and I don’t want to be digging around with my hands in dust and hair. Even dumping the canister sends dust flying into the air - and me. Yuck
 

Kflowers

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I had the squeegee version of that broom that @LT53 mentioned. The squeegee thing didn't work very well, the fur escaped on the wood floor. It did better on the carpet, but only the tight nap.
 
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